Protecting people and infrastructure is now a core consideration for planners and security advisors in planning new and existing buildings, public spaces and events.

Both city councils and district and borough authorities have increased their focus on security measures that can mitigate against these incidents, and we’ve seen a growing number commission and install protective street furniture manufactured to the British Standard Institution’s (BSI) PAS 68 and IWA 14.1.

Incorporating this measure is an essential part of protecting people, places and infrastructure. But, it is equally important that the type of product installed is proportionate to the threat posed.

Up until now, ‘anti-ram’ has covered lower rated products, but a tested standard providing an assured security product for this level of threat hasn’t existed. To meet this need, the Government has introduced PAS 170, a series of requirements that will transform how local authorities, specifiers, architects and facilities managers can protect against the vehicle threat from criminals and accidental impacts.

PAS 170 differs to PAS 68 and IWA 14.1 in that it delivers a testing standard for vehicles of up to 2.5 tonnes travelling between 10 and 20 mph. This means that street furniture manufacturers can conduct a greater number of product tests using a wider range of vehicles and speeds, providing an organisation more choice in security products.

The knock-on effect is that specifiers and architects can now access cost-effective, tested products for sites such as shopfronts, ATMs and high streets, where there may only a need to specify security to mitigate against incidents involving low speed passenger vehicles.

Until now, there was no testing standard available to assure buyers of the speed or weight this type of product could withstand or how it would perform. PAS 170 will provide organisations with this assurance and enable them to reduce their insurance premiums.

We have a range of Rhino Anti-Ram bollards which are tested to PAS 170 and can be tailored to factor in landscape restrictions, such as limited excavation depth or the requirement for lift assist to enable vehicle access.

Retailers on the high street, specifiers and business owners in general are concerned that large, intimidating barriers may create an environment of fear among the public. Marshalls has four bollard cores that have been developed to PAS 170 standards - three of these were tested at 10mph and one at 20mph. These can be specified at this standard with decorative sleeves in various materials, complementing any surrounding area.

It’s vital that those responsible for shaping public spaces recognise there is no one size fits all response to the risks posed by vehicle incidents. The threat level should govern the type of security specified, and the new PAS 170 standard provides specifiers and security professionals assurance that the products they choose provide the level of protection specified, offering greater peace of mind in areas where the threat of vehicle attacks is lower.