Safeguarding Birmingham New Street

1 Jun 2016

The hostile vehicle mitigation system Townscape Products installed at Birmingham New Street helps to provide a robust deterrent against the threat of vehicle-bound attacks on the premises.


Comprising a combination of PAS 68 Planters and granite-clad PAS 68 Counter Terror Blocks, the perimeter security solution brings together effective protection and stylish design - providing Birmingham New Street with high levels of protection without jeopardising aesthetics.

The client

With more than 170,000 daily passengers, Birmingham New Street is the city’s biggest and busiest railway station. In the context of the UK itself, Birmingham New Street is the busiest station outside of London, with tens of millions of passengers passing through each year.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise that the station is widely regarded to be the central hub of the UK rail network and a major destination for many train operators running UK-wide services. Since the station first opened in 1854, it has endured as an integral part of the UK rail network.

The brief

In 2003 the old Birmingham New Street station was voted the ugliest building in Britain. It’s fair to say the station was in need of a well-overdue revamp, especially given its status as one of the UK’s most high-profile railway stations.

The brief we received from Network Rail’s managing agent was to provide a highly-effective perimeter security solution for the station. It was essential that a security system was put in place to protect the station against the threat of hostile vehicle attacks. There was also a strong desire to improve the appearance of the station, so it was vital a solution was found which provided security and enhanced the aesthetics of the station.

The installation

Following our brief, we worked to manufacture and install three stainless steel PAS 68 Planters around the front face of Birmingham New Street and 20 granite-clad PAS 68 CT Blocks around the station’s taxi rank.

The use of these CT Planters ensured the perimeter security system we installed reinforced the modern, sharp design of the new station. The use of our signature CT Planters also meant we were able to plant trees, further improving aesthetics.

The CT Blocks installed were granite-topped with anti-skater studs. This provided security infrastructure with a high-quality, anti-vandalism finish, which also doubled as seating for commuters. The 100mm low profile foundation required by these CT blocks made the installation a smooth and simple process, with no disruption to underground infrastructure necessary.

The results

The bespoke hostile vehicle mitigation system we installed at Birmingham New Street provides robust perimeter security capable of stopping a 7.5 tonne vehicle. This ensures the station enjoys strong and effective protection against the threat of vehicle-bound attacks.

The use of stylish CT Blocks and Planters also allows the perimeter security solution to enhance rather than detract from the aesthetics of the station.

The insight

“Our project at Birmingham New Street demonstrates that it is possible to install effective perimeter security without detriment to the design and appearance of a project. Instead, security installations can be used in such a way that they enhance the appearance of a project upon completion, with products such as CT Planters and CT Blocks providing versatility as well as security.

Townscape Products
Website
T: 01623 513355

Fulwood Road South
Sutton-in-Ashfield
NG17 2JZ
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
United Kingdom

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