Proportional HVM for Smaller-Scale Events
Securing Remembrance Day Ceremonies for local communities
The importance of proportional Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) solutions for smaller-scale events, such as Remembrance Day parades and services, has come into sharper focus amidst the UK’s elevated threat level. Whilst these occasions are traditionally considered low-risk, the heightened tensions resulting from international conflicts, such as the Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah conflict, demand a reassessment of security measures.
The Balancing Act: Security vs. Accessibility
Remembrance Day events, like those that we delivered temporary HVM solutions for, on 11th November in Liverpool City Centre, Taunton, and Barnsley, draw communities together in solemn commemoration. These gatherings are inherently low-profile compared to larger public events but remain potential soft targets for individuals seeking to exploit vulnerabilities.
We believe that every Publicly Accessible Location (PAL) should have a risk assessment as part of the event planning process. It’s part of the due diligence that ensures threat and vulnerability are considered so that risk can be identified and planned for.
Hardstaff Barriers semi-permanent HVM solution alongside ATG Access Surface Guard temporary deployment
We have a robust HVM risk assessment process, based on the experience of our counter-terrorism experts. Our HVM risk assessment methodologies enable us to analyse threat, vulnerability and risk using insight into how terrorists select a target. Where necessary, we will also carry out a detailed Threat Vulnerability and Risk Assessment (TVRA), alongside a Vehicle Dynamics Assessment (VDA), which will provide event organisers with an additional layer of information of how to best protect their event.
With this venue- or event-specific analysis, we can provide a tailored approach to risk mitigation, advising you on the most appropriate and proportionate HVM solutions to help you protect people and assets.
Deploying proportional HVM solutions tailored to the size and nature of these events ensures a balance between public safety and the accessibility required for community participation.
Effective temporary HVM measures—such as the Husson H-Stop, ATG SurfaceGuard, ARX Stopper and Highway Care RB50—can provide robust protection without overshadowing the dignified atmosphere of these parades and services. By utilising these highly versatile, cost-effective, and non-intrusive installations, authorities can address potential threats without causing undue alarm or disruption. For a longer-term installation such as in Liverpool City Centre, we partnered with Hardstaff Barriers to provide a semi-permanent HVM solution during the Christmas Market Period.
H-Stop temporary HVM deployed along the Remembrance Day parade route in Barnsley
We continued our partnership with Chevron Traffic Management to deliver safe, respectful, and secure Remembrance Day parades in Taunton and Barnsley. Working closely with Chevron TM, we implemented comprehensive Counter Terrorism Risk Management strategies as part of our commitment to safeguarding large public gatherings.
Continuing our partnership with Chevron TM at the Taunton Remembrance Day parade
Contextual Threat Assessment
The heightened tensions linked to international conflicts have reverberated within the UK, contributing to an increased risk of lone-actor attacks or opportunistic hostile vehicle incursions. However, security planning for smaller events must remain proportionate to the actual threat level, avoiding an overreaction that could erode public confidence or deter attendance.
For events like Remembrance Sunday, local authorities/ organisers can adopt a layered approach to HVM, combining physical barriers with visible law enforcement, traffic management and community awareness initiatives. This ensures that both the symbolic and practical needs of these events are respected, fostering a sense of security without diminishing the solemnity of the occasion.
This balanced approach, paired with thoughtful deployment of proportional HVM measures, can safeguard smaller-scale events while preserving their accessibility and atmosphere. By leveraging proportionate security strategies, communities can continue to commemorate together, even amidst heightened national tensions.
If you’re planning an event (small or large-scale), get in touch with the Crowdguard team to discuss your requirements. We will give you the best possible advice and provide a turnkey service to help you plan and implement strategies to keep people safe in crowded places, with market-leading solutions installed by experts, designed to help you mitigate risk.
Tel: 0161 507 3434
Email: info@crowdguard.co.uk
