For local authorities considering more permanent hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM), the starting point should therefore be risk and operational need, not the assumption that every pedestrianised space requires permanent barriers.
NPSA guidance takes a similarly considered approach, with HVM requirements informed by the threat, vulnerability, potential consequences and needs of the organisation or place being protected.
When does a city centre need permanent HVM?
Permanent HVM may be appropriate where an assessment identifies an ongoing vehicle-borne risk that needs year-round mitigation.
Councils should consider the vulnerability of the location, how people use it, potential consequences, existing protection and the operational requirement. Crowdguard’s approach is based on exactly these principles: understanding risk first, then specifying proportionate measures.
That distinction matters. HVM is not simply a row of barriers; it combines physical measures with appropriate processes and planning.
Permanent, semi-permanent or temporary HVM?
The answer does not have to be one or the other.
Permanent measures can suit locations requiring continuous protection. Semi-permanent HVM can be valuable where protection is regularly needed but the space must operate differently at other times. Temporary HVM remains useful for events, seasonal activity and changing requirements.
A city-wide strategy can use all three, matching the solution to the actual requirement rather than applying one approach everywhere.
Seven questions councils should ask before specifying permanent HVM
- What is the risk? Think about threat, vulnerability, consequence and existing mitigation.
- How does the space operate? Consider everyday use as well as markets, events and seasonal changes.
- Is it accessible? HVM should support pedestrian movement and inclusive access.
- Who requires authorised vehicle access? Servicing, deliveries and other legitimate access requirements should be understood early.
- How will it affect placemaking? Security should complement regeneration rather than make public spaces unnecessarily hostile.
- What is the whole-life requirement? Look beyond installation cost to servicing, maintenance, warranties and long-term operation.
- Who owns it? Responsibility for the risk, operation, maintenance and future decision-making should be clear.
Bradford: building HVM into city-centre regeneration
Our work with Bradford Council shows why early integration matters. As the city prepared for UK City of Culture 2025 and pedestrianised key areas as part of an extensive regeneration project, the local Council identified the need to keep its population safe from the threat of hostile vehicle incursions.
Rather than treating HVM as an add-on, Bradford Council recognised the value of engaging with a specialist HVM partner early and appointed Crowdguard to manage the HVM project, designing a scheme to meet the operational requirements.
Individual locations were considered according to their operational needs.
Our solutions included Heald Matador ST4, Townscape CT Sentry Block, ATG Access Centurion, Marshalls 7250 shallow-mount bollards and MACS Pilomat automated bollards, creating a combination of permanent and access-controlled measures that can be integrated into the surrounding streetscape while supporting the day-to-day operation of the city centre.
At Centenary Square, a dedicated Publicly Accessible Location (PAL) event space, we specified Unafor Core to provide a more flexible approach. Its shallow-mount, removable design allows certified HVM to be incorporated into the public realm while supporting the changing requirements of a space used for both everyday activity and large-scale events.
As a result, our Plan-Provide-Protect methodology enabled us to develop a practical HVM strategy that delivered proportionate protection while complementing the regeneration scheme, balancing aesthetic considerations with the needs of the local community.
Birmingham: moving from temporary protection to a permanent solution
Birmingham illustrates a different journey. The city had previously relied on temporary National Barrier Assets before reviewing its longer-term requirements.
Given the requirement for certified defence against vehicle borne risks, we designed Birmingham’s replacement scheme utilising PAS68, IWA 14-1 or ISO 22343-1:2023 impact tested systems, a combination of Marshalls Static Shallow Mount Bollards and Heald Matador automated system, combining two automated impact tested bollards, adjacent static bollards and integrated lighting columns.
These automated systems support the city’s need for controlled authorised access whilst remaining sympathetic to the pedestrian environment. The system supports efficient access arrangements and reduces the operational resource previously required.
Birmingham City Council reflected positively on the outcome, with Head of Resilience and Operations, Michael Enderby saying, “The new Heald and Marshall’s systems provided and installed by Crowdguard are a great asset for the city. They provide a much more permanent level of protection than the previous temporary installation whilst being much more pedestrian friendly, as they do not create bottlenecks in an already busy city centre. I’m happy to say that our new HVM measures help to make Birmingham a more ‘people first’ city”
Plan, Provide, Protect: taking a proportionate approach to city-centre HVM
Our Plan – Provide – Protect methodology starts by understanding the risk and operational requirement, then identifying appropriate certified solutions before considering installation, servicing and ongoing support.
For local authorities, that means thinking beyond the initial capital project.
Planning a city-centre HVM project?
Every city is different
A shopping street, transport interchange, civic square and cultural quarter can have completely different patterns of pedestrian activity, events and vehicle access. The HVM strategy should reflect those differences.
When does a semi-permanent solution become the proportionate choice?
Where protection is needed repeatedly rather than continuously, semi-permanent HVM can provide a useful middle ground. Systems such as Unafor Core, for example, combine shallow-mount foundations with removable elements and options for integration into street furniture and public-realm design.
Temporary and semi-permanent solutions both have a role
A permanent city-centre scheme does not remove the need for flexibility. Events, festivals and other temporary changes can create different operational requirements.
How permanent HVM can be a positive change
Well-considered HVM should work with the city, not against it. Bradford demonstrates how protection can form part of regeneration, while Birmingham shows how moving away from temporary measures can improve the pedestrian experience.
Ultimately, practicality matters as much as protection. The objective is proportionate risk mitigation: nothing excessive or intrusive, just what is appropriate for the location, its people and the way the city needs to work.
Get in touch with our specialist HVM team at info@crowdguard.co.uk if you would like to discuss a more permanent solution for a city centre HVM project.
Further reading
Public Realm HVM | Permanent & Semi-Permanent Solutions
Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) | Specialised Guidance | NPSA