Funding for permanent anti-terror measures on London’s bridges needed

The current hostile vehicle mitigation measures on London's bridges are encroaching into bus lanes, impacting cyclists, taxis and bus users. They were intended to be temporary.



In his second report on London's preparedness for a terrorist attack, Lord Toby Harris made clear that issues with installing permanent hostile vehicle measures on London's bridges "should be resolved as swiftly as possible".



Today the London Assembly agreed a motion asking TfL, the Mayor and the Government to urgently ensure funding is made available, so that permanent hostile vehicle mitigation measures can be completed without delay.



Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM, who proposed the motion said:



"Hostile vehicle mitigation measures protect lives . Five years after the London Bridge attack, it is ridiculous that the temporary anti-terror measures on London's bridges have not been permanently installed."

"The current barriers are encroaching into bus lanes, impacting cyclists, taxis and bus users. They have also caused flooding on Tower Bridge.

"A swift resolution to the impasse on funding the permanent installation of these measures is essential and the petty quibbling over money, is risking the lives of Londoners."

The full text of the motion is:

This Assembly is concerned that Transport for London has paused plans to install permanent hostile vehicle mitigation measures on several central London bridges due to financial constraints.



This Assembly notes that in the conclusions of the inquest into the London Bridge terror attack in June 2017 the then Chief Coroner of England and Wales, Judge Mark Lucraft QC, emphasised the importance of permanent hostile vehicle mitigations and stated that "funding disputes between public bodies would not be a satisfactory reason for delay in the planning and installation work".



This Assembly also notes that in his second report on London's preparedness for a terrorist attack, commissioned by the Mayor of London and published in March 2022, Lord Toby Harris made clear that issues with installing permanent hostile vehicle measures on London's bridges "should be resolved as swiftly as possible".



This Assembly recognises that the current hostile vehicle mitigation measures on these bridges were intended to be temporary and will reach the end of their life if permanent measures are not installed swiftly. The temporary measures currently in place are encroaching into bus lanes, impacting cyclists, taxis and bus users.



This Assembly also recognises that the temporary measures on Tower Bridge have contributed to problems with drainage, which has led to significant cases of flooding.

This Assembly therefore calls on Transport for London, the Mayor of London and the Government to urgently work together to ensure funding is made available so that the previously planned permanent hostile vehicle mitigation measures can be completed without delay.