The cost of new anti-terror bollards in Chester city centre is more than £1million, CheshireLive can reveal.
Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) unveiled the project earlier this month but more details have now been released.
Some of the security bollards will be static while others will rise out of the ground and are robust enough to stop terrorists using a vehicle as a weapon against a crowd.
CWaC agreed and funded the £1,043,000 scheme without any formal consultation and in secret as the project is classified as sensitive.
Current bollards restrict vehicle movements but would not stop a vehicle intent on an attack.
Cheshire police recommended the upgrade following vehicle ramming incidents around the world including in the capital at London Bridge, Westminster and Finsbury Park.
Justifying secrecy around the project, a council spokesperson said: “Making the information public at an early stage would carry a risk as this would identify where Chester would be vulnerable to these types of attack. The project has been managed at an Official-Sensitive level.”
He added: “Throughout the project, key cabinet and shadow cabinet members, as well as local ward members, together with the relevant senior council officers, have been consulted and briefed, with the necessary approvals sought by the project team.”
Locations of the bollards are being kept under wraps but work is ongoing in Northgate Street, Bridge Street and in the paved area at the end of Frodsham Street where the street traders gather.
CWaC claims no planning permission is needed as the bollards are highways infrastructure and used to manage existing traffic orders. It reckons no formal consultation was required but says key stakeholders directly affected have been kept informed.
The rising bollards can be activated to protect the public during large scale events, if it is unexpectedly busy or in response to intelligence or a heightened threat level.
Approved vehicles and blue badge holders will continue to have daily access to the city centre once the bollards are built, in line with the current traffic regulation order. Delivery times for businesses will continue as normal.
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Precise details of how the system will be managed and by whom are being kept from the public.
A spokesman added: “However, we can reassure you that every access scenario has been considered and we will continue to liaise with key stakeholders moving forward to ensure that the scheme operates effectively once operational, ensuring the safety of all communities in and visitors to Chester city centre. Any changes that road users need to be aware of will be communicated before the scheme becomes operational.”
The now defunct Cheshire County Council installed rising bollards just off the Mecca bingo roundabout to restrict access to a bus lane leading to several cars being written off and injuries when the bollards rose up underneath the vehicle.
CheshireLive asked what guarantees were in place to ensure this would not happen in future.
The spokesman responded: “We can reassure you that every scenario has been considered during the planning and design of this scheme including the safety of normal road users and their vehicles. To that end, a range of systems are being installed to ensure that road users are able to access and egress the scheme safely.”
