Hyde Park Winter Wonderland has become the latest high-profile London event to be protected by an innovative new barrier solution, designed by Haydock-based business ATG Access.
As Europe’s largest Christmas attraction, Winter Wonderland has welcomed over 14 million visitors since its launch in December 2017.
Home to Christmas markets, an ice rink, fairground rides, and a Bavarian village, the spectacular festive event re-opened its gates at the end of November, and will continue to draw thousands of people to the UK’s capital until the 6th of January 2019.
Due to the popularity of the event, organisers needed a temporary security measure that would protect the entrance of the park from possible vehicle attacks, while still allowing pedestrians to flow freely in and out of the event.
As a result, the Surface Guard system developed by ATG Access, the world’s leading innovator of road blockers, bollards and barriers, has been installed across the park’s busy Speaker’s Corner entrance.
Designed in response to the recent surge in vehicle attacks around Europe, the Surface Guard barrier can withstand the impact of a 7,200kg vehicle travelling at 32kph, and has been tested in accordance to the IWA 14 crash test standard.
The barriers’ lightweight and modular design means that it can be deployed quickly and efficiently by four men in under an hour, minimising disruption to event operation and the surrounding area.
The decision to install the Surface Guard system at Winter Wonderland follows a successful trial earlier in 2018, when the product was used in the same location to protect BBC Proms in the Park.
Gavin Hepburn, managing director at ATG Access, said: “Following the recent vehicle-related attacks that have taken place across Europe, including at the Christmas markets in Berlin in 2016, it’s reassuring to see that event organisers are taking steps to better protect attendees.
“Our Surface Guard system was born out of the desire to provide a practical, discrete and above all reliable method of protecting public events.
“When it comes to pedestrian-permeable, temporary event security, no other solution can match Surface Guard’s effectiveness or ease of installation.
“We’re delighted that this was apparent during the system’s successful trial at this year’s Proms in the Park, and look forward to helping to ensure the safety of many of the capital’s other world-class events in future.”
For more information, please visit: www.atgaccess.com
