In today’s urban environment, the safety of pedestrians and vehicles is becoming increasingly difficult to manage. As humans and vehicles become more intertwined with ever-changing street layouts, traffic upgrades, and more emphasis on pedestrian-friendly malls and mixed transport zones, safety is becoming harder to guarantee.
Safety is also a growing concern in CBD environments in Australia, with the increasing risk of terror attacks and rogue cars ploughing through crowds and into property – it’s a chilling and disappointing trend that businesses are coming to terms with.
Mitigating these risks in a dynamic urban environment is difficult – and finding the right solution will depend on individual circumstances.
Risk areas
Areas exposed to traffic, whether a sidewalk, shopping mall, car park area, or street corner, are all potential risk areas. Any area with pedestrian traffic passing through can be considered a risk zone, and proximity to roads and vehicles contributes to a unique and challenging environment. So how do we mitigate these risks?
Bollards as a safety tool
Bollards have become a safe and secure means of protection from hostile vehicular traffic. But it’s more complex than simply installing a few bollards out the front of your property.
What bollards can and can’t do
First of all – it must be said that bollards are never the final solution to the safety issue – there will always be a degree of risk in every mixed traffic environment. Even a heavy-duty bollard can be useless in the face of a strategic attack or violent collision. But what can be guaranteed is a high level of protection unparalleled by any other protection device. Bollards can facilitate traffic flow without hindering vital foot traffic and ward off cars and unwanted vehicles in a given space and time.
Regulation – not prevention
For businesses, it’s often about regulating traffic flow – not stopping it altogether. For example, an ice cream shop located in a mixed traffic area behind retractable bollards would still want its frozen goods delivered by van – and would want to give unrestricted access to the driver. Or a delivery bay located in a public parking lot might need to be accessible during certain hours.
Choosing the right bollard will come down to a compromise between total safety and relative risk.
Every situation needs its safety plan
Depending on the environment in question, there are various factors at play that determine the level of risk and the types of measures available to businesses and councils.
Because every situation is different – it’s essential to get an expert opinion on how you should
For businesses looking to protect their pedestrian walkways and thoroughfares from rogue cars, several considerations should be taken into account:
- Proximity to the road or thoroughfare
- Previous instances of accidents/security breaches in your area or precise location
- Existing traffic mitigation tools such as steps or railings
- Local council regulations
- Insurance coverage
Which safety bollard is best?
Here is an overview of different safety bollards used for protecting pedestrians in other areas:
- Removable bollards – can help divert traffic around construction and temporary road repairs. However, they are not considered effective medium or safety solutions for any established business. It’s, therefore, not advisable to use removable bollards in any pedestrian protection system.
- Surface-mounted bollards – are easier to install than their heavier compatriots – but won’t stand a chance against a car at 50km/h.
- Retractable bollards – can be incredibly useful in allowing for mixed traffic movement – while also stopping more hostile or unwarranted cars from entering certain areas.
- Heavy-duty permanent or in-ground bollards – when used effectively with correct spacing, permanent bollards can protect pedestrians and property from rogue cars and trucks. While effective at preventing traffic from spilling over onto the footpath, emergency service vehicle access can also be restrictive. Heavy-duty bollards are used to protect valuable inner-city properties and heavy pedestrian walkways.
- Parking Bollards: A parking bollard is a sturdy, vertical post designed to control or direct road traffic, such as to prevent cars from parking in certain areas, protect pedestrians and buildings, or block vehicle access to restricted zones. They can be made from various materials like steel, concrete, or plastic and may be permanent or removable, depending on their intended use.
Materials matter
No strategy goes ‘too far’ when it comes to the safety of your property, staff, and the public at large. That’s why choosing high-quality stainless steel bollards is the best way to ensure you’ve got the proper protection. But costs run up quickly when you invest in higher quality products like stainless steel safety bollards. That’s why attention to the planning and installation must be on-point.
Premium Safety Products Australia
Managing safety in built-up areas can get complex – that’s why getting experts to help you navigate the bureaucracy can be helpful to both your schedule and your bottom line. Get in touch with Image Extra for access to a wide range of safety products like removable bollards in Perth – ready to meet your needs.