Haydock firm launches its latest anti-terror protection system

Haydock-based manufacturer of road blockers, bollards and vehicle barriers, ATG Access has launched the latest generation in bridge protection systems.

Its Populus Bollard system, designed for use on public access bridges, was presented to a range of customers, security experts and civil engineering specifiers.

This is the second bridge security system the company has brought to market making it the only supplier with multiple systems currently available.

This new solution is the shortest, shallowest and the slimmest available in today’s physical security market, ideal for bridge applications.

The new system, which achieved both the IWA 14 and PAS 68 standards at tests undertaken at the MIRA testing facility last month, was able to arrest a 7.5-tonne vehicle traveling at 30 mph at a 30-degree angle.

Tests were carried out under COVID-19 distancing restrictions demonstrating the company’s commitment to continue developing and innovating throughout the current crisis.

The internationally-recognised tests were designed to simulate the distinctive features of a vehicular attack on a bridge and resulted in minimal penetration damage of under half a metre, pending test report confirmation.

Bridge design dictates that vehicular attacks are most likely to be carried out at a shallow angle as a forward moving vehicle leaves the carriageway to mount the pavement at speed.

Due to their unique engineering characteristics, bridges bring specific challenges to security systems, such as drainage requirements, expansion joints and depth constraints.

Coupled with the inability to close structures for prolonged installation periods, any bridge security system needs to operate within these parameters while delivering robust performance.

Specificall designed for installation within areas with either no depth available or a challenging substructure, the system requires excavation of just 40mm and is installed without bolting, mechanical fixings or any upstand.

Furthermore, it requires no finishing surface treatment to the highway to conceal the top of the product, meaning it can be installed in any carriageway conditions.

This innovative approach protects the integrity of the bridge structure while affording the greatest possible protection to bridge users and bridge parapets from vehicular attack.

The system has been developed in close collaboration with local authorities, architects and engineers who have come together to establish the principles which have been refined by the ATG Access design team.

In development for just three months, scale models of the Populus system have been subjected to a series of simulated tests with data collected at each stage of product development with the aim of eliminating different variables. These test simulations led up to the full scale impact tests carried out in March.

Iain Moran, sales and marketing director at ATG Access, said: “The key advantage of this system is the fact that its installation does not require any disruption to the bridge sub-structure. The super-shallow system provides extraordinary security levels without impacting the integrity of the structure.

“This, coupled with the beautiful aesthetic treatments we have available with the Populus system, mark a major leap forward for bridge protection systems.

“We have received very favourable feedback to the system so far and we look forward to rolling the product out around the world in the coming months.”