Public spaces

Parks, squares, high streets and event spaces must stay open and welcoming while resisting vehicle attack and break-ins. Specifiers have to protect crowds without closing off the space. HVM street furniture, kiosk security and the duties Martyn’s Law sets for open sites shape the specification here.

• Martyn’s LawStandard tier 200 to 799, enhanced tier 800 or more
• Impact tested HVMPAS 68, IWA 14-1 and ISO 22343-1 ratings
• LPS 1175Grilles, shutters and doors for kiosks
• Tested street furnitureProtection that keeps spaces open

The threats public spaces face

Open spaces cannot be locked. Squares, pedestrian streets and parks invite everyone in, which means a hostile vehicle can reach crowded areas without passing any barrier. Protection has to sit in the landscape itself: street furniture and barriers that stop a vehicle while the space stays open.

Kiosks, pavilions and plant rooms are the fixed targets. Retail kiosks hold stock and cash, pavilions hold equipment, and plant rooms serve the whole site. After hours they stand empty in open space, which makes them easy targets for forced entry and vandalism. Security shutters and retractable security grilles rated to LPS 1175 protect the openings without a permanent barrier.

Events concentrate the risk. Markets, festivals and public gatherings bring large crowds into spaces designed for everyday use. Temporary HVM and clear entry points manage both the vehicle threat and crowd flow. Where attendance meets the threshold, the event falls under Martyn’s Law duties.

Vandalism and low level forced entry are the everyday threat. An unprotected kiosk or plant room invites repeated attacks that cost more over time than a rated grille or door fitted once. Security doors on plant rooms close the quietest route into site services.

Standards and guidance for public spaces

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, known as Martyn’s Law, received Royal Assent in April 2025. The standard tier applies where 200 to 799 people may be present. The enhanced tier applies at 800 or more and to qualifying events. Enforcement follows an implementation period of at least 24 months. The Security Industry Authority regulates the regime. Physical measures must be considered at the enhanced tier, but no specific product is mandated. See the Martyn’s Law guide.

HVM is rated to PAS 68, IWA 14-1 or ISO 22343-1:2023, the current international standard. Each rating names the vehicle type and mass, the impact speed, the impact angle and how far the vehicle travels past the barrier. Tests use vehicles from a 1,500 kg car up to a 30,000 kg truck, at 48, 64 or 80 km/h. The vehicle impact ratings guide explains how to compare ratings, and HVM street furniture shows how tested protection can look like ordinary benches and planters.

LPS 1175 covers the shutters, grilles and doors used on kiosks and pavilions. Ratings run from A1 (old SR1) to H20 (old SR8), combining a tool category with minutes of attack time. Kiosk openings commonly use B3 to C5. B3 holds for three minutes against hand tools such as screwdrivers and saws, while C5 holds for five minutes against crowbars and drills. The LPS 1175 guide sets out the full range.

Where a public space meets a transport interchange, the two regimes overlap. Our transport hubs page covers forecourts, concourses and back-of-house areas, and the hostile vehicle mitigation range covers the full product set.

Weight is not a rating. A heavy planter stops nothing unless it is impact tested. Ask for the PAS 68, IWA 14-1 or ISO 22343-1 rating with the vehicle mass, speed and penetration distance stated.

Zone by zone: public spaces

Public spaces need protection that works with open access. The table below matches each zone to a typical rating and product.

Public spaces specification mistakes to avoid

• Buying heavy planters sold as HVM without a test rating. Mass alone proves nothing.
• Fitting kiosk grilles with no LPS 1175 rating. An unrated grille delays an attacker by minutes at best.
• Protecting the square while leaving plant rooms open. Services cupboards give quiet access to power and water.
• Assuming Martyn’s Law mandates specific products. It requires assessment and proportionate measures.
• Placing HVM that blocks emergency vehicles. Keep access routes passable with removable or operable units.
• Specifying the barrier but not the foundation. HVM performance depends on correct installation into the ground.