Melbourne CBD security: Sirens, bollards and CCTV to secure city

A NEW public siren system to send out mass warnings of terror attacks or threat to public safety is to be installed across the CBD to keep Melburnians safe.

Melbourne cityscape.

• Plan to fortify city after Bourke St attack
• Bollard security boost for Melbourne CBD
• Bid for Bourke St rising bollard system
• Build Bourke St mall bollards: PM

A NEW public siren system is set to be installed across the CBD to keep Melburnians safe.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal the alert system would see speakers installed to enable police to send out mass warnings of impending terror attacks or any other threat to public safety.

The security upgrade is part of up to $10 million in state budget measures to increase city safety.

Pop-up bollards are another major security upgrade likely in the wake of the Bourke St tragedy and overseas terror attacks.

There will also be CCTV upgrades to create a greater “eye on Melbourne”, with the government meeting police requests for better protection.

A raft of tough new measures has been backed by Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: Sarah Matray

A security working group is assessing a raft of tough new measures backed by Premier Daniel Andrews, who is understood to be in favour of a stronger security system in the city, with the attack on the UK parliament in London heightening the perceived need for action.

The PA-style alert system at key city junctures would warn people of an incident or attack with advice to stay indoors or avoid particular areas.

Bollards preventing cars from entering CBD streets would likely focus on high pedestrian areas including Bourke and Swanston streets, with Flinders and Collins streets also being looked at.

Some of the work now being done by the Victorian security working group, which includes police, government officials, the City of Melbourne and public transport agencies, is to manage traffic issues while erecting a stronger protective system for pedestrians.

Police patrol Melbourne CBD.

Work is being done to ensure trams travelling along Bourke St and other city thoroughfares would not be impacted by the changes.

Security concerns have been heightened after a series of international attacks, the most recent being near the UK parliament in London.

That atrocity saw Kahlid Masood stab a police officer to death within parliament’s grounds and kill three other people.

Dozens of other people were injured on Westminster Bridge including some who were mown down by car.

Last month the Sunday Herald Sun revealed that Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton had called for concrete flowerboxes or boulders to be considered as bollards in the CBD. He said such changes would better protect pedestrians in the wake of the Bourke St tragedy and last year’s Nice truck attack in France.

[e-mail]

@Media_Matt