Permanent anti-terror bollards and fixed planter boxes revealed for Bourke Street Mall

NEW permanent bollards will be rolled out at Flinders St Station and Federation Square but authorities are still struggling to find a solution for tram entry points at the Bourke St Mall.

NEW permanent bollards will be rolled out at Flinders St Station and Federation Square but authorities are still struggling to find a solution for tram entry points at the Bourke St Mall.

Work has started installing metal bollards and planter boxes to guard the mall against another vehicular attack.

The devices are crash rated and tested to withstand “significant” vehicle force.

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Premier Daniel Andrews said this morning that stopping hostile vehicles entering the mall through the tram tracks was a challenge.

“Once you can separate the footpaths from the tram corridor, you’re obviously automatically in a much safer place,” he said.

“The trams themselves prevent access, at least along the length of the corridor.”

“We continue to work with engineers and other experts to see whether a permanent solution around the tram issue can’t be found.”

Police Minister Lisa Neville said that a steering committee was looking at tram gates that could be automatically or manually operated.

“What we do know is that the retractable bollards probably will not work even though that’s what we initially thought might have been the solution,” she said.

Permanent protective barriers will be progressively rolled out at eight further sites across the CBD over the next year, with each area given a specific engineering solution.

Ms Neville revealed that areas around Flinders St Station and Federation Square would be the next to get new bollards.

Stainless steel bollards have started to be installed at the Swanston St and Elizabeth St corners of the mall.

Fixed planter boxes will be installed in other areas of the mall.

Where the permanent bollards and planter boxes will be placed in the Bourke Street Mall. Picture: supplied

The new bollards have been crash rated and independently assessed to withstand significant vehicle force.

Design images provided to the Herald Sun showed the boxes staggered along tram tracks outside the Melbourne’s GPO.

Ms Neville said: “While there is no way to completely eliminate risk, we are doing everything we can to keep pedestrians safe.”

“We have worked closely with Victoria Police and the City of Melbourne to ensure these permanent structures are as effective as they can be and where we need them most,’’ Ms Neville said.

Temporary concrete barriers in Bourke St will be removed once work is completed early next month and returned to the company which hired them out.

An image showing what the new fixed planter boxes will look like. Picture: File

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Melbourne City Council and Victoria Police were involved in design of the metal bollards and planter boxes.

Maintaining tram, pedestrian and emergency vehicle access was a priority.

The anti-terror measures are part of a $10 million security upgrade in Melbourne’s CBD after Dimitrious Gargasoulas allegedly killed six people and injured dozens in a crazed car rampage on January 20.

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Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said: “With 720 tram movements and up to 75,000 pedestrian movements per day, as well as necessary access for emergency vehicles and deliveries, a ‘ring of steel’ configuration would not have been possible at Bourke Street Mall.”

“The emphasis is on creating comprehensive safe zones to protect people from a hostile vehicle attack,’’ Cr Doyle said.

“No one can guarantee against attacks but we have been working very hard and very closely with the Victorian Government and Victoria Police since 20 January to do all we can to protect Melburnians and visitors to our city.”

Going soon: concrete bollards were put in place across Melbourne’s CBD to protect pedestrians. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

Mr Andrews said the government had acted immediately in the wake of the Bourke St tragedy.

“We make no apology for putting the safety of those who work, live and visit the CBD first,’’ he said.

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