Southbank bollards labelled ‘useless’ as they still allow vehicle access

UPDATE: MELBOURNE city council has defended new security bollards in Southbank against claims they are “useless”.

Security bollards installed near Crown Casino would not prevent a vehicle attack by terrorists. Picture: Nicole Garmston

UPDATE: MELBOURNE city council has defended new security bollards in Southbank against claims they are “useless”.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said the concrete bollards were installed in a zigzag formation at Freshwater Place on the ­advice of police and experts.

“It’s principally to slow down vehicles, it’s when vehicles get to high speed that they can do real damage, when people can’t get out of the way,” he said.

The state Opposition said the bollards did not serve their intended purpose, while a Docklands resident said they were “useless”.

Cr Doyle replied: “If you run into them, they will stop you.

“They’re meant to be placed in a way that prevents vehicles gaining any sort of speed, placed on advice of Victoria Police,” he said.

Cr Doyle said the council would act on the bollards, if necessary.

“If we notice that we do need to change any of those configurations when we got to permanent bollards then we will do that,” he said.

“But at the moment all we can do is follow the advice of the experts.”

Premier Daniel Andrews said the new anti-terror bollards were exactly where they need to be.

He slammed criticism of the bollards from the state Opposition as ill-informed.

“We take our advice from the sighting of bollards from Victoria Police and not the Victorian Liberal Party.

“It is totally irresponsible for people, like the Victorian Liberal Party, who are not experts in these matters to be running a commentary that is irresponsible and wrong.

“They are exactly where they need to be on advice from Victoria Police.”

Concrete bollards at Queensbridge Square, Southbank. Picture: Supplied

Edward O’Donohue, the state Opposition’s spokesman on police matters, said the bollards did not serve their intended purpose of preventing the use of vehicles in a terrorist attack.

“It beggars belief that the state government is passing the buck to the City of Melbourne and other agencies, when they’re the ones investing in this deterrent,” Mr O’Donohue said.

Nearly 150 concrete bollards appeared at major locations around Melbourne during last month.

Docklands resident James Spencer said the bollards were “useless”.

“I don’t see much point having them there if a car can still get through.

“I thought the whole point of these bollards was to prevent vehicles from entering busy places like Bourke St and Southbank.

“They either need to take them all away or fill in the gaps, because they’re pretty much useless at the moment,” Mr Spencer said.

Police officers walk past concrete bollards on Southbank. Picture: Mark Stewart

Acting Police Minister Richard Wynne echoed the premier’s comments saying their location was determined by Victoria Police and other law enforcement agencies.

Victoria Police spokesman Thomas O’Bryne said the planning and rollout was being led by a committee that included representatives of Victoria Police, the City of Melbourne, the state government and others.

“The interim measures are about making our city safer, while still maintaining accessibility, including the capacity for emergency services access,” he said.

“The interim bollards act as barriers and also prevent vehicles from travelling at dangerous speeds.”

In January, a car ploughed into pedestrians in the Bourke St Mall, killing six people and injuring at least 30 more.

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