Decision details

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Cabinet agreed to:

1.To approve the TRO (for anti-terrorism purposes) for advertisement such that it would operate between 1000 hours and 1800 hours on the following streets:

(1) Lower Borough Walls, Stall Street, including Abbeygate Street, Abbey Green, Swallow Street (South), Bath Street and Hot Bath Street

(2) York Street

2. To approve the TRO (for anti-terrorism purposes) for advertisement such that it would operate between 1000 hours and 1800 hours on the following streets:

(1) Cheap Street, Westgate Street, Saw Close and Upper Borough Walls

with access to the restricted streets also being provided to Blue Badge Holders, carers transporting Blue Badge Holders, and taxi’s transporting Blue Badge Holders. Access would be provided via Controlled Authorised Access by the Council’s CCTV team.

3. To advertise the TRO between 1800 hours and 2200 hours on York Street, to reflect its proximity to the Roman Baths and to support the increased footfall from Terrace Walk through York Street to the new Clore Learning Centre and World Heritage Centre. The Roman Baths, Clore Learning Centre and World Heritage Centre will, at times, be open late into the evening.

4. To note that we will not advertise the TRO between 2200 hours and 1000 hours on York Street.

5. To note that we will not advertise the TRO between 1800 hours and 1000 hours for the following streets:

(1) Lower Borough Walls, Stall Street, including Abbeygate Street, Abbey Green, Swallow Street (South), Bath Street and Hot Bath Street

(2) Cheap Street, Westgate Street, Saw Close and Upper Borough Walls

when the streets are not deemed as crowded, based on footfall data and the

security risk is not considered to be proportionate to the terrorist threat.

6. Delegate to the Director of Place Management in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport the operational management procedures for access to the restricted streets.

7. To note that subject to investigations which are currently taking place on vault survey works, to determine exact locations, based on engineering design options, a series of suitable Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) measures to be installed at the entrance/exit to the following streets within the city centre. Exact locations to be delegated to Director of Place Management in consultation with Cabinet Member for Transport, with access provided via Controlled Authorised Access by the Council’s CCTV team:

(1) York Street

(2) Cheap Street

(3) Upper Borough Walls

(4) Lower Borough Walls

(5) Hot Bath Street

8. To note that subject to investigations, enhance existing street furniture with a series of public realm HVM measures to the following streets:

(1) Old Bond St (North)

(2) Burton St (North) (incl occasional access)

(3) New Bond St Place (North)

(4) New Bond St Place (South)

(5) Northumberland Place

(6) The Corridor

(7) Barton St/ Saw Close (incl occasional access)

(8) Seven Dials (incl occasional access)

(9) Chandos Buildings (West)

(10) Hetling Court (West)

(11) Beau St (East) (incl occasional access)

(12) New Orchard St (East) (incl occasional access)

(13) Southgate St (south)

(14) Kingston Buildings (Orange Grove)

9. To note the recommended series of mitigation measures, to support the City Centre Security programme, as highlighted in the Accessibility Study, namely:

(1) Additional seating to be installed on Cheap Street and Westgate Street

(2) Dropped kerbs and footway surface improvements to allow improved

accessibility from existing city centre car parks and proposed additional blue

badge bays.

(3) Provide additional blue badge and loading bays (as detailed in 3.20 below)

(4) Clear and accessible Communications Plan

10. To note that recommended additional measures, in a phased approach, from both the Consultation Report and Accessibility Study will be considered as part of wider Bath City Centre public realm and transport improvement programmes, with an holistic approach, working with Accessibility Groups, businesses and residents. This request is subject to approval of the revenue and capital budget provisions by Cabinet and Council as part of the council’s budget setting process.

11. Advertise TRO’s as necessary for all the restricted streets to prevent all waiting, except for the provision of parking for Blue Badge Holders and loading/ unloading for specific time periods

12. Enable the TRO (for anti-terrorism purposes) restrictions to prevent access by Blue Badge Holders, and identified delivery vehicles, should the National or local security risk increase to severe or critical, and as advised by the Police, either for an unplanned incident or planned event, ie Bath Christmas Market/Remembrance Services, as per the Operational Management Procedures.

13. To note the resource implications set out in section 5 of the report, final scheme design and financial implications will require the approval of the Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources and Economic Development.

Since 2016 the Council and South West Counter Terrorism Advisors (CTSA’s),

with Avon & Somerset Police, have worked together on preventative measures

to reduce the risk of a terrorist attack in the City. These include temporary

hostile vehicle mitigations (HVM) for events, such as the Christmas Market and

Remembrance Services and specific training for CCTV operatives, front-line

staff, managers, and senior officers across private, public and third sector

organisations, including regular deployments of Avon & Somerset Police’s

Project Servator teams.

The Council with CTSA’s have focussed attention on areas identified as crowded places, with the Chief Constable of Avon & Somerset Police writing to the Council on 21 February 2020 (Attached at Appendix 2) to recommend the

Council introduce an Anti-Terrorism Traffic Regulation Order (“ATTRO”) in

respect of all roads within the area defined within the map attached as Appendix

3.

The Council is now required to make a decision on a proportionate response to

the Chief Constable’s letter, which also takes into account the Council’s duties

under the Equality Act 2010 and public consultation carried out from November

2020 to January 2021, with consideration to the Accessibility Study and

subsequent recommendations

As per report.