Important note - This information is provided for general guidance only and should not be considered legal or security advice. Organisations should always refer to official government guidance and, where necessary, seek professional advice when assessing their obligations under Martyn’s Law.
Martyn’s Law, formally known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, is proposed UK legislation designed to improve public safety by ensuring organisations are better prepared for the risk of terrorist attacks.
The legislation focuses on publicly accessible locations — places where members of the public can gather — such as:
The aim is to ensure these locations understand potential risks and take practical steps to reduce them.
Rather than mandating specific products or one-size-fits-all solutions, Martyn’s Law requires organisations to:
This could include a combination of operational procedures and, where appropriate, physical security measures such as access control, barriers, or protective layouts.
A key principle of Martyn’s Law is proportionality. This means:
The level of action depends on factors such as capacity, footfall, layout, and risk exposure.
Martyn’s Law is named in memory of Martyn Hett, who was killed in the Manchester Arena attack. The legislation aims to ensure that lessons are learned by:
Martyn’s Law is not about turning every site into a high-security environment. It’s about making sure organisations take reasonable, informed, and proportionate steps to protect the public based on their specific circumstances.
If your site is open to the public, it’s likely you’ll need to assess risks and consider appropriate security measures as part of this legislation.
Martyn’s Law (the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill) is expected to apply to organisations responsible for publicly accessible locations, particularly where people gather in significant numbers.
The law is designed to cover those who own, operate, or manage premises that are open to the public. This typically includes:
Martyn’s Law is expected to introduce a tiered approach, meaning requirements will vary depending on:
In general:
Responsibility will usually fall on the “responsible person” — this could be:
They are expected to ensure that risk assessments are carried out and that appropriate, proportionate security measures are in place.
Martyn’s Law focuses on improving preparedness against potential threats by requiring sites to:
The core principle is simple: if a site is open to the public, those responsible for it must take practical, proportionate steps to improve safety and preparedness, based on the level of risk.
If you’re unsure whether your site falls within scope, it’s worth reviewing capacity, public access, and usage — as these are the main factors that determine how Martyn’s Law will apply.
In simple terms, Martyn’s Law will require organisations to take a more structured and proactive approach to managing security risks, particularly in publicly accessible locations.
The focus is on understanding potential threats and putting practical, proportionate measures in place to reduce those risks, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all solution.
Organisations will typically be expected to:
In practice, this means taking a balanced approach that reflects the size, purpose, and risk level of the site. For some organisations, this may involve relatively simple improvements, while others may require more structured planning and controls.
The emphasis throughout is on reasonable and proportionate action, ensuring safety is improved without introducing unnecessary complexity or cost.
Not necessarily. Martyn’s Law does not automatically require crash-rated or hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) systems in every situation.
The legislation is expected to focus on a proportionate, risk-based approach, meaning the level of security measures should reflect the specific risks associated with each site. For many locations, this will not require specialist anti-terror infrastructure, but instead practical steps that demonstrate risks have been considered and addressed appropriately.
In most cases, organisations will need to show that they have:
For many sites, standard solutions such as barriers, bollards, gates, or other access control measures may form part of an effective risk-management approach without the need for high-security, crash-rated systems.
Ultimately, the requirement is not about installing specific products, but about demonstrating a clear and proportionate response to identified risks.
Physical security measures such as barriers, bollards, and controlled-access gates can play an important supporting role in relation to Martyn’s Law, particularly where vehicle-related risks have been identified.
These types of products can help by:
In practice, Martyn’s Law is not about installing specific products, but about taking a proportionate and risk-based approach to security. Barriers and bollards can therefore be used as practical tools to support this, particularly in locations where vehicle access needs to be controlled.
These measures are typically implemented alongside policies, procedures, staff training, and emergency planning, ensuring a well-rounded and effective approach to site safety rather than relying on any single solution.
No — no individual product can be described as “Martyn’s Law compliant” on its own.
Martyn’s Law (the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill) is not a product certification standard. Instead, it focuses on risk assessment, planning, and proportionate security measures based on the specific risks at a site.
Rather than approving products, the legislation requires organisations to:
This means compliance is about the overall strategy, not a single item.
Barriers, bollards, and gates play an important role as part of a wider security approach, particularly for:
In higher-risk environments, they may form part of a layered approach alongside:
Although not “certified” under Martyn’s Law, physical security measures like bollards and barriers:
Martyn’s Law is about how security is assessed and implemented, not what products are used in isolation.
A barrier or bollard becomes relevant when it is:
Instead of asking whether a product is “Martyn’s Law compliant,” the better question is:
“Does this solution form part of a suitable and proportionate security plan for the risks identified at this site?”
When specified correctly, barriers and bollards can play a valuable role in helping sites meet their duty to protect people and manage risk under Martyn’s Law.
A wide range of sites can benefit from barriers and bollards, particularly where there is a need to control vehicle movement, improve safety, protect assets, or restrict unauthorised access. These systems are commonly used as part of a broader access control or security strategy.
Barriers and bollards are widely used across:
In these settings, they help protect buildings, control access points, and manage the interaction between vehicles, staff, and visitors.
They are also commonly specified for:
Here, the focus is often on public safety, traffic control, and compliance with accessibility and safety standards.
Barriers and bollards aren’t limited to large sites. They are also effective for:
In these cases, they are typically used to prevent vehicle theft, unauthorised parking, or access issues.
The most suitable solution will always depend on:
By assessing these factors, it’s possible to implement a system that improves safety and security without restricting legitimate use.
If a site has vehicles, access points, or areas that need protecting, it’s likely a good candidate for barriers or bollards. The key is not just installing them, but using the right type in the right place as part of a considered overall layout.
In many cases, yes—Martyn’s Law is expected to focus on practical and proportionate improvements, rather than requiring extensive or disruptive construction work.
The aim of the legislation is to encourage organisations to take sensible, risk-based steps to improve safety, based on the nature and usage of their site. This means many locations can enhance security using existing layouts and relatively straightforward measures.
Examples of proportionate improvements may include:
In practice, not every site will require permanent or intrusive installations. Instead, the focus is on making effective use of available space and introducing measures that are appropriate for the level of risk.
By taking a considered approach, many organisations can meet expected requirements without the need for major structural changes, while still significantly improving overall safety and preparedness.
For the most up-to-date and authoritative information on Martyn’s Law (the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill), it’s best to refer directly to official UK government and security bodies.
These official platforms offer:
Because the legislation is still evolving, these sources are regularly updated and should be checked periodically.
For most organisations, the best approach is to:
Martyn’s Law isn’t about following a single checklist — it’s about understanding your risks and applying relevant, proportionate security measures. Using official guidance ensures your approach is aligned with current expectations and best practice.
If you’re planning site improvements, these resources can also help you decide where measures like access control, barriers, or bollards may form part of a wider security strategy.
Aremco Barriers manufactures UK-made barriers, bollards, and gates designed to support physical access control and vehicle management as part of a wider, practical security approach.
We work closely with customers to understand how each site operates and what level of control or protection is required. This allows us to recommend solutions that are not only effective but also realistic for day-to-day use.
We typically support customers by:
Because we manufacture in-house, we can maintain quality, offer flexibility, and ensure reliable lead times without relying on third-party suppliers.
We always advise that physical security measures form part of a wider risk assessment, alongside site policies, operational procedures, and professional security advice where appropriate. This ensures a balanced approach that improves safety without overcomplicating the solution.
