Are barriers and bollards “Martyn’s Law compliant”?

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.

What Martyn’s Law actually requires

Rather than approving products, the legislation requires organisations to:

• Assess potential threats and vulnerabilities
• Put in place appropriate and proportionate mitigation measures
• Improve preparedness, procedures, and staff awareness
• Consider both physical and operational security controls

This means compliance is about the overall strategy, not a single item.

Where barriers and bollards fit in

Barriers, bollards, and gates play an important role as part of a wider security approach, particularly for:

• Controlling vehicle access to public spaces
• Reducing the risk of unauthorised vehicle entry
• Supporting hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) strategies where required
• Defining safe zones for pedestrians and public gatherings

In higher-risk environments, they may form part of a layered approach alongside:

• CCTV and monitoring systems
• Access control procedures
• Staff training and emergency planning

Why they’re still important

Although not “certified” under Martyn’s Law, physical security measures like bollards and barriers:

• Demonstrate proactive risk reduction
• Help meet the requirement for reasonable and proportionate action
• Provide visible deterrence and real-world protection
• Support compliance when aligned with a documented security plan

The key principle

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:

• Correctly specified for the risk
• Properly installed in the right location
• Integrated into a broader, site-specific security strategy

Practical takeaway

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.