Vehicles are used as a weapon and they pose a real danger

Scott Gibbons of the Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters has highlighted the danger Vehicle as a Weapon (VAW) attacks pose to logistics businesses and UK citizens. Mr Gibbons speaks of how the 2016 terrorist VAW attack in Nice was a “game changer” and ignited an international security policy shift that is still in force today.

Mr Gibbons comments: “The 2016 Nice terror attack – where a 19-tonne lorry truck drove into a large crowd – was a wake-up call for policing. International colleagues that I’ve spoken to talk about Nice as a game changer. While VAW attacks were not a new concept, because Nice led to such a huge loss of life, industry approached the police to ask what it could do to prevent future attacks.”

While the threat of a terrorist attack in Britain has recently been downgraded to ‘substantial’, Gibbons warns against complacency, commenting: “Just because the threat level is lowered, it doesn’t mean there is no chance of an attack. It means they look at the intelligence picture and assess at that point that whilst an attack is still likely there is not the information to assess it as highly likely.”

Mr Gibbons urges logistics companies to ensure that they have a good security and business continuity plan in place; he advises transport operators to read the guidance available and engage with their local Counter Terrorism Security Adviser. Businesses can also help the fight against terrorism by identifying and reporting unusual behaviour.

Source: UK Haulier