Seven people were left seriously injured after being struck by a vehicle at the weekend
Cordons were put in place following the Friar Gate incident(Image: Derby Telegraph)
Road barriers should be placed around “vulnerable” Derby city centre areas – a councillor has claimed in the wake of the Friar Gate incident which left multiple people seriously injured.
Investigations are ongoing into the incident which happened at around 9.30pm on Saturday (March 28) when a car collided into several people in Derby’s Friar Gate.
A man, who is 36 and from Derby, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following the incident and remains in police custody, Derbyshire police said on Monday (March 30).
Seven people sustained serious but non-life threatening injuries in the incident. All were taken to hospital, with three now having been discharged.
In the wake of the incident, a call has been made for a city centre “review” to determine whether high footfall streets – such as Friar Gate – now require extra protection measures for pedestrians.
Conservative councillor Steve Hassall has written to council leaders and Derbyshire police chiefs calling on the situation to be closely examined.
The Allestree councillor told officials that some of the public response following the incident suggested “a lack of confidence that sufficient preventative measures are currently in place within our city centre”.
He has called for “a targeted assessment of Friar Gate and similar locations for hostile vehicle mitigation, using design-led solutions that complement the public realm”.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Cllr Hassall said: “A review would look at what safety measures are most appropriate.
“I’m not saying for any second we create a fortress or a prison but clearly we want people to be safe.
“Bollards could mean a number of things – they could be concrete blocks or any large planters for example. There’s lots of examples where you can walk between them but you would not get a car between them.
“There might be other streets in the city centre that might have a degree of vulnerability to them, which could be explored.”
Derby City Council leader, Councillor Nadine Peatfield, said the authority was “constantly reviewing city centre safety” and will “thoroughly consider the implications of Saturday’s incident.
Cllr Peatfield said: “The safety and security of our residents and visitors is our absolute priority. In close collaboration with the police, we have integrated Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) measures into our public realm improvements to protect busy areas and public events from unauthorised vehicle access.
“These features – including reinforced bollards, benches, and planters – are designed to enhance the city’s environment while significantly increasing public safety. Many are already in place at key locations, including Osnabruck Square, the Market Place, and outside Vaillant Live, as part of our ongoing commitment to secure public spaces.
“We are constantly reviewing city centre safety and we will, of course, thoroughly consider the implications of Saturday’s incident. We’re committed to ensuring our city remains a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.”
In response to Cllr Hassall’s letter, Derbyshire police chief superintendent Emma Aldred said: “We are working with our city council colleagues as part of the recovery process and the safety of the city will be one of the things to be considered as part of that process.”
Derbyshire police are appealing for anyone to come forward with information in relation to Saturday’s incident.
Anyone with information should call 101 quoting incident 1131 of March 28. The force can be also contacted via its website or social media channels.
