Heald bolsters security at UNESCO World Heritage City of Bath

The City of Bath, which is recognised for its exceptional Roman heritage and Georgian architecture, attracts approximately six million tourists every year. Driven by its historical significance, large visitor numbers and the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, Bath and North East Somerset Council sought advanced measures to enhance security.

Heald was selected to provide a solution that addresses the complex geographical and topographic challenges of the old Roman City, including extensive underground infrastructure like cellars and modern service ducts, which demand shallow and ultra-shallow mounted security products.

The bespoke solution deploys a combination of fixed and electromechanically operable systems. A total of five HT3-EM Matador 4 and HT2-EM Matador 5 units have been installed. These electromechanically operable sliding bollards offer VADS-rated HVM with minimal disruption, providing quick and adaptable security for permanent sites and events. They’re tested to demanding standards including IWA 14-1. 

21 stainless steel, ultra-shallow APEX bollards have also been deployed. These are ideal for those locations with limited excavation depth. The bollards were crash-tested in an array of three against a 7.2-tonne truck traveling at 64 kph.

Engineering innovation

A key engineering innovation involved adapting the APEX joining plate to accommodate the city’s steep inclines. Heald’s engineering team worked closely with the project team at Bath and North East Somerset Council to design a cranked joining plate, enabling seamless installation in challenging locations.

Additionally, and in order to provide a consistent aesthetic across the diverse installation, 306 mm bollard covers are used across the Matador range and 273 mm covers across the APEX range. Volker Highways completed the civil engineering aspects of the project.

Commenting on the install, George Beastall (manager of Heald’s Engineering Department) said: “The success of the project is in no small part down to the early collaboration and constant communication between Bath and North East Somerset Council’s highways team and Heald to ensure that challenges were overcome, both as pre-planned solutions and as reactive solutions during the build stage. The future-proofing solutions have already proved invaluable.”

Technical collaboration 

Simon Thomas (senior engineer and project lead for the Bath city centre security scheme) has praised the partnership, duly highlighting how the project has benefited from “exceptional technical collaboration with George and the team at Heald”.

Thomas noted that proactive communication and a deep understanding of the design served to ensure a “seamless flow of information” from concept through to delivery on-site, which then continued into handover and the management of the service contract.

The final installation of the Heald bollards demonstrates Bath and North East Somerset Council’s commitment to preserving public safety without compromising the city’s rich heritage or accessibility for residents and visitors.

*Further information is available online at www.heald.uk.com