Enhanced safety measures, including bollards, at Wollongong’s Crown Street Mall will be investigated after a car was driven into the shopping precinct’s pedestrian zone last week.
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A man has been charged over the incident, which happened as hundreds of people enjoyed the popular Eat Street food markets.
Police allege John Mark Caddle, 41, of Mangerton, drove his car at low speed into the mall about 8.30pm on Thursday.
Caddle’s green Hyundai Accent allegedly crept forward at 10-15km/h and travelled 150 metres into the marketplace before he was confronted by Wollongong City Council security officers.
No one was injured during the incident and Caddle is currently before the court.
The security scare has prompted a call for bollards to be installed at the entry points of the mall.
Last month, following Melbourne’s Bourke Street Mall attacks that killed six people, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called for access to busy pedestrian areas to be tightened up.
At the time, Wollongong lord mayor Gordon Bradbery said security issues such as bollards in the mall were “on the radar” of council.
On Sunday, Councillor Bradbery said council was continually working with the police regarding public safety at large gatherings.
“What took place last Thursday night will be subject to a total review. Any incident prompts a review and a risk assessment,” he said.
Any incident prompts a review and a risk assessment
- Wollongong lord mayor Gordon Bradbery.
Asked specifically about the installation of bollards, Cr Bradbery said a number of vehicles – such as armoured vans and emergency services – needed access to the mall.
“To install bollards that work, they’re the ones that retract so that you can put them up and down as required, that requires a lot of engineering and a lot of expense,” he said.
“To put more expenditure into the mall with bollards and so on, it’s one of many areas we’ll have to do risk assessments on.”
Cr Bradbery said council’s security focus wasn’t just on the mall but at all events and said risk assessments were an “ongoing process”.
“Any public event, any public space is vulnerable,” he said. “I didn’t want to create public alarm [after the Melbourne incident], but at the same time we’re very, very mindful of these issues.”
Caddle was refused bail on Friday and the matter returns to court on Wednesday.