Permanent barriers to stop another London Bridge terror attack are still missing nearly two-and-a-half years on
PERMANENT barriers to stop another London Bridge terror attack are still missing nearly two-and-a-half years on from the atrocity.
Only temporary ones have been put in place to halt killer vehicles — and the family of one victim have blasted the authorities over the delay.
Xavier Thomas, 45, and Chrissy Archibald, 30, died when the terrorists’ hired van was driven into them on the pavement.
But the City of London Corporation and Transport for London still have not added permanent barriers to the bridge and others in the city.
There are reports of a dispute over who should fund them.
The shocking delay was exposed in Chief Coroner Judge Mark Lucraft QC’s report following inquests into the eight victims killed in June 2017.
He said: “The family of Xavier Thomas has understandably expressed concern that, despite the passage of over two years since the attack, some bridges in London — including London Bridge — still have temporary barriers in place.”
He added: “Funding disputes between public bodies would not be a satisfactory reason for delay in the planning and installation work.”
A City of London Corporation spokesman commented: “We will learn everything possible from the inquest and carefully review our procedures and processes.”
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Evidence heard at the inquest in June this year from TfL said police had not told them the bridge could be vulnerable to terror attacks.
TfL said it was working closely with the corporation, Met police and the Government on a long-term solution for all London bridges but it was a complex process.
Other victims of the attack were Alexandre Pigeard, 26, Sara Zelenak, 21, Kirsty Boden, 28, Sébastien Bélanger, 36, James McMullan, 32, and Ignacio Echeverría, 39.
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