Pedestrians now have additional protection along the Bourke Street Mall shopping precinct following the completion of significant security upgrades.

A total of 131 steel bollards have been installed, enabling all temporary concrete blocks to be removed from the mall. The bollards work together with street furniture, planter boxes and other measures to form a protective pedestrian zone on each side of the thoroughfare and shopping strip.

The protective design was developed by security experts, landscape designers and engineers, in consultation with Victoria Police, state and local government agencies and mall traders.

Planter boxes and 20 steel bollards were installed as part of the first stage of works, while the second stage involved the installation of 36 bollards and additional temporary blocks. The final stage of works was completed with the installation of a further 75 bollards.

This is the third site to be completed as part of a major investment in CBD security, with Princes Bridge and Flinders Street Station works completed earlier this year.

Security upgrades at Federation Square, Southbank Promenade, Southern Cross Station, the State Library, Queen Victoria Market and Olympic Boulevard are ongoing with high priority areas due to be implemented in 2019.

The project is being delivered by the Community Safety Building Authority in conjunction with the City of Melbourne and Victoria Police. It forms part of the Victorian Government’s $52.5 million investment into public security projects across key locations around the city.