Police reveal spiked net to stop vehicle terror attacks

Scotland Yard has unveiled a new spiked, vehicle-stopping net designed to prevent terrorists using vans and lorries to target crowds.

The piece of kit, known as Talon, can stop a vehicle weighing up to 17 tonnes and requires just two officers to deploy in less than a minute.

The equipment, displayed for the first time at the Naval Association Parade in Whitehall today, is part of a strategy to tackle mass-casualty terror attacks using vehicles in the wake of atrocities at Westminster, London Bridge and Finsbury Park.

Barriers have already been installed on nine bridges in the capital as well as other popular tourist sites.

Similar to the smaller police ‘stinger’ spike strip, Talon is equipped with tungsten steel spikes to puncture the tyres of a vehicle before the net tangles around its front wheels, bringing it to a halt.

The kit punctures the tyres of vehicles before tangling around the front two wheels to bring it to a stop

The system is also designed to ensure the vehicle skids in a straight line to reduce the risk to crowds.

The Metropolitan Police said the net is likely to become a familiar sight at events in London.

Chief Inspector Nick Staley, of the Met’s protective security operations unit, said: ‘This equipment undoubtedly has the potential to save lives and is just one of a number of measures being taken to provide protection to crowds attending major events in London and reassuring businesses, workers and visitors as they go about their daily lives.’