Twenty years since 7/7: Are we safer, or just more watched?

Surveillance is now woven into the fabric of city life. From AI behavioural monitoring in Tube stations to facial recognition trials and an ever-expanding CCTV network, the capital has become one of the most closely observed cities in Europe.

These tools have made a difference, helping to identify suspicious behaviour, flag crowd anomalies in real time, and have contributed to hundreds of arrests. But the question remains: is London genuinely safer in a way that the public can see, feel, and trust?

Surveillance certainly has a place within a layered security design, but it is, by nature, predominately reactive. Cameras may record an event or help identify a suspect, but they rarely deter or disrupt an attack as it unfolds. That’s why security design must also focus on prevention.

This doesn’t mean turning public spaces into fortress-like zones. On the contrary, the most effective security measures are those that are proportionate, intelligent, and sensitive to the communities they serve.

Hostile vehicle mitigation systems, for instance, can now be integrated seamlessly into the urban environment, protecting high-footfall areas or public events such as stadiums, squares and theatres without disrupting daily life or altering the character of a place.

Proportionate security is essential, particularly given the enduring, and sadly evolving, nature of the threats we face, from terrorism to the rise of far-right extremist activity.

But proportionate doesn't mean oppressive. Well-designed security measures should work with the flow of the city, not against it. When carefully planned, they needn’t obstruct streets or inconvenience the public. In fact, when deployed appropriately, they’re often welcomed.

Public awareness and support for visible safety infrastructure, such as bollards, has grown markedly over the past decade. Many now see them as a reassuring presence rather than an imposition.

And that’s key. Security, at its best, is a visible expression of care. As psychologist Philip Zimbardo’s “Broken Windows” theory illustrated, people are more likely to respect environments that appear looked after.

Security infrastructure that blends with its surroundings, rather than standing apart, helps create that sense of stewardship.

As we look ahead, the goal must be layered, proportionate protection, combining physical infrastructure, intelligent surveillance, and meaningful community engagement.

It’s about designing security that works not only for people, but with them.

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Richard Ellis is Managing Director of ATG Access, a global leader in hostile vehicle mitigation and urban access control.

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