Westminster attack: Roads around parliament could be pedestrianised to stop terrorists using vehicles to commit atrocities

Authorities to hold talks over traffic ban as vehicles become 'weapon of choice'

The streets around the Houses of Parliament could be pedestrianised in a bid prevent terror attacks, Britain's most senior police officer has said.

Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick said authorities would discuss restricting traffic in Westminster in response to vehicles becoming the "weapon of choice".

Her comments came after a driver ploughed a Ford Fiesta into cyclists and pedestrians outside parliament before colliding with a security barrier outside the House of Lords.

Armed police swooped on the scene of the crash, which injured three people, and arrested a 29-year-old man on suspicion of preparing an act of terror.

Tuesday morning’s attack was the sixth targeted at Westminster in the last year and a half.

It came 17 months after terrorist Khalid Masood drove a car at pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four and injuring dozens more, before stabbing to death police constable Keith Palmer outside parliament.

Vehicles were also used in deadly attacks in London Bridge and Finsbury Park in 2017, and have been deployed as murder weapons by terrorists around the world in recent years.

Ms Dick said: “Sadly the vehicle appears to, in some ways when you look across Europe and the western world, have become a weapon of choice, method of attack of choice for terrorists, and devastation can be caused by a vehicle as we've seen so many times.

“You will notice that the security around parliament both in terms of armed officers and police officers and physical barriers has been further enhanced over the last several months and there is more to come on that in further months.

"Whether that area outside should be pedestrianised further, there should be further physical works done, I think is a matter that will be discussed no doubt between parliamentary authorities, us, the intelligence agencies and indeed the local authorities and the mayor."

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Former London mayor Ken Livingstone drew up proposals to partially restrict traffic around Parliament Square in 2007 but the plans were scrapped by his successor, Boris Johnson.

Conservative MP Nigel Evans called for the area to be pedestrianised following Tuesday’s attack.

And Ms Dick said: "As with anything there is a balance to be drawn. Vehicles are on our streets all the time, we have crowds on our streets as well.

"Terrorists want us to completely change our way of life, they want us to be afraid and they want us to stop doing what we want to do to lead a normal life in the UK.

"We are not going to give in, we are not going to just change our lifestyle, but it is important we take reasonable measures, as I think we have being doing over the last several months, to try and make sure that the most iconic sites, including those in central London, are well protected and should something happen there, that the police are able to respond very quickly with armed officers, which is exactly what we saw yesterday."

The commissioner appealed for anyone with information on Tuesday's "ghastly" crash on Westminster to come forward after police said the suspect in the alleged attack was "not cooperating” with questioning.

Investigators said he had driven from Birmingham late on Monday and arrived in the capital just after midnight.

The silver Ford Fiesta was spotted in the central Tottenham Court Road area – a famous shopping and nightlife district – from 1.25am until around 6am.

It was then driven to Westminster and circled around the Houses of Parliament and Whitehall until the crash shortly after 7.30am.

Footage showed the car sharply swerving through several cyclists and pedestrians, over central reservations and down the wrong side of the road at high speed before crashing into security barriers.

It struck during parliament’s summer recess and ahead of the daily rush of tourists to the area, leaving it relatively deserted.

Three people suffered non life-threatening injuries in the attack, including a man and woman who needed hospital treatment but have since been discharged.

Police are searching two properties in Birmingham and one in Nottingham, as the suspect remains in custody in London.