Months after a police chase ended on Scarborough Beach, officials are overhauling security to prevent anyone from driving into the sand again.
Dubbed the Scarborough Beach Precinct Community Safety Improvement plan, City of Stirling councillors hope to increase security and safety in Scarborough.
On March 20, a 46-year-old man drove down Scarborough Beach in a Toyota Prado, loaded with methamphetamines.
The prado was also found to contain a replica firearm and police say was speeding through the Scarborough Beach Precinct before beaching a few minutes after driving down stairs and onto the sand.
“It will be further alleged the vehicle drove recklessly and at speed – at times on the wrong side of the road – through several [Northern] suburbs,” a WA Police spokesman said.
Now, Stirling council has delivered a $1.5m shopping list of safety recommendations to prevent anyone else driving onto the beach.
Among the safety measures are improving CCTV camera locations and replacing concrete balls along The Esplanade with “permanent Vehicle Security Barriers”, council minutes show.
Earlier this month, Stirling councillor Tony Krsticevic told the city that the Community Safety Improvement plan would include new Video Surveillance System (VSS) smart analytics that can detect weapons and unattended packages. Number plates would be automatically recognised.
“This incident reaffirms the need to implement community safety improvements, in collaboration with relevant law enforcement agencies, and through funding support from both the Federal and State Government,” Mr Krsticevic said.
“These infrastructure, management and technology improvements will address recently identified vulnerabilities to ensure the safety of people attending activities and events within the precinct,” he said.
Stirling council has added the plan into consideration for the 2025/26 council budget draft and have promised to reach out to the State government to pass on these recommendations.
The City has also promised to focus on key areas of the plan to grant specific funding opportunities to the relevant State and Federal government members to allow these safety measure to be implemented.
