Steps up security

years took place in Nice, France, in July 2016 when a man drove a refrigerated truck weighing about 20 tonnes into a crowd, killing 86 people.

In Sydney, shoppers had mixed feelings about the added protection.

Barbara Antonievich, 55, told the Daily Telegraph: “The trucks aren’t pretty but they do the job.

“The bigger the crowd, the safer I feel. That’s because there is a lot of foot traffic and I know that no trucks or cars can get through.”

David Mason, 48, told the newspaper that recent incidents around the world had left him a bit nervous about being in crowds.

“Incidents like Barcelona and Melbourne really go through my head on days like this,” he said. “I think what they’ve done with the bollards and road closures is safer and better but it is still a concern. I’m just trying to avoid mass clumps of people.”

Ray Blasioli, 20, said the bollards and road closures made him feel more at ease but that the possibility of an attack was in the back of his mind.

“It does feel safer down here this year,” he said.

This is the third year parts of the city have been closed to traffic on Boxing Day but it was the first time trucks and bollards have been used.

The barriers and road closures were gone yesterday. However, authorities were preparing for their next major challenge — New Year’s Eve.

Walton said police had spent months planning a huge security operation.

“There are a lot of measures that are already starting to go in around the city around how we manage the crowds and protect the crowds on New Year’s Eve,” he said.— AAP, AP

Picture / AAP While some Sydney shoppers said the presence of the trucks and barriers made them feel safer, others said they were still nervous about the possibility of a terror attack.