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The threat of Londoners being run over in a terrorist atrocity was “not widely understood” prior to the Westminster Bridge attack, Transport for London’s Siwan Hayward said today.

Extremist Khalid Masood, 52, used a powerful 4x4 Hyundai to kill four people and injure dozens more in a rampage on March 22 last year.

Terrorists used similar tactics in 2016 in Nice and Berlin, prompting security warnings that crowded places such as high streets, shopping centres and markets could be at risk.

However, Ms Hayward, TfL’s head of transport policing at the time of Masood’s attack, told the inquest today that the capital’s bridges had not been assessed as vulnerable to a possible terror strike. “The threat of vehicles being used as a weapons was not widely understood and seen to be a significant threat to the capital,” she told the Old Bailey.

“Prior to the attack on Westminster Bridge, there was no appreciation of the changing nature of the threat that this country was facing.”

She said potential danger posed by vehicles “was not at the forefront of our minds”. She added: “The protection of pedestrians in locations across the capital from vehicles being used as weapons was not considered.

“Our consideration was more around the threat of marauding terror attacks, using a knife or other weapons by a co-ordinated group.”

Ms Hayward said the London Marathon, Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, and the Pride festival were seen as higher risks, and bridges were not designated as “crowded places” under national anti-terrorism guidance.

“TfL received no advice, guidance, or input from the police or anyone from the Home Office or security services to suggest there was a risk to the bridge, a particular threat to the bridge, or that TfL should be taking steps to mitigate against those risks,” she added.

Accused of a “systematic failure”, Ms Hayward insisted that highways authorities had not been expected to assess the risk of terrorism and said this was down to a “gap in policy”.

Tourists Andreea Cristea, 31, and Kurt Cochran, 54, and Londoners Leslie Rhodes, 75, and Aysha Frade, 44, died on the bridge before Masood murdered Pc Keith Palmer, 48.

Coroner Mark Lucraft is expected to deliver his verdict this week.