Good business security should continue working when normal routines change.
On 27 August 2026, the A55 near Abergele was closed in both directions between Junction 23A Pensarn and Junction 24 Abergele during a police-led concern-for-safety incident. Emergency services attended, and the road reopened shortly before 9am. Traffic remained busy after the reopening.
The incident was reported by Traffic Wales and local news outlets, including the North Wales Pioneer.
This article does not speculate about the incident. It uses the disruption as a practical reminder for local businesses. Road closures, delays and diversions can affect staffing, deliveries, opening hours and keyholder availability. Your security arrangements must account for those changes.
How road disruption can affect business security
A major delay on the A55 can affect businesses across Conwy, Abergele, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno and surrounding areas.
Employees may be unable to reach the workplace on time. Managers may need to delay opening. Contractors may miss scheduled appointments. Deliveries may be postponed. A premises may remain closed for longer than planned.
These changes can create several security issues:
- A building may be left empty during normal opening hours.
- Staff may leave earlier than planned.
- A manager may be unable to attend the site.
- A keyholder may be delayed during an alarm activation.
- Doors may be unlocked for contractors or deliveries.
- A business may operate with reduced staffing.
- Cleaning, maintenance or security checks may be missed.
- Visitors may arrive while the usual responsible person is absent.
These are business continuity issues as well as security issues. A good plan must cover what happens when the usual timetable cannot be followed.
Remote CCTV viewing provides visibility when you cannot reach the site
A professionally installed CCTV system can allow authorised users to view live cameras and recorded footage remotely.
This is useful when road disruption prevents a manager or keyholder from reaching the premises. You can check whether:
- The building is occupied.
- Staff have arrived safely.
- A delivery has been made.
- A vehicle is waiting outside.
- An entrance has been left open.
- An external gate or yard requires attention.
- An alarm notification appears to relate to a genuine event.
- A contractor is present outside agreed hours.
Dragon designs and installs commercial CCTV systems for offices, shops, warehouses, schools, industrial sites and other premises. Camera positions should be selected around the property’s risks. Typical coverage may include entrances, reception areas, loading bays, car parks, yards, corridors and vulnerable perimeter points.
Dahua CCTV systems can provide live viewing, recorded playback, event notifications and intelligent detection features. These functions can help authorised users assess an event without travelling immediately to the premises.
Remote viewing does not mean watching cameras continuously. It provides access to useful information when a business needs to make a decision.
Read more about Dahua CCTV installation and 4K surveillance.
Smartphone alerts help managers respond quickly
Smartphone alerts can notify nominated users when a security event occurs.
Depending on the system design, notifications may relate to:
- Intruder alarm activation.
- Door opening.
- Camera-detected movement.
- Loss of power.
- Communication failure.
- Equipment faults.
- Access-control events.
- Areas being set or unset.
This can reduce the time between an event occurring and someone becoming aware of it. It can also help a manager identify routine activity, such as an authorised employee arriving early or a contractor accessing a controlled area.
Alerts must be configured carefully. Too many unnecessary notifications may cause users to ignore them. Notifications should be directed to the right people, with clear instructions for what to do next.
A business should also review who receives alerts when staff change roles, leave the organisation or become unavailable.
Access control schedules should reflect real opening hours
Road closures can change working hours at short notice. Access-control schedules should not be treated as permanent settings.
A business may need to:
- Delay the start of access permissions.
- Extend access for staff who are unable to leave on time.
- Restrict access when a site closes early.
- Provide temporary access for a contractor.
- Remove access for a person who is not attending.
- Review access to separate buildings or areas.
- Check whether doors are being held open.
A professionally designed access-control system can provide individual permissions and time-based access. This is more controlled than issuing shared keys or leaving doors unsecured.
Changes should be made by authorised administrators. Every business should maintain a clear process for emergency changes. Record who made the change, why it was needed and when the normal schedule was restored.
Access control should also work with the building’s fire-safety arrangements. Controlled doors must not prevent safe evacuation. Any access-control plan should be assessed alongside the premises’ fire strategy and relevant safety requirements.
Review your keyholder procedure
A business security alarm is only one part of the response plan. You also need reliable keyholders who know what to do.
Review the following points:
- List the primary and backup keyholders.
- Confirm their current telephone numbers.
- Check that they can reach the premises outside normal hours.
- Identify alternative routes to the site.
- Confirm who can attend if a road is closed.
- Provide written instructions for alarm activations.
- Make sure keyholders know where important equipment is located.
- Explain when they should contact emergency services.
- Set clear limits on entering a site after an activation.
- Review the list after staff or management changes.
Do not rely on one person. A keyholder may be affected by the same traffic disruption, illness or personal emergency as the rest of the team.
Where appropriate, businesses can consider monitored alarm services and professional response arrangements. These should be selected according to the site, risk profile, insurance requirements and agreed operating procedures.
Remote monitoring and smartphone notifications support a security plan. They do not replace the emergency services, a suitable keyholder process or a professional response arrangement.
Maintain backup communications
Security equipment needs a reliable route to send notifications.
Businesses should ask their security contractor to check:
- How the alarm communicates with its monitoring centre.
- Whether the system depends on a traditional telephone line.
- Whether broadband failure affects notifications.
- Whether a cellular backup path is available.
- How the system behaves during a power cut.
- Whether batteries are tested and replaced as required.
- Whether communication-failure alerts are enabled.
- Whether the monitoring centre receives regular test signals.
The UK’s traditional PSTN telephone network is scheduled for retirement on 31 January 2027. Businesses should audit older alarm diallers and other connected equipment during 2026. Openreach provides information about the move to digital services.
Do not assume that an alarm is still monitored because the local siren works. The panel may appear normal while its external communication path has failed. Arrange a professional inspection and signal test if you are unsure.
Include security in your business continuity plan
A business continuity plan should explain how the organisation will operate during disruption. Include security actions alongside staffing, communications, IT and facilities procedures.
Your plan should state:
- Who decides whether the premises opens.
- Who checks the site remotely.
- Who changes access schedules.
- Who contacts staff and contractors.
- Who receives alarm notifications.
- Who attends if physical inspection is required.
- What happens if the primary keyholder cannot travel.
- How CCTV footage is reviewed and preserved.
- How security faults are reported.
- When the system is returned to normal operation.
Test the plan. A short exercise can identify missing contact details, unclear responsibilities or access permissions that no longer match the business.
Review the plan after a significant road closure, severe weather event, power failure or change in premises use.
Choose a security contractor that can support the full system
Installing equipment is only the beginning. Security systems require commissioning, user training, testing, maintenance and clear documentation.
Dragon Security & Electrical Ltd provides commercial security services across North Wales and beyond. Our services include:
- Commercial CCTV installation.
- Business security alarms.
- Remote monitoring arrangements.
- Access-control systems.
- Alarm maintenance and repairs.
- CCTV upgrades and system health checks.
- Planned preventative maintenance.
- Support for multi-site businesses.
Our team can assess your premises, review your current arrangements and identify weaknesses in remote access, communication, keyholder response and maintenance procedures.
Visit our security services page or contact Dragon to arrange a discussion.
Plan before the next disruption
The A55 closure near Abergele was resolved, but similar disruption can occur at any time. A business cannot control road conditions or emergency response activity. It can control how its security plan operates when normal travel and staffing arrangements change.
Review your CCTV access. Test alarm notifications. Check your keyholder list. Confirm your communication paths. Update access schedules. Arrange maintenance before a fault becomes an incident.
For advice about commercial security, CCTV installation, business security alarms or remote monitoring in North Wales, call Dragon Security & Electrical Ltd on 01492 330330.
Contact Dragon Security & Electrical Ltd to discuss your requirements.