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Barriers for Southampton Sites With Steady Traffic
A lot of Southampton's commercial property sits on established estates where vans, HGVs, staff cars and visitors all share one entrance. Around Millbrook and the trade parks off Third Avenue, at Nursling Industrial Estate and the newer units at Adanac Park off the M271, and in the office and apartment car parks closer to the city centre, the problem is usually the same: too many vehicles that shouldn't be there, and no easy way to keep them out without someone standing at the gate.
An automatic rising arm barrier deals with that quickly. It lifts for the vehicles you want, stays down for the ones you don't, and can cycle many times an hour without wearing itself out, provided it's specified properly for the traffic it will see.
This page covers barrier installation in and around Southampton. For the full overview of our barrier service, see automatic barriers in Hampshire.
- ✓Staff and visitor car parks that keep filling with outside vehicles
- ✓Yards where lorries, vans and cars need to be separated
- ✓Shared entrances on multi-unit estates and trade parks
- ✓Apartment and managed residential car parks
What We Look at Before Recommending a Barrier
Higher traffic changes the specification. Two entrances of the same width can need quite different equipment, so we survey before we quote.
Movements per hour
How many vehicles pass at the busiest time of day. This decides the barrier model and whether a brushless, high duty-cycle motor is needed.
Road width and boom length
The clear opening to be covered, any kerbs or islands, and whether the arm needs a support post at the far end.
Queue space
Where a vehicle waits while the barrier opens, so cars don't back up onto a public road or block a junction inside the estate.
Who needs access
Staff, tenants, deliveries, visitors, emergency services. Each group may need a different way in.
Power and data
Where the supply comes from, cable routes, and whether ANPR or remote management needs a network connection.
Ground and services
Surface type, existing ducts and buried services, so the foundation and loop cuts can be planned safely.
Brushless Barriers Built for Frequent Use
We install Roger Technology barriers. Their brushless motors are designed for frequent operation and run smoothly with controlled acceleration and slowing, which suits Southampton entrances where the arm may move dozens of times an hour through the working day.
The range covers different opening widths and speeds, with options such as LED-lit arms, battery backup and a manual release so the arm can be lifted if the power is off. We pick the model, arm length and accessories after the survey, rather than fitting one barrier to every entrance.
- ✓Designed for heavy daily use
- ✓Arm lengths to suit different road widths
- ✓Works with ANPR, readers, keypads and intercoms
- ✓Programmed and tested on site by our own team
How Vehicles Get Through
On busier sites the aim is to let regular users through without stopping, while still giving visitors and deliveries a controlled way in.
ANPR cameras
Number-plate recognition opens the barrier for vehicles on an approved list. Useful where there are many regular users and staff turnover.
Fobs, cards and keypads
Simple and familiar. Users can be added or removed when tenants or staff change.
Intercom and GSM
Visitors call reception, a site office or a mobile phone, and are let in remotely.
Push button and remotes
For a gatehouse, reception desk or a small number of trusted users.
Many sites already have an intercom or access-control system. It can often be connected to the barrier, and we check this at the survey. See also our access control page.
Loops, Photocells and Safe Operation
Every barrier we install has vehicle detection so the arm cannot close on a car sitting beneath it. Usually this means induction loops cut into the road surface: one to detect a vehicle under the arm and, where needed, others to open automatically on exit or to arm the barrier on approach.
Photocells add a second safety check. Where loops aren't practical, or where pedestrians and cyclists share the entrance, other detection such as radar or laser sensors may be specified. Traffic lights can be added where drivers need a clear signal, for example on a single-lane entrance used in both directions. All of this follows a site-specific risk assessment, and we are Gate Safe Accredited.
- ✓Safety loop under the arm
- ✓Exit loops for hands-free departure
- ✓Photocells and other sensors where needed
- ✓Traffic lights for one-way or shared lanes
Civils and Installation
We carry out the groundwork as part of the installation. Exactly what is needed is set out in the written quote after the survey, as every entrance is different.
Foundation
A concrete base is formed for the barrier cabinet, sized to suit the model and arm length.
Ducts and cables
Ducting for power, loops and any reader, keypad or intercom posts, routed to suit the site.
Surface cutting
Loop slots cut into tarmac or concrete and sealed. Block paving may need lifting and relaying.
Commissioning
Programming, testing of every safety device, user set-up and handover.
A suitable electrical supply is needed at or near the barrier. If one isn't available, we'll explain what's required and who usually provides it.
From Survey to Handover
Site survey
We visit, measure the entrance and talk through how it's used now and how you want it to work.
Specification
Barrier model, arm length, access control and safety equipment are chosen for the site.
Written quote
A clear quotation setting out the equipment and the groundwork included.
Installation
Groundwork, ducting, loops and the barrier itself, planned to keep disruption down.
Set-up and testing
Access control programmed, safety devices tested and adjusted.
Handover
We show you how it works, how to add and remove users, and what to do if the power goes off.
Areas We Cover Around Southampton
We install barriers across the city and the surrounding area, including:
- Millbrook
- Nursling
- Redbridge
- Shirley
- Portswood
- Bitterne
- Woolston
- Sholing
Nearby barrier pages:
Southampton Barrier Questions
Can a barrier cope with a busy Southampton trade or industrial estate entrance?
Yes, if it's specified for the traffic. For entrances with frequent movements we look at Roger Technology's brushless barriers, which are designed for heavy daily use, and we plan loops and queue space so vehicles don't stack back onto the road.
Our car park is used by people who don't work here. Will a barrier stop that?
That's one of the most common reasons for fitting one. With ANPR, fobs or a keypad, only authorised vehicles get the barrier to lift, and visitors can be let in by intercom.
Do you cover the whole of Southampton?
Yes. We work across the city, including Millbrook, Nursling, Shirley, Bitterne, Woolston and Portswood, and the surrounding area.
How much does an automatic barrier cost?
It depends on the barrier, arm length, access control and how much groundwork is needed. We give a written quote after the free survey.
Can ANPR and fobs be used on the same barrier?
Yes. Many sites use ANPR for regular vehicles and a fob, keypad or intercom for everyone else.
What happens if there's a power cut?
The arm can be released and raised by hand. Battery backup is available on many Roger barriers, and we'll advise whether it's worth having on your entrance.
Arrange Your Southampton Barrier Survey
Call 02381 550345 or use the form below. We'll talk through the entrance and book a time to visit.