Automatic traffic barriers Types, uses and how to choose

An automatic traffic barrier is a powered arm, often called a boom, that opens and closes a lane on command. The command can come from a handheld remote, a keypad, an access card or fob, an intercom, a push button or a sensor that spots an approaching vehicle. Inside the housing, a motor and control board move the arm, and safety electronics stop it if it meets an obstruction.

The reason to automate is to take people out of harm's way. With a manual drop-arm, somebody has to walk to the gate and lift it, often standing in front of the vehicle they are letting through. An automatic barrier lets that person stay at a distance: in a gatehouse, behind a kerb or across the yard.

On a workplace, keeping pedestrians and vehicles apart sits at the centre of managing transport risk, as the Health and Safety Executive's guidance on separating pedestrians and vehicles explains. A barrier that controls exactly when traffic moves is one of the simplest ways to put that into practice.

Barriers differ most in how they are powered, and that decides how they are installed and where they make sense.

Arm design matters too. A long straight boom needs clear height above the lane to open fully. A folding or articulated arm, like the one on the Dofygate 4, bends as it rises, so it needs much less headroom and uses less energy on every cycle.

• Construction sites and compounds: controlling the main gate, satellite compounds and welfare areas.
• Haul road crossings: holding plant back while people on foot cross, then letting it through.
• Waste and recycling: weighbridge lanes, tipping areas and household recycling centres.
• Depots, yards and ports: separating HGV movements from staff and visitors.
• Roads and rail: temporary closures, bus gates and works access during major schemes.
• Farms: biosecurity points where every vehicle must be washed before entry.
• Events: lane control and car parks at shows and festivals.

Our case studies show several of these in practice, from the Oxford Station works to recycling centres run by Veolia.