Repairs, servicing & removal

Automatic bollard servicing

Planned servicing visits and maintenance contracts for hydraulic and electro-mechanical rising bollards, priced in writing.

Book a priced visit Call 0800 088 6248

Typically £95–£345 per visit + VAT
Visit price confirmed in writing first
Written report after every visit

Engineer in hi-vis servicing an automatic rising bollard with its top cover removed, toolbox and multimeter beside him

Computer-generated image

What is it?

What is automatic bollard servicing?

Automatic bollard servicing is planned, preventive maintenance of powered rising bollards and their controls, carried out at regular intervals rather than waiting for a fault. A service visit cleans and inspects the bollard and cassette, checks the drive, drainage and electrics, and tests every safety device, access control input and emergency function. Each visit is recorded, giving a maintenance history for the installation.

Automatic bollards are machines working in a pit in the road, exposed to water, grit, salt, frost and vehicle loads. They do not fail suddenly as often as people think; they wear. Drains silt up, seals weep, loops degrade as the road surface cracks, and safety devices drift out of adjustment. A planned service catches those changes while they are small and keeps the safety equipment doing its job.

We provide one-off service visits and planned maintenance contracts for hydraulic and electro-mechanical bollards, carried out by installation crews working under our management. Service visits are paid and priced in writing in advance. If a service finds a fault that needs parts or further work, that repair is quoted separately in writing before it is carried out.

Bollard servicing — indicative elevation, not to scale.

Which systems need servicing

Business parks and campuses with busy automatic entrances
Pedestrianised zones with rising bollards for deliveries
Secure sites with crash-rated automatic bollards
Residential estates with shared automatic bollards
Bollards inherited with a building and no service history
Systems that have started to run slowly or noisily
Sites needing documented maintenance for insurers or audits

How it works

A service starts with the pit. The bollard is lowered or the head opened as the design allows, debris and silt are cleared from the cassette, and the drain is tested to make sure water leaves freely. Blocked drainage is behind a large share of automatic bollard faults, because standing water corrodes components, damages electrics and freezes in winter.

The drive is checked next. On hydraulic bollards that means fluid level and condition, hoses, fittings, seals and the pump or power pack, and any sign of leaks. On electro-mechanical bollards it means the motor, gearbox, couplings and limit or position sensors. Rise and fall times are measured and compared with the previous visit, because a gradual slowdown is often the first sign of wear.

Finally, the safety and control systems are tested with the bollard in operation: safety and exit loops, photocells, traffic lights, head lights and audible warnings, the manual release, any emergency fast operation and every access control input. The controller's fault log is read, firmware or settings noted, and any battery backup checked. The visit report records what was found, what was done and what needs attention. On sites with several bollards, each unit's figures are recorded separately, so one bollard wearing faster than its neighbours is easy to spot.

Options and finishes

Option	Detail
One-off service visit	A single paid service, useful for bollards with no recent history or before a decision about a contract.
Planned maintenance contract	Scheduled visits at agreed intervals, priced in writing, with a consistent record kept across visits.
Visit frequency	Set by how often the bollards cycle and the site's risk; busy or security sites usually need more frequent visits.
Hydraulic servicing	Fluid, hoses, seals, pump and valve checks, with fluid topped up or changed as needed.
Electro-mechanical servicing	Motor, gearbox, couplings and sensor checks, with adjustment of limits and positions.
Safety and access testing	Loops, photocells, lights, manual release, emergency functions and access control inputs tested on every visit.

Typical specification

Item	Typical
Visit type	Paid visit, priced in writing in advance
Bollard types	Hydraulic and electro-mechanical, unrated and rated
Typical checks	Cassette, drainage, drive, electrics, safety devices, access inputs
Frequency	Commonly quarterly to six-monthly, depending on use and risk
Records	Written report after each visit
Faults found	Quoted separately in writing before repair
Parts	Sourced through manufacturers or distributors where proprietary

Typical values only — the survey and the product's data sheet set the final specification.

How we do it

Tell us about the installation

Send the make and model if known, the number of bollards, how busy the entrance is and any current problems, with photographs of the bollards and controller.

Agree the visit or contract

We price a one-off visit or a contract in writing, with the visit frequency suggested for your usage. Nothing is booked until you have agreed it.

Plan around the entrance

Visits are planned to keep the entrance usable, usually servicing one lane or bollard at a time, with cones and staff on hand while a bollard is out of service.

Service and test

The pit, drainage, drive, electrics, safety devices and access inputs are serviced and tested, and the controller log is read.

Report and recommend

You receive a written report of what was checked and found. Any repair needed is quoted separately in writing for your approval.

Ground, foundations and buried services

Servicing rarely needs excavation, but the condition of the ground around the bollard tells a lot about its health. Cracked or sunken surfacing around a cassette can indicate a failing foundation or water washing out the sub-base. Loops fail when the road surface around them cracks or is patched, so loop condition is checked alongside surface condition. Drainage outlets are tested by running water into the pit; where they no longer drain, the cause may be a collapsed pipe or a soakaway that has silted up, which may need a separate drainage repair quoted in writing. Silt and grit washed in from the surrounding road are a steady source of wear, so where the road drains towards the bollard, a small change such as a channel or gully nearby can reduce how much debris reaches the pit.

Rules and checks before you order

Keep safety devices tested and working; a bollard with disabled or faulty safety loops or photocells should not stay in service.
Keep written records of each service, including tests of safety devices and emergency functions.
Have electrical faults and modifications handled by a qualified electrician, to BS 7671.
For crash-rated automatic bollards, follow the manufacturer's maintenance requirements so the bollard continues to perform as tested.
Test emergency service access arrangements periodically and after any change to the controls.

See rules and standards by nation for highway consent, accessibility and security standards.

Maintenance

Between service visits, site staff can do a lot to keep bollards reliable: keep the head and surrounding road clear of leaves and grit, report any change in speed, noise or behaviour, keep a note of faults with the date and time, and never bypass or disconnect safety devices to keep an entrance open. After snow, clear around the head before use. If the road around the bollard is being resurfaced, tell us beforehand so loops and ducts can be protected or reinstated. If the site changes how the entrance is used, such as longer opening hours or heavier delivery vehicles, mention it before the next visit so the service frequency and safety settings can be reconsidered.

What affects the price

Number of bollards and controllers
Hydraulic or electro-mechanical drive
Visit frequency and contract length
Access control equipment to be tested
Traffic management needed on live roads
Rated bollards with manufacturer-specified procedures

Book a priced visit

Tell us about the fault or the posts. We confirm the visit price in writing before we attend.

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Guide prices: bollard servicing

Three typical specifications. The middle one is the specification we usually recommend for durability and visibility.

Standard

£95–£205

per visit + VAT

One bollard
Planned service and safety checks
Price confirmed in writing first

Upgraded

£175–£275

per visit + VAT

Two bollards
Full service with written report
Everything in Standard

Premium

£245–£345

per visit + VAT

Larger or rated systems
Manufacturer-specified procedures
Everything in Upgraded

Guide prices for the UK base region; local pages adjust for your area. Per planned service visit, first bollard. The visit price is confirmed in writing before we attend.

Bollard servicing: questions answered

How much does automatic bollard servicing cost?

Typically £95–£345 per planned service visit, first bollard, plus VAT. Ground conditions, access, buried services and consents move the figure; the fixed price comes in writing after survey.

How often should automatic bollards be serviced?

It depends on how often they cycle and the risk at the site. Commonly that means every three to six months, with busier or security entrances at the more frequent end. We suggest a frequency once we know your usage.

What is checked during a bollard service?

The cassette and drainage, the hydraulic or electro-mechanical drive, electrics, rise and fall times, all safety devices, the manual release, emergency functions and access control inputs. You receive a written report afterwards.

Do you service bollards you did not install?

Yes, for common makes of hydraulic and electro-mechanical bollard. Proprietary parts are sourced through the manufacturer or their distributor where available. Photographs of the bollard and controller help us prepare.

Is a maintenance contract necessary?

It is not compulsory, but planned visits catch wear before it becomes a breakdown and give you a maintenance record. One-off visits suit lightly used bollards or as a starting point.

What happens if the service finds a fault?

It is recorded in the report and quoted separately in writing. You decide whether to go ahead. Small adjustments within the service scope are made during the visit.

Will the entrance be closed during a service?

Usually only partly. We service one bollard or lane at a time where possible, with cones and staff managing traffic. On single-bollard entrances, a short closure is agreed in advance.