Bollard replacement

What is it?

What is bollard replacement?

Bollard replacement is the removal of a damaged, corroded or unsuitable bollard and the installation of a new one in its place, either matching the original or upgraded to a stronger or more suitable type. It usually involves breaking out the old foundation or socket and forming a new one. Replacement is the right answer when a post is too damaged to repair or no longer suits how the site is used.

Some bollards cannot be saved. A post that has been folded over by a van, a cast iron bollard that has cracked through, a removable post whose socket has been crushed or a line of rusted steel posts that has reached the end of its life all need replacing. The aim is usually to restore the line so it looks as it did, or to install something better suited to what keeps hitting it.

We replace single posts and whole lines, matching existing products where they are still available and finding close equivalents where they are not. Replacements are quoted after a free site survey with a fixed written price, and the work is carried out by installation crews working under our management. Where a bollard is dangerous now, we can arrange to make it safe first.

When to replace a bollard

• Posts bent, sheared or broken by vehicle impacts
• Cracked cast iron or chipped concrete bollards
• Corroded steel posts at the end of their life
• Crushed sockets and failed telescopic cassettes
• Single missing posts in an otherwise sound line
• Upgrading posts that keep being hit
• Replacing mixed, mismatched posts with a consistent line

How it works

Replacement starts by identifying what is there. Diameter, height, wall thickness, cap style, colour, fixing type and any manufacturer markings let us match a steel or stainless post closely. Heritage and concrete bollards are matched by pattern and finish, and photographs of the line help when sourcing. If the original is no longer made, we propose the nearest equivalent and show you before ordering.

The damaged post is cut out or extracted, and the old foundation is broken out or, where it is sound and suitable, reused. Removable sockets and telescopic cassettes are usually replaced whole, because a new post in an old, distorted socket rarely fits or locks properly. The new bollard is set to match its neighbours in height and line, and the surface is reinstated. When several posts in a line need replacing, it is often worth checking the rest at the same time, since posts installed together tend to corrode or loosen at a similar rate.

Replacement is also a chance to change the specification. A post that is struck every few months might be better as a heavier concrete-filled section, a polymer impact bollard or a flexible post. A fixed post blocking occasional access might become a removable one. Upgrading to a crash-rated product is a bigger change, because it means the manufacturer's tested foundation rather than the old one.

Options and finishes

Typical specification

How we do it

Ground, foundations and buried services

Removing an old bollard often reveals more concrete than expected, because foundations from different eras vary widely in size. Breaking out is done carefully near services, particularly where cables have been laid close to posts since the original installation. If the old foundation is cracked from the impact, it is removed entirely; if it is sound and suits the new post, reuse can reduce disruption. Upgrades to rated products usually need a completely new, larger foundation. Reinstatement matches the surrounding surface, though weathered paving and older tarmac may leave a visible patch. Where a replacement is being made after an impact, the surrounding paving and kerbs are checked as well, because a vehicle that bent a post has often lifted or cracked the surface beside it, and that damage is included in the quote rather than left for later.

Rules and checks before you order

• Where bollards were required by a planning condition, a security plan or a lease, check that any change of type still meets that requirement.
• Upgrades to rated products must use the manufacturer's tested foundation, specified with your security adviser.
• On public highway, the highway authority may need to approve the replacement or carry out the work itself.
• Keep gaps and visibility bands in line with Inclusive Mobility guidance when replacing posts on pedestrian routes.

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

Maintenance

After replacement, look at why the post failed. A single impact on a rarely struck post is bad luck; repeated strikes in the same spot point to a layout problem, such as a tight turn or a missing wheel stop, that a stronger bollard alone will not solve. Keep a record of the new product, finish and supplier so future replacements match. Treat new posts as part of your routine inspections: check for lean, chips and faded bands.

What affects the price

• Number of posts and the product chosen
• Size and condition of the old foundation
• Matching special finishes, castings or discontinued products
• Upgrades that need larger foundations
• Surface type and reinstatement
• Making safe before the replacement