Where Can You Install Safety Bollards, and How Much Do They Cost to Install?
We’ve all become used to seeing bollards everywhere in our towns and cities. They are useful pieces of street furniture that can fulfil different roles. Security bollards are extra strong and provide protection for buildings at risk from vehicular crimes or terrorism. Safety bollards can serve as a handy reminder for drivers to take care of, and they can present a highly visible barrier to separate pedestrians from vehicles. Bollards can be used in a wide variety of ways, and it’s this flexibility that many people find confusing when they need bollards on their sites. In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about bollard installation and cost to help your business or premise be more secure and keep you safe!
4 Good Reasons to Install Bollards at Your Location
There are four main reasons for bollard installation, and they’re all centred around looking after your property and preventing damage.
1. Enhancing Security
If you need to protect a shop front vulnerable to vehicular crime such as ram-raiding, it’s essential to have a strong barrier in place. Shutters to cover the windows are a great way to deter theft from breaking windows. However, a shutter will offer little to no protection from an impact with a car at speed. On the other hand, a series of security bollards will present a formidable barrier for any type of vehicle. Each security bollard should be crash-resistant by itself, but when they are arranged at an appropriate spacing, they are stronger together. Each bollard will add strength to the others to nullify the kinetic force exerted by the vehicle attempting to ram the building.
2. Asset Protection
If you have a commercial outlet that borders a car park or a roadside, the chances of an accidental vehicular collision increase. This is particularly true if the location is at the bottom of the hill with traffic moving towards it from a downhill direction. Any lack of attention on the driver’s part or a brake failure could cause the vehicle to hit the building. This is a significant threat to your valuable assets, and you need to protect your building from these types of threats. Installing bollards in at-risk areas will help to mitigate these risks and provide extra protection for your staff, inventory, and buildings.
3. Improving Safety
This can be a major problem if you have a location with pedestrian walkways in proximity to car parking areas, this can be a major problem. Whenever pedestrians and vehicles share nearby spaces, the chances of a road traffic accident increase significantly. When safety bollards are installed, they act as a visual cue for drivers to avoid pedestrian walkways, and if they do stray into those areas, the bollards will act as a physical barrier. This will enhance the safety of every driver, cyclist, and pedestrian that uses or visits your location.
4. Controlling Access
When a driver encounters a bollard, it sends a clear message that access to that area is denied. When you use bollards at your location, you can control parking and traffic habits to manage the space efficiently and safely. Removable or collapsible bollards can be used to allow or deny access to areas as you wish. One of the best options for flexible access control are lockable drop bollards, which provide a great balance of security on demand.
The Need for Visual Compatibility
Although safety and security should be your primary concern when selecting bollards, it’s important to acknowledge the aesthetic needs of your space. The last thing that any property manager or business owner wants to do is turn their location into a place that looks like a military base. Although basic bollards are available, it’s worth mentioning that there are many other types to choose from. Many modern bollards are virtual works of art in their own right, and they can add a real touch of class to any building. There are sleek and modern stainless steel bollards with a satin finish, more traditional victorian models, and many other styles in between. Choosing a bollard style and finish to match your location is easier than you might imagine, and they will certainly enhance the aesthetic appeal for visitors.
6 Common Places to Install Bollards
Although there are multiple places that could benefit from installing an appropriate style of bollard, the most common places can be divided into six broad categories. We will list all six here and break the locations down further into some useful sub-categories.
1. The Cityscape
At the heart of our larger towns and cities, we can see bollards used in various useful ways. Busy pedestrian footpaths are usually protected by a row of crash-resistant bollards. Public parking areas have bollards to designate between avenues for traffic and pedestrian walkways to improve safety. Sensitive building entrances may be protected by security bollards and access areas for visitors. Emergency vehicles may be covered with a line of removable bollards to create a semi-permeable and flexible perimeter.
2. Urban Areas
An urban area is often characterised by slightly quieter roads and footpaths. However, it’s still important to separate pedestrians and vehicles, especially in areas that have schools, colleges, hospitals, and retirement communities. Larger parks are often located in urban areas, which are also dangerous due to the higher numbers of children that may be travelling to and from the park. Cycling routes and bike parking locations are also more common, and this can cause problems between cyclists and drivers. Adding well-positioned and appropriate bollards to these urban areas will increase safety significantly.
3. Commercial Areas
The primary cause for concern in commercial shopping areas is the relationship between shoppers on foot and drivers parking or leaving the car park. When people are out shopping with their children, it’s not uncommon for them to become distracted, which is dangerous. Even a collision at a very low speed can cause serious injury to a child, and this is another area where bollards can be very useful. Another risk is a driver parking in gear and then accidentally jerking forward when they start their car. Even this small forward movement can cause an injury to a pedestrian if there is no bollard to halt the forward motion. Any storefront that faces into a car parking area should also be protected with security bollards to deter and prevent vehicular crimes such as ram-raiding.
4. Industrial Areas
An industrial area will typically be a place where you would find warehouses, factories, and distribution centres. These locations receive a large volume of vehicle traffic, including trucks. If these areas border other locations with a high volume of pedestrian traffic, this can be an issue. Protecting key intersections that lead in and out of an industrial area may be the best strategy to protect pedestrians from harm. Businesses in industrial areas may want to improve their security by using bollards to protect vulnerable areas. Removable bollards in Perth can be used to protect parking spots that are reserved for employees and/or visitors.
5. Schools, Colleges and Universities
We’ve touched on this issue briefly, but it’s important to understand that children and young people are often distracted. They may be checking their phones or talking with friends and remain oblivious to the danger from nearby traffic. Strategically placing bollards at main intersections near educational facilities will reduce the chances of a serious accident. We have a wide range of removable bollards for sale can also be used to protect staff parking and control access for school events such as sports days.
6. Transit Points
At transit points, such as bus terminals, airports and train stations, many pedestrians and vehicles operate in very close proximity. This is why bollards are used to protect pedestrian walkways, drop off, collection points and car parks. The front of any transit point terminal is a possible target for terrorism, which is why many buildings now have security bollards to protect entrances.
How Many Bollards Will You Need?
This is a difficult question to answer, every location is unique, and the needs may vary depending on several factors. It’s likely that you would need a combination of different bollards to address security, access, and safety issues. Establishing a strong perimeter with security bollards will be your first concern. Look at areas that are vulnerable to vehicle-related crimes or traffic accidents. Then look at where you need to access the building; there are many options here, barriers could be used at busy vehicle entryways, but bollards may be a better option if the entrance is only used sporadically or for emergencies. Finally, consider how you will separate vehicles from pedestrians on and around your property. Once you know what bollards you need and where you want them, you can get a better idea of how many you need by measuring those distances and looking at the following information on spacing bollards effectively.
How Far Apart Should Bollards be Placed?
The local environment is the primary factor in deciding how many bollards you need to place in a particular area. So, if you need to protect your building in that area, focus on that aspect as your primary concern. There are no Australian Standards that specifically state the distance between bollards, but there are guidelines that you can follow. The distance between the bollards needs to be narrow enough to prevent a car from passing through. This distance should also be large enough to allow a pedestrian to pass through, and ideally, there should be enough room for wheelchair users. When you place bollards, it’s recommended that the spaces between should be no larger than 1.5 metres. This is based on the average width of the car is around 1.6 metres, which will prevent virtually every car from passing through the gap.
For more information and a detailed breakdown of how to space your bollards, please visit our article on effective bollard spacing.
How Much Will Your Bollards Cost?
This is a hard question to answer because so many different makes, styles, and material choices are used in the construction of bollards. There are higher quality bollards and cheaper bollards to choose from, and the best bollards will cost more. There are also many options to choose from, a simple removable bollard can be pulled out of the ground, and a more elaborate option may sink into the ground electronically. The best way to work out your budget to purchase your bollards is to get some expert help from Image Bollards before you make a final purchase.
That being said, some average costs for different types of bollards may be useful when formulating a rough budget. Let’s take a look at five different types of bollards and some average costs that they might cost.
1. A Surface Mounted or Above Ground Bollard
These types of bollards can cost an average of around $108. At this price point, the bollard will be a non-customised unit, and if you need a customised bollard, the price could rise to around $350.
2. A Below Ground Bollard
A below-ground bollard is an ideal option to protect your assets, and they are available in various styles and finishes. These bollards are primarily designed for strength, and the prices can vary from $99 to $250 for the best units.
3. A Removable Bollard
If you need accessibility, a removable bollard is a great option because it can be removed when you need temporary access to an area. There are above-ground and surface-mounted removable bollards, and your choice will depend on your particular needs. A removable bollard can start at around $175; more expensive units could be $250.
4. Folding Parking Bollards
These parking bollards are ideal for improving visibility and providing a light barrier for cars. They can be erected or folded flat, and they can be locked in place in either position. A parking bollard can start at around $140, and more expensive units could rise to $325.
5. A Flexible Bollard
These are light bollards covered in a reflective surface to promote visibility. They can be used to protect parking spaces and entrances, and they start at approximately $50, and the price can rise to $325 for higher quality units.
If you need safety bollards in Perth, contact Image Extra for expert help and advice today.