Barriers & Turnstiles

What is the difference between a boom arm barrier and a rising bollard?

Boom arms control vehicle flow but can be driven through or broken deliberately. Rising bollards provide a physical stop that a vehicle cannot pass regardless of intent or speed. For high-security perimeters or anywhere with a counter-terrorism requirement, bollards are the appropriate choice. For car parks managing authorised access, a boom arm is usually sufficient and considerably cheaper.

How does ANPR work in practice?

A camera reads the number plate as a vehicle approaches. If the plate is on the approved list, the barrier opens without the driver doing anything. Unrecognised plates do not trigger the barrier - instead they flag for a supervisor check or queue for manual release. The approved plate list is managed from a browser, so adding or removing a vehicle takes under a minute.

How do you stop pedestrians tailgating through a turnstile?

Turnstiles are mechanically designed to allow one person per valid credential - they cannot be pushed through by a second person. Speed gates rely more on deterrence and CCTV coverage. For environments where tailgating carries a genuine security risk, we specify full-height turnstiles rather than waist-height barriers.

How much maintenance do barriers need?

Moving mechanical parts need servicing - we recommend annual inspections on barrier mechanisms, ANPR cameras, and control panels. A barrier that fails because it was not serviced is a liability rather than a security asset. We offer maintenance contracts for all installed systems.