Bollard Spacing Guide

Incorrect spacing between bollards when you’re installing a set of them on your driveway is a common mistake that’s so easy to fall into. Of course, at Bollard Security, we offer consultation and installation services, so we’re able to effectively inform our clients on how far apart your driveway bollards should ideally be. Nevertheless, for prospective customers who are new to this or DIYers who want to install bollards themselves, as well as those contractors with no prior experience with installing driveway bollards, without a proper bollard spacing guide, two outcomes are likely:

• Spacing That’s Too Close Apart – Not only are you wasting money buying way more bollards than you really need to cover off your driveway and prevent unauthorised access, but you might also be impeding vehicular access or obstructing pedestrian traffic. There are laws that govern vehicular or pedestrian traffic flow to prevent obstructions.
• Spacing That’s Too Far Apart – In this instance, you’re negating the impact resistance and strength of your driveway bollards, as multiple bollards working together is way more effective and better than just one bollard trying to stop a vehicle. Worse, if your car is narrow and compact enough, a thief could probably just drive through the bollards.

As you can see, spacing matters, so take that into consideration when you’re planning to buy and fit a couple of driveway bollards to prevent or deter car theft and secure your home from unauthorised access. Luckily, we are here to help, so here’s what you need to know about the right spacing between driveway bollards…

Some Basic Bollard Spacing Guidelines

TL;DR, the one number that you have to remember most when it comes to bollard spacing is 1.2 metres. Here’s why it matters:

Pedestrian Access:

A minimum bollard spacing of 1.2 metres ensures free-flowing and unobstructed pedestrian access. It not only ensures that pedestrians can walk past without problems, but it also makes certain that you’re in compliance with accessibility standards. The latter is vital for guaranteeing that folks with physical disabilities can navigate past the bollards without difficulty.

In short, this 1.2-metre spacing is more than enough to accommodate wheelchairs, prams, bicycles, as well as other personal mobility vehicles. This allows them to pass through, between the bollards. But, if you need to comply with road safety laws like the Highways Act 1980, the minimum setback between the bollard and any public footpaths should be at least 0.5 metres. Meanwhile, this minimum setback distance expands to between 0.5 to 1 metre back from the edge of a road or public highway.

Vehicular Access:

For effective vehicle deterrence, driveway bollards should ideally be spaced 1.2 to 1.5 metres apart. This spacing is narrow enough to prevent most cars from driving through them, even small superminis and compact cars like the Fiat 500 or Citroen Ami, but it should also allow for easy pedestrian movement.

However, if you’re installing bollards in high-security areas or if you need to clamp down on unauthorized vehicle access, such as trying to secure commercial property, you might have to reduce the spacing to around 1 metre. This will come in handy when you’re trying to block and enhance anti-ram protection for larger, heavier vehicles, such as lorries.

Remember, if you’re trying to stop a larger vehicle, multiple bollards will afford stronger impact resistance than one bollard working on its lonesome. In other words, when an unwanted visitor is trying to brute-force their way onto your property, it’s way harder for them to drive into, ram, and collide against two bollards instead of just one, lone bollard that’s absorbing all that impact.

Single-Car vs Multi-Car Driveways

While 1.2 metres is a good rule-of-thumb spacing for bollards, the design of your driveways may force you to alter and adjust the spacing.

Single-Car Driveway:

For most standard single-car driveways that we have here in the UK, the spacing between your bollards should be at least 1.2 metres apart. This is more than sufficient to effectively guarantee that you could block unauthorised vehicle access, while still allowing smooth and easy pedestrian movement.

Just make sure you adjust that spacing accordingly depending on the precise width of your driveway, while not obstructing daily use. For most UK-sized single-car driveways, two to three bollards should be enough to block the entire driveway. In addition, ensure that you space out your driveway bollards in a way that doesn’t inconvenience you. You shouldn’t have to retract the bollards just to go out for a walk or pass through if you want to go cycling.

Multi-Car Driveway:

Otherwise, for wider, multi-car driveways, you may want to consider adjusting the spacing to between 1.2 to 1.5 metres. This should offer you maximal security, such as anti-ram protection and as much impact resistance as you could muster from each bollard.

If you’re trying to optimise the placement of bollards securing your driveway or vehicular access, you could even mix and match different bollards altogether. Depending on your needs and access requirements, you may want to combine fixed, as well as removable or retractable bollards. This should give you a more flexible approach, where you could retract enough bollards to provide sufficient vehicular access day-to-day, yet have the option to open up your driveway fully if necessary.

Security Considerations And Impact Resistance

If you want the best degree of security possible, there are various security standards and accreditations that you ought to look out for when you’re shopping for driveway bollards. The most common ones are the PAS 68 or IWA 14-1 standards respectively, which certify the impact resistance of bollards. These should guarantee that those bollards are more than up to the task of stopping vehicles effectively, which is a noteworthy consideration if you’re trying to secure high-risk areas or commercial properties.

In addition, at Bollard Security, we offer driveway bollards that feature Sold Secure accreditation; up to Gold for some of our bollards, which is the highest grading available. Aside from that, some of our driveway bollards also comply with the Secure by Design (SBD) security standard. According to some of the stats that we’ve seen, using SBD-approved security products ensures that you’re up to 75% less likely to be burgled.

When paired with proper spacing, bollards with the right security accreditations and those that meet the highest standards available can offer you robust security. They can help to deter unauthorised vehicle access and ensure the protection of your property, particularly preventing and deterring car theft from your driveway. Plus, some of our bollards are ‘Insurance Approved’, and might even help you to reduce your motor or home insurance premiums, as many insurance providers recognise the reduced risk of theft or damage when a driveway bollard is in place.

Other Miscellaneous Considerations

While we’re at it, there are a handful of other factors you ought to take into account when you’re trying to figure out the spacing and fitment of your driveway bollards:

• Make sure your driveway bollards have reflective finishes (such as reflective strips) or you’ve added some proper lighting to illuminate those bollards. This ensures that they remain visible, even at night and under low-light and low-visibility conditions. Good visibility helps to prevent unnecessary accidents or collisions when you can’t see the bollards.
• During the alignment process, it’s a good idea to ensure that you’ve applied consistent spacing between all your bollards. These could help prevent and cut down on tripping hazards or unnecessary collisions. Having misaligned bollards – i.e. the spacing between the bollards isn’t even – won’t just look bad, but they could present very real safety hazards.
• The design and colour of your driveway bollards could make a difference in how much it adds to the aesthetic of your driveway. Just make sure that when you’re choosing between different colourways, shapes, and brightwork, you’re not adding any unnecessary and unwanted visual clutter.

And, if you’re still unsure about where to get started or what the proper spacing between bollards on your home or driveway is, we’re here to help! At Bollard Security, we have more than 15 years of experience in installing and maintaining security solutions – in particular, bollards – throughout the UK. In that time, we’ve worked alongside commercial, industrial, and residential clients, so you can bet that we have the know-how on how to properly set up the spacing between driveway bollards. So, don’t hesitate to contact us at 01535 920362 for specific advice, consultation, and recommendations for the right driveway bollard for you, and sorting out their installation.