- Location
- Maidenhead, Berkshire
- Main postcode district
- SL6
- Nearby (straight line)
- Marlow (4 miles), Slough (5 miles) and Windsor (6 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
Dock traffic lights are red and green signals mounted outside and inside a loading bay to tell the driver and dock staff when it is safe to move or load. Interlocks are control links that stop equipment operating out of sequence, for example preventing the door opening until the trailer is restrained, or the leveller operating until the door is fully open.
Is this right for your site in Maidenhead?
Whether your unit in Maidenhead has one dock or twenty, the survey looks at each bay's existing controls before we quote a fixed price in writing. Food and chilled operations around Maidenhead with inflatable shelters often add interlocks so the shelter only inflates once a trailer is docked and restrained.
If a site in Maidenhead has had door panels damaged by levellers raised too early, a leveller-to-door interlock is a straightforward fix to consider.
Our part of the job in Maidenhead is to survey, quote and manage; the fitting itself is done by specialist installation engineers working under our management. The survey and the written quote are free. Once the fixed price is accepted, we agree dates that work around your deliveries and shifts, including out-of-hours working where needed. Every installation is tested before handover, and you receive the documentation for each item fitted.
How much do dock traffic lights and interlocks cost?
Dock traffic lights and interlocks typically cost £650 to £3,400 per bay, supplied and fitted, excluding VAT. A pair of manually switched LED signals sits at the lower end, while a full interlock panel linking door, leveller, restraint and shelter sits towards the top.
What moves the price:
- Level of control: standalone lights, door-linked lights or a full interlocked sequence.
- Existing control panels: modern door and leveller panels often accept interlocks directly; older panels may need replacing with a combined bay panel.
- Sensors: door position switches, trailer presence sensors and restraint signals each add parts and wiring.
- Cable runs: distances between lights, panels and the power supply.
- Number of bays and timing: repeat bays reduce the cost per bay, while out-of-hours working adds to it.
These are guide budgets. After a free site survey we send a written quote, and that quote is the fixed price. VAT is added at the standard rate.
What does HSE guidance say about stopping drivers leaving too early?
HSE guidance (followed by HSENI in Northern Ireland) says there should be safeguards against drivers driving away from a loading bay too early, and it names traffic lights as one of the measures. Vehicle or trailer restraints, and the person in charge keeping keys or paperwork until it is safe, are the others listed in HSE's guide to workplace transport safety (HSG136) and its loading factsheet.
Traffic lights are a signal, not a physical barrier, so they work best as part of a clear procedure or alongside a restraint. Your risk assessment should decide the combination. In Northern Ireland the regulator is HSENI.
Interlocks also touch on door safety law. Under regulation 18 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, or the Northern Ireland 1993 equivalent, powered doors need suitable and effective features to prevent them trapping anyone. Interlocks must never bypass those features, and door control work should respect BS EN 12453, the standard for safety in use of power-operated doors.
Read more in our guide to preventing drive-away and trailer creep.
The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What does the free survey cover?
- Wall and steel structure for door, shelter and bumper fixings
- Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
- Whether planning, building control or a building warrant may be needed
- Traffic routes for vehicles and separation of pedestrians
- Bumper position and wear or damage on the dock face
- Yard gradient and the slope of the approach to the dock
Options to discuss
Trailer presence sensors
Sensors that detect a trailer on the bay, used to switch lights, enable the door or trigger an inflatable shelter where no restraint is fitted.
Door-linked lights
Lights that change automatically with the door position, using a door switch or a signal from the door control panel, so the outside light turns red as the door opens.
Regulations and approvals in England
Sites in Maidenhead fall under the rules for England. Structural changes such as forming a new opening or a dock leveller pit may need Building Regulations approval, and external structures such as loading houses, canopies or new dock approaches can need planning permission from the local planning authority. We check what applies at survey and build any approvals into the plan.
Questions about dock traffic lights and interlocks in Maidenhead
Do you remove and dispose of the old equipment?
Yes, where it is part of the scope. When we replace doors, levellers, shelters or seals at a site in Maidenhead, removal and disposal of the old equipment can be included and is itemised in the quote, so it is clear what is covered. If anything should be kept, such as a frame or motor that is still serviceable, we agree that at survey.
Can you work outside our normal operating hours in Maidenhead?
Yes, by arrangement. Evening, night and weekend working can be planned so the installation causes as little disruption as possible to your loading schedule. Out-of-hours work can affect the price, so mention it at the survey and we will include it in the written quote. The agreed times are confirmed in the programme before the job starts.
What warranty comes with new loading bay equipment?
New equipment comes with the manufacturer's warranty, which varies by product. Our workmanship terms are set out in writing in the quote for your Maidenhead site, so you can see what is covered before you commit. Check the warranty terms for any servicing conditions, and we can quote for planned maintenance once the installation is complete.
Are dock traffic lights enough on their own to stop drive-away?
Traffic lights on their own are a signal, not a physical barrier, so they depend on drivers obeying them. HSE lists traffic lights among the measures against early drive-away, and many sites combine them with key or paperwork control or with a vehicle restraint. The right combination should come from your workplace transport risk assessment.
Which way round do the inside and outside lights work?
The inside and outside lights always show opposite colours. While a trailer is being loaded, the outside light is red so the driver stays put and the inside light is green so staff can work. When loading is finished and the door is closed, the inside light turns red and the outside light turns green for the driver.
Dock traffic lights and interlocks near Maidenhead
Sites close to Maidenhead get the same service, including those in Marlow (4 miles), Slough (5 miles) and Windsor (6 miles), with every job run the same way.
Other loading bay services in Maidenhead
Full guide to dock traffic lights and interlocks · Everything we do in Maidenhead
Call us or request a quote online to talk through loading bay work at your site in Maidenhead.