- Location
- Hove, East Sussex
- Main postcode district
- BN3
- Nearby (straight line)
- Brighton (1 mile), Portslade (2 miles) and Shoreham-by-Sea (5 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.
What should sites in Hove consider?
Distribution centres near Hove taking trailers from many different hauliers benefit from a signal every driver understands, regardless of language or familiarity with the site. Older docks in Hove with separate door and leveller controls can be brought into a proper sequence by adding interlocks that stop equipment working out of order.
New warehouses in Hove can have lights and interlocks wired in during the electrical fit-out, avoiding retrofit cabling and keeping every bay on one control standard.
Your loading bay stays our responsibility from the survey to the handover. In Hove, the survey and written quote are free, and the quoted price is fixed for the agreed scope. Installation is carried out by specialist engineers working under our management, at times planned with you to protect your loading schedule. Out-of-hours work is available by arrangement. We finish by testing the equipment and handing over its documentation.
How do inside and outside dock traffic lights work together?
Inside and outside dock lights always show opposite colours: when the driver sees red, dock staff see green, and the other way round. Each light is aimed at a different person, so each one only ever gives one instruction.
- Outside light, facing the driver: red means stay on the bay because loading is in progress; green means the bay is clear to leave or to reverse on to.
- Inside light, facing dock staff: green means the trailer is in place and it is safe to open the door and load; red means do not open the door or enter the trailer.
Lights can be switched in three main ways:
- Manually, by a switch beside the door, relying on dock staff to change it at the right moment.
- By door position, so opening the door automatically turns the outside light red.
- By the restraint, so the light only changes when the trailer is physically held.
Which interlocks should a loading bay have?
The most useful loading bay interlocks stop the door opening until the trailer is in place or restrained, and stop the leveller operating until the door is fully open. Beyond that, the right set depends on the equipment fitted and your risk assessment.
- Door to restraint: the door cannot open until the restraint is engaged or a trailer is detected.
- Leveller to door: the leveller cannot be raised until the door is fully open, which prevents the lip hitting door panels.
- Door to leveller: the door cannot close until the leveller is back in its parked position.
- Restraint release: the restraint only releases once the door is closed and the leveller parked.
- Shelter to trailer: an inflatable shelter only inflates when a trailer is docked.
On a bay without a restraint, a trailer presence sensor can take its place in the door logic, although it confirms a trailer is there rather than holding it. Combining interlocks with vehicle restraints gives the strongest protection against drive-away.
The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What do we check at the survey?
- Drainage on recessed or sloping dock approaches
- Control positions, isolators and any existing interlocks
- Wind exposure at the dock, which affects door and shelter choice
- Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
- Gaps around trailers where heated or chilled air escapes
- Clear opening width and height for each door
Options to discuss
Standalone LED traffic lights
A red and green pair for each bay, one outside for the driver and one inside for dock staff, switched manually from a control beside the door.
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
Powered doors and dock equipment installed in England may carry the UKCA or the CE mark, and doors are covered by the product standard BS EN 13241. We hand over the relevant documentation for each item fitted in Hove. Planning and Building Regulations questions are never assumed either way: we check what applies at survey, so you know before work is booked.
Questions about dock traffic lights and interlocks in Hove
Do you cover Hove for dock traffic lights and interlocks?
Yes. We take on dock traffic lights and interlocks for businesses in Hove and across East Sussex. We survey the site, provide a fixed written quote and manage the installation, with specialist installation engineers working under our management. Visits are arranged in advance at a time that suits your operation, and the same single contact stays with the job through to handover.
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 Hove, 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.
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 Hove 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.
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.
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.
Dock traffic lights and interlocks near Hove
Businesses outside Hove may find their nearest town in this list: Brighton (1 mile), Portslade (2 miles) and Shoreham-by-Sea (5 miles). Each page covers doors, docks, repairs and servicing.
Other loading bay services in Hove
Full guide to dock traffic lights and interlocks · Everything we do in Hove
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