- Location
- Wick, Highlands
- Main postcode district
- KW1
- Nearby (straight line)
- Thurso (19 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.
Where does this fit at a dock in Wick?
If a site in Wick has had door panels damaged by levellers raised too early, a leveller-to-door interlock is a straightforward fix to consider. Food and chilled operations around Wick with inflatable shelters often add interlocks so the shelter only inflates once a trailer is docked and restrained.
Sites around Wick that run night shifts often find traffic lights easier for drivers to read than staff waving or knocking on the cab door.
The survey is free, the quote is written and the price is fixed: that is how every installation in Wick begins. We then manage the work from start to finish. Fitting is carried out by specialist installers under our management, phased so the operation keeps moving, and nights or weekends can be booked by arrangement. On the final day we test the equipment with you and hand over the operating and maintenance information.
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.
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 Scotland; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What does the free survey cover?
- Scope to convert ground-level doors into docks or add lift tables
- Headroom above the opening and which track type will suit it
- Bumper position and wear or damage on the dock face
- Wall and steel structure for door, shelter and bumper fixings
- Clear opening width and height for each door
- Power supply at each bay, including three-phase availability
Options to discuss
Restraint interlock package
Door, lights and vehicle restraint tied together so the door only opens once the trailer is held and the restraint only releases when loading is finished.
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.
Planning, building control and safety law in Scotland
In Scotland, building work such as forming a new opening or a dock leveller pit may need a building warrant from the local authority before it starts. For sites in Wick, external structures such as loading houses or canopies may also need planning permission from the council. We check what applies at survey and factor any approvals into the programme.
Sites in and around Wick are covered by arrangement. There is no charge for the survey or the written quote, and any travel, ferry crossings or overnight stays needed for the installation itself are itemised in the quote, so you see the full price before agreeing.
Questions about dock traffic lights and interlocks in Wick
Can you work outside our normal operating hours in Wick?
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.
Is VAT included in your guide prices for dock traffic lights and interlocks?
No. Our customers are businesses, so guide prices exclude VAT, which is added at the standard rate. The same guide range applies in the Highlands as everywhere else: for dock traffic lights and interlocks, it is £650 to £3,400 per bay, excluding VAT. It covers supply and fit for a typical installation. Your fixed written quote after the free survey shows the net price, the VAT and exactly what is included.
Do you cover Wick for dock traffic lights and interlocks?
Yes. We take on dock traffic lights and interlocks for businesses in Wick and across the Highlands. 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 traffic lights and interlocks need maintenance?
Yes. Lights, sensors and interlocks should be checked at each planned service visit, including testing the full sequence and confirming that steps attempted out of order are blocked. As part of the dock equipment they fall under PUWER, which requires work equipment to be maintained in a safe condition.
Can interlocks be fitted to a manual loading bay door?
Yes. A door position switch fitted to a manual door can confirm when it is fully open or fully closed. That signal lets the traffic lights change automatically and stops the leveller being raised until the door is out of the way.
Dock traffic lights and interlocks near Wick
Other towns within reach of Wick on our coverage list include Thurso (19 miles), all covered on the same terms.
Other loading bay services in Wick
Full guide to dock traffic lights and interlocks · Everything we do in Wick
Have photos of the door, leveller or shelter? Send them with your enquiry and we can give a clearer answer for your Wick site.