- Location
- Crieff, Perth and Kinross
- Main postcode district
- PH7
- Nearby (straight line)
- Perth (16 miles), Alloa (18 miles) and Stirling (18 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 Crieff?
If a site in Crieff has had door panels damaged by levellers raised too early, a leveller-to-door interlock is a straightforward fix to consider. Older docks in Crieff with separate door and leveller controls can be brought into a proper sequence by adding interlocks that stop equipment working out of order.
Food and chilled operations around Crieff with inflatable shelters often add interlocks so the shelter only inflates once a trailer is docked and restrained.
We do not give a fixed price without seeing the site. A free survey in Crieff lets us check the details that affect the job, and the written quote that follows is a fixed price for the agreed scope. We plan the work around your operation, arrange out-of-hours access if you need it and manage specialist installation engineers throughout. Handover includes testing, a demonstration and the paperwork you need for your records.
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.
What happens on site when traffic lights and interlocks are fitted?
Fitting lights and interlocks is mainly electrical work, and each bay is out of use while its controls are connected and tested. Working bay by bay keeps the rest of the dock running.
- Fix the signals: the outside light is mounted on brackets at a height drivers can see, and the inside light beside the door.
- Run the cables: wiring is run in conduit or trunking between lights, sensors and control panels.
- Isolate and connect: the door and leveller supplies are isolated and locked off while the interlock wiring is connected, or a new bay panel is fitted.
- Test every sequence: each interlock is tested, including what happens if a step is attempted out of order.
- Brief staff: dock staff are shown the new sequence, and signs are fitted for drivers.
It helps if you can provide any electrical drawings for the dock, access to the distribution board, a person who can authorise isolations and an agreed order for releasing bays.
The same published guide range applies across Scotland; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What we look at on site
- Whether planning, building control or a building warrant may be needed
- Working hours, shift patterns and windows for out-of-hours work
- How drivers are prevented from pulling away too early
- Gaps around trailers where heated or chilled air escapes
- Power supply at each bay, including three-phase availability
- Escape routes and pedestrian doors close to the bay
Options to discuss
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.
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.
Regulations and approvals 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 Crieff, 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.
Questions about dock traffic lights and interlocks in Crieff
How do you price dock traffic lights and interlocks for a site in Crieff?
Guide budgets for supply and fit are £650 to £3,400 per bay, excluding VAT. The figure moves with size, insulation, the operator, electrics, access, any pit or groundworks and out-of-hours working. Where levellers are involved, the guide assumes an existing, sound pit. After the free survey you receive a fixed written quote, and that is the price for the agreed scope.
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 Crieff 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.
What details do you need from us to quote for dock traffic lights and interlocks?
To get started, send the site address in Crieff, the number of bays or openings, approximate sizes, and photos of the dock from inside and outside. Tell us what vehicles you load, what goods you handle and any temperature requirements. Drawings help on new builds. We then arrange the free survey and confirm the details before the written quote is issued.
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.
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 Crieff
Looking beyond Crieff? Our pages for Perth (16 miles), Alloa (18 miles) and Stirling (18 miles) describe the same loading bay services and how to get in touch.
Other loading bay services in Crieff
Full guide to dock traffic lights and interlocks · Everything we do in Crieff
Whether it is a new bay or a fault on an existing one, call us or request a quote for your site in Crieff.