- Location
- Redhill, Surrey
- Main postcode district
- RH1
- Nearby (straight line)
- Reigate (2 miles), Horley (5 miles) and Caterham (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 Redhill consider?
New warehouses in Redhill can have lights and interlocks wired in during the electrical fit-out, avoiding retrofit cabling and keeping every bay on one control standard. If a site in Redhill has had door panels damaged by levellers raised too early, a leveller-to-door interlock is a straightforward fix to consider.
Older docks in Redhill with separate door and leveller controls can be brought into a proper sequence by adding interlocks that stop equipment working out of order.
Your loading bay stays our responsibility from the survey to the handover. In Redhill, 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.
Can traffic lights and interlocks be added to older loading bays?
Yes, traffic lights and interlocks can be added to most older loading bays, although some need new control panels before the interlocks can work.
- Manual doors: a door position switch can confirm the door is fully open or closed, which lets lights and leveller interlocks work even without a motor.
- Older powered doors and levellers: basic control boxes may not have connections for interlocks, so a combined bay panel can replace separate controls.
- Mixed equipment: doors and levellers from different suppliers can usually be brought under one interlock panel, so every bay works the same way.
Interlocks cannot make faulty equipment safe. If a door or leveller has a defect, it should be repaired before interlocks are added, and the survey will flag anything we find. Upgrading lights and interlocks at the same time as replacing a door or leveller is often the most economical moment to do it.
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?
- Whether planning, building control or a building warrant may be needed
- Headroom above the opening and which track type will suit it
- Dock height and the mix of trailers you load
- Traffic routes for vehicles and separation of pedestrians
- Temperature requirements for chilled, frozen or ambient goods
- Escape routes and pedestrian doors close to the bay
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.
Full bay interlock panel
A single control panel that runs the door, leveller, restraint and shelter in the correct sequence, with indicators showing which step is active or blocked.
What do the rules in England mean for the work?
Workplace safety in England is regulated by HSE. For a loading bay in Redhill, that means doors meeting regulation 18 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, equipment maintained under PUWER and suitable safeguards against vehicles driving away too early. We check what applies at survey and design the bay accordingly.
Questions about dock traffic lights and interlocks in Redhill
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 Redhill 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.
How long does installation take at a site in Redhill?
It depends on the equipment, the number of bays, the condition of the dock and whether any building or electrical work is needed. We agree a programme with you after the survey, setting out which bays are out of use and when. Larger jobs are usually phased so that part of the dock stays open, and out-of-hours working can be arranged.
Do you cover Redhill for dock traffic lights and interlocks?
Yes. We take on dock traffic lights and interlocks for businesses in Redhill and across Surrey. 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.
Will interlocks slow down my loading operation?
Interlocks add a fixed sequence, but each step takes only moments and staff soon get used to it. In practice many sites find the sequence saves time overall, because there are fewer arguments about when to open the door and less damage from levellers being raised into part-open doors.
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 Redhill
Sites close to Redhill get the same service, including those in Reigate (2 miles), Horley (5 miles) and Caterham (5 miles), with every job run the same way.
Other loading bay services in Redhill
Full guide to dock traffic lights and interlocks · Everything we do in Redhill
Send a few photos of the dock and a short description of the problem, and we will come back to you about your Redhill site.