- Location
- Stourbridge, West Midlands
- Main postcode district
- DY8
- Nearby (straight line)
- Brierley Hill (2 miles), Dudley (4 miles) and Halesowen (4 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 Stourbridge?
Loading docks in Stourbridge where drivers wait in their cabs for a hand signal can replace guesswork with a clear red and green light at every bay. Food and chilled operations around Stourbridge with inflatable shelters often add interlocks so the shelter only inflates once a trailer is docked and restrained.
Older docks in Stourbridge with separate door and leveller controls can be brought into a proper sequence by adding interlocks that stop equipment working out of order.
The survey is free, the quote is written and the price is fixed: that is how every installation in Stourbridge 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 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 we look at on site
- Wall and steel structure for door, shelter and bumper fixings
- Bumper position and wear or damage on the dock face
- Scope to convert ground-level doors into docks or add lift tables
- How often each door cycles during a typical shift
- Clear opening width and height for each door
- Dock height and the mix of trailers you load
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.
Which rules apply in England?
Workplace safety in England is regulated by HSE. For a loading bay in Stourbridge, 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 Stourbridge
How do you price dock traffic lights and interlocks for a site in Stourbridge?
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 Stourbridge 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.
Can you work outside our normal operating hours in Stourbridge?
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.
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.
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.
Dock traffic lights and interlocks near Stourbridge
Sites close to Stourbridge get the same service, including those in Brierley Hill (2 miles), Dudley (4 miles) and Halesowen (4 miles), with every job run the same way.
Other loading bay services in Stourbridge
Full guide to dock traffic lights and interlocks · Everything we do in Stourbridge
Get in touch about loading bay doors and dock equipment in Stourbridge: call, email or use the quote tool.