- Location
- Horsham, West Sussex
- Main postcode district
- RH12
- Nearby (straight line)
- Crawley (7 miles), Horley (11 miles) and Haywards Heath (11 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 Horsham?
Distribution centres near Horsham taking trailers from many different hauliers benefit from a signal every driver understands, regardless of language or familiarity with the site. If a site in Horsham has had door panels damaged by levellers raised too early, a leveller-to-door interlock is a straightforward fix to consider.
Older docks in Horsham with separate door and leveller controls can be brought into a proper sequence by adding interlocks that stop equipment working out of order.
For dock traffic lights and interlocks in Horsham, we begin with a free site survey and a fixed written quote, so you know the scope and cost before committing. We take responsibility for managing the job, and specialist installation engineers carry it out under our supervision. Bays are taken out of use in a planned sequence so the rest of the dock keeps working, and evening or weekend work can be arranged. Each item is tested at handover and the documentation is left with you.
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.
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?
- Yard gradient and the slope of the approach to the dock
- Escape routes and pedestrian doors close to the bay
- Power supply at each bay, including three-phase availability
- Drainage on recessed or sloping dock approaches
- How drivers are prevented from pulling away too early
- Headroom above the opening and which track type will suit it
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.
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.
Planning, building control and safety law 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 Horsham. 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 Horsham
Can you work alongside our main contractor on a new build in Horsham?
Yes. For new warehouses and fit-outs, we can supply and install the dock package as part of a wider project, working to the main contractor's programme, site rules and permits. We will need drawings, dock levels and the programme, and we coordinate pit details, power supplies and door openings with the relevant trades before installation begins.
Will you deal with building control and planning for a project in Horsham?
We check at survey whether the work is likely to need approval. Forming a new opening or dock pit may need Building Regulations approval, a building warrant or building control approval, depending on the nation, and external structures such as loading houses can need planning permission. Where approval is needed, we explain what is involved, work with your designer or agent, and build it into the programme.
Which building and safety rules apply to a site in Horsham?
It depends on which UK nation the site is in. England and Wales use Building Regulations approval, Scotland uses building warrants and Northern Ireland uses building control approval from the council. Workplace safety is regulated by HSE in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland, and energy rules differ between nations. For your site in Horsham, we check what applies at survey and design to it.
Can you add lights and interlocks across a whole dock in one project?
Yes. A whole-dock project is usually phased bay by bay so most doors stay in use, and every bay ends up on the same control standard. That consistency makes training easier for staff and drivers, and it simplifies servicing because every bay behaves in the same way.
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 Horsham
Close neighbours of Horsham with their own pages here: Crawley (7 miles), Horley (11 miles) and Haywards Heath (11 miles). Choose one to see coverage details for that town.
Other loading bay services in Horsham
Full guide to dock traffic lights and interlocks · Everything we do in Horsham
Ready to talk about a loading bay in Horsham? Call us, or send the details through the quote form.