- Location
- Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire
- Main postcode district
- HU17
- Nearby (straight line)
- Kingston upon Hull (8 miles), Brough (10 miles) and Immingham (18 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
A telescopic-lip dock leveller is a hydraulic pit leveller whose front lip slides forward out of the platform, rather than swinging on a hinge, and can be extended by a controlled amount onto the trailer bed. Telescopic lips commonly extend 500 to 1,000 mm, which lets operators reach over tail lifts, place the lip between pallets and load the last row in a trailer.
Why do sites in Beverley choose this?
Replacing worn swing-lip levellers at a site in Beverley is a good moment to ask whether the current trailer mix now calls for telescopic lips. Manufacturing sites in Beverley that end-load finished goods can place the lip precisely between pallets to reach the rear row.
Where docks in Beverley have deep bumpers that hold trailers away from the edge, a telescopic lip can bridge a gap a swing lip would struggle to cover.
We never ask you to commit before you have a fixed price. A free survey at your Beverley site comes first, followed by a written quote. When the order goes ahead, we plan the installation around your operation, book any out-of-hours working you need and manage the specialist installation engineers on site. The job ends with a full test, a run-through for the people who will use the equipment and a set of handover documents.
Why does a telescopic-lip leveller cost more than a swing-lip unit?
A telescopic-lip dock leveller typically costs £6,800 to £11,800 per leveller, excluding VAT, supply and fit, assuming an existing, sound pit. It costs more than a swing-lip unit because the lip slides in its own guides inside the platform, which means more steel, a longer lip and more involved hydraulics and controls.
Within the range, the price depends on:
- Lip extension: a longer reach needs a longer lip and stronger guides.
- Platform length and width: longer platforms give gentler gradients across mixed trailer heights.
- Capacity: higher ratings for heavy loads or large forklifts.
- Insulation: insulated platforms and pit seals for chilled and frozen docks.
- Controls: automatic return, interlocks and links to restraints and traffic lights.
New pits, pit repairs and groundworks are priced separately after survey, and the written quote is the fixed price. We often quote both lip types side by side, so you can see whether the extra flexibility justifies the cost on each bay.
How are drive-away risks managed while the lip rests on a trailer?
Drive-away risks are managed by stopping the vehicle leaving until loading has finished and the lip has been withdrawn, using traffic lights, vehicle or trailer restraints, or the person in charge keeping the keys or paperwork. HSE workplace transport guidance (HSG136) and the HSE loading factsheet (followed by HSENI in Northern Ireland) call for safeguards against drivers driving away too early.
- Why it matters: a lip resting on the bed is only safe while the trailer stays put, and trailer creep during forklift loading can open a gap at the dock edge.
- Equipment duties: the leveller is work equipment under PUWER 1998 in Great Britain or PUWER (Northern Ireland) 1999, so it must be maintained and inspected where deterioration could lead to danger. Engineering insurers commonly inspect at 12-month intervals.
- Standard: BS EN 1398:2009 sets the safety requirements for dock levellers and is current, under review.
Enforcement is by HSE in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland. Our guide to preventing drive-away and trailer creep compares the safeguards.
The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
Survey checklist for your dock
- Asbestos register and any other site hazard information
- Age and condition of the equipment already in place
- Headroom above the opening and which track type will suit it
- Working hours, shift patterns and windows for out-of-hours work
- Dock height and the mix of trailers you load
- Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
Options to discuss
1,000 mm lip extension
A longer reach that clears folded tail lifts and deep bumper projections, so rigids and tail-lift trailers can be loaded at the same bay.
500 mm lip extension
A commonly specified reach for precise placement and end loading on standard trailers and refrigerated vehicles that do not have tail lifts.
Regulations and approvals in England
Sites in Beverley fall under the rules for England. Structural changes such as forming a new opening or a dock leveller pit may need Building Regulations approval, and external structures such as loading houses, canopies or new dock approaches can need planning permission from the local planning authority. We check what applies at survey and build any approvals into the plan.
Questions about telescopic-lip dock levellers in Beverley
Can you work outside our normal operating hours in Beverley?
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.
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 Beverley 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.
Do you remove and dispose of the old equipment?
Yes, where it is part of the scope. When we replace doors, levellers, shelters or seals at a site in Beverley, removal and disposal of the old equipment can be included and is itemised in the quote, so it is clear what is covered. If anything should be kept, such as a frame or motor that is still serviceable, we agree that at survey.
What overlap should the lip have on the trailer bed?
The lip should rest on the trailer bed with the overlap the manufacturer specifies, so it cannot slip off as the trailer moves under load. Extending further than needed adds no benefit. We show dock staff what a correct overlap looks like at handover.
Do telescopic levellers need more maintenance?
They have more moving parts than a swing-lip leveller, including the lip guides and lip cylinder, so these need checking and lubricating at each service. With planned servicing the extra work is modest. Servicing is chargeable, with the visit price agreed in advance.
Telescopic-lip dock levellers near Beverley
Other towns within reach of Beverley on our coverage list include Kingston upon Hull (8 miles), Brough (10 miles) and Immingham (18 miles), all covered on the same terms.
Other loading bay services in Beverley
Full guide to telescopic-lip dock levellers · Everything we do in Beverley
Whether it is a new bay or a fault on an existing one, call us or request a quote for your site in Beverley.