- Location
- Coleraine, County Londonderry
- Main postcode districts
- BT51 and BT52
- Nearby (straight line)
- Limavady (13 miles), Ballymena (24 miles) and Magherafelt (26 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
A vehicle restraint is a device at a loading bay that physically holds a trailer against the dock until it is safe to leave. In the UK most systems act on the rear wheel, either as a powered wheel-based restraint or a sensor wheel chock. Restraints guard against early drive-away and trailer creep, and are usually interlocked with the door and dock traffic lights.
How does this suit sites in Coleraine?
A warehouse in Coleraine that already uses traffic lights may want to add restraints so the door cannot open until the trailer is physically held in place. Multi-tenant logistics parks around Coleraine can benefit from restraints when several tenants share yard space and trailers from different fleets arrive throughout the day.
New-build distribution sheds in Coleraine can have restraint rails and ducting planned into the yard slab from the start, which is simpler than cutting them in later.
We do not give a fixed price without seeing the site. A free survey in Coleraine 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.
What does HSE guidance say about preventing drive-away?
HSE guidance says there must be safeguards to stop drivers driving away from a loading bay too early, and it lists vehicle or trailer restraints as one of the measures. The others it names are traffic lights and the person in charge keeping the vehicle keys or paperwork until it is safe to leave.
This comes from HSE's guide to workplace transport safety (HSG136) and its loading and unloading factsheet. The guidance sets out the outcome rather than one fixed solution, so the right combination for your site should follow your own risk assessment.
Once fitted, a restraint is work equipment under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), so it must be suitable, maintained in a safe condition and inspected where deterioration could lead to danger. In Northern Ireland the equivalent is PUWER (Northern Ireland) 1999, and the regulator is HSENI rather than HSE.
Our guide to preventing drive-away and trailer creep compares the options side by side.
Wheel-based or hook restraint: which suits UK trailers?
Wheel-based restraints and sensor wheel chocks suit most UK trailers, because they act on the rear wheel rather than on the back of the vehicle. Hook restraints, which catch the rear impact guard (sometimes called an ICC bar), are common elsewhere but suit fewer UK fleets.
- Wheel-based restraint: a steel guide rail fixed to the yard, with an arm or chock that moves against the rear wheel, either powered or pushed into place by the operative. It works regardless of tail lifts or underrun guard design.
- Sensor wheel chock: a heavy chock placed in front of the wheel, with a sensor or parking station that tells the dock controls it is in position. Lower cost and minimal groundwork, but it relies on someone placing it each time.
- Hook restraint: mounted on the dock face and hooking the rear guard. UK and European trailers vary widely at the rear, and tail lifts often get in the way, so this type needs checking against your actual fleet.
The same published guide range applies across Northern Ireland; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What does the free survey cover?
- Clear opening width and height for each door
- Wall and steel structure for door, shelter and bumper fixings
- How often each door cycles during a typical shift
- Wheel guide positions and yard markings for reversing vehicles
- Working hours, shift patterns and windows for out-of-hours work
- How drivers are prevented from pulling away too early
Options to discuss
Hook restraint
A dock-mounted hook that catches the trailer's rear impact guard. Only suitable where your fleet has compatible rear guards, which we check carefully at survey.
Trailer support stands
Stands placed under the front of an uncoupled semi-trailer to stop it dropping or tipping as forklifts drive on, used alongside a wheel restraint or chock.
Regulations and approvals in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has its own system. Structural alterations at a site in Coleraine, such as a new opening or dock pit, may need building control approval from the council, and external structures such as loading houses or canopies can need planning permission through the council planning service. We check what applies at survey.
Questions about vehicle restraints in Coleraine
How do you price vehicle restraints for a site in Coleraine?
Guide budgets for supply and fit are £4,200 to £9,800 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 details do you need from us to quote for vehicle restraints?
To get started, send the site address in Coleraine, 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.
Can you work alongside our main contractor on a new build in Coleraine?
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.
What happens if a powered restraint loses power?
Powered restraints are normally designed with a manual release so a trailer is not trapped on the bay if power is lost. Your site procedure should say who is allowed to use the release and what checks they make first. We explain the release method at handover.
Do vehicle restraints need servicing?
Yes. A restraint is work equipment under PUWER, so it must be maintained in a safe condition and inspected where wear could lead to danger. Servicing typically covers the rail and arm, sensors, controls and the interlock sequence with the door and lights.
Vehicle restraints near Coleraine
Distances are measured from Coleraine. Nearby towns we cover include Limavady (13 miles), Ballymena (24 miles) and Magherafelt (26 miles), and other towns in the area are covered too.
Other loading bay services in Coleraine
Full guide to vehicle restraints · Everything we do in Coleraine
Get in touch about loading bay doors and dock equipment in Coleraine: call, email or use the quote tool.