- Location
- Fareham, Hampshire
- Main postcode district
- PO16
- Nearby (straight line)
- Gosport (4 miles), Portsmouth (5 miles) and Hedge End (7 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.
What should sites in Fareham consider?
Busy cross-dock and parcel operations in Fareham with frequent trailer swaps have more chances for an early drive-away, which is where a physical restraint adds real protection. Operators in Fareham reviewing their workplace transport risk assessment often look at restraints when key control alone has proved hard to enforce across shifts.
Yards around Fareham that park uncoupled trailers at the dock can see trailers creep under forklift traffic, and a wheel-based restraint helps keep the leveller lip on the bed.
Here is what happens after you contact us about a site in Fareham. We arrange a free survey, measure up and send a fixed written quote. If you go ahead, we manage the whole job, including ordering, delivery and coordination with your site team. Specialist installation engineers working under our management do the fitting, at times built around your loading schedule, with out-of-hours work by arrangement. Testing and handover documents close the job.
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.
How much does a vehicle restraint cost?
A vehicle restraint typically costs £4,200 to £9,800 per bay, supplied and installed, excluding VAT. Sensor wheel chocks linked to the dock controls usually sit towards the lower end, and fully automatic wheel-based restraints with rail and interlocks towards the upper end.
What moves the price:
- Restraint type: a sensor chock needs far less hardware and groundwork than a powered, rail-mounted wheel restraint.
- Yard condition: rail-mounted units need a sound, level concrete apron. Broken concrete or tarmac may need a new base, priced after survey.
- Cabling: the distance from the restraint to the dock control panel, and whether ducts must be cut into the yard.
- Integration: linking to existing door and leveller controls is simpler on modern panels; older panels may need replacing.
- Number of bays and working hours: several bays in one project spread set-up costs, while out-of-hours work adds cost.
All figures are guide budgets. After a free site survey we send a written quote, and that quote is the fixed price. VAT is added at the standard rate.
The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What does the free survey cover?
- Gaps around trailers where heated or chilled air escapes
- Wind exposure at the dock, which affects door and shelter choice
- Scope to convert ground-level doors into docks or add lift tables
- Age and condition of the equipment already in place
- Wheel guide positions and yard markings for reversing vehicles
- Wall and steel structure for door, shelter and bumper fixings
Options to discuss
Sensor wheel chock
A heavy-duty chock with a sensor or parking station that tells the dock controls when it is in place. Minimal groundwork and suited to retrofit on existing bays.
Automatic wheel-based restraint
A powered arm on a yard-mounted rail that locates against the rear wheel at the push of a button and signals the dock controls once the trailer is held.
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 Fareham. 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 vehicle restraints in Fareham
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 Fareham 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 Fareham?
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.
Is VAT included in your guide prices for vehicle restraints?
No. Our customers are businesses, so guide prices exclude VAT, which is added at the standard rate. The same guide range applies in Hampshire as everywhere else: for vehicle restraints, it is £4,200 to £9,800 per bay, excluding VAT. It covers supply and fit for a typical installation. Your fixed written quote after the free survey shows the net price, the VAT and exactly what is included.
Do vehicle restraints work with all trailers?
Wheel-based restraints and sensor chocks work with most trailers, because they act on the rear wheel rather than on the back of the vehicle. Vehicles with unusual wheel positions or very small wheels need checking, so we look at the vehicles you receive during the survey.
Can a vehicle restraint be fitted to an existing bay?
Yes, restraints are commonly retrofitted to existing bays. The main questions are whether the yard concrete in front of the bay is sound enough to anchor a rail, how cables will reach the dock controls, and whether the existing door and leveller panels can accept interlocks. Sensor chocks are often chosen where groundwork needs to be kept to a minimum.
Vehicle restraints near Fareham
Sites close to Fareham get the same service, including those in Gosport (4 miles), Portsmouth (5 miles) and Hedge End (7 miles), with every job run the same way.
Other loading bay services in Fareham
Full guide to vehicle restraints · Everything we do in Fareham
Tell us what is happening at your Fareham dock, what equipment is there and when it is used, and we will suggest the right next step.