How height restrictive barriers ensure a happy experience for shoppers

Many car park operators and owners have experienced problems with high sided vehicles such as trucks and caravans using and abusing their sites.

In public car parks such as those at retail outlets and supermarkets, car parking spaces are provided to make it as easy and stress-free as possible for customers to do their shopping. They can visit on their way home from work to do some food shopping, or pop to the shops on their lunch break in a short space of time without having to pay to park in a private car park and then walk from what is often an inconvenient location. However, when these car parks are abused it can cause problems for genuine customers who may be unable to enjoy the car park as it is intended.

Unauthorised vehicles and visitors from caravans and heavy goods vehicles that are not there to shop or visit the businesses that own these car parks not only take up vacant parking spaces for genuine customers (who may decide to shop elsewhere if they cannot get parked), but have also been known to leave behind unpleasant litter and mess which has to be cleaned up by the businesses operating the car parks.

Recent examples include a LIDL supermarket in Hull, East Yorkshire, where several caravans and large white vans set up camp in the car park, a Tesco in North Wales and an aggressive stand-off at an Asda car park in Kinmel Bay, near Rhyl.

One solution to this problem is to install height restrictor barriers which limit access to vehicles of a certain height, thereby controlling what types of vehicles can gain entry and reducing the chances of unauthorised vehicles making their way on to your site.

Gateway Automation provide a range products to help businesses and individuals to secure their sites and also provide nationwide servicing and repairs to gates, barriers and other perimeter security equipment. To find out more, please call us on 01522 682255.

How bollards can protect against ram raids

A recent news story has highlighted the important role that bollards can play in protecting businesses against crime.

Companies in Leeds have expressed worries over the security of their businesses after a series of burglaries targeted at high-end retail outlets in the city centre. A total of three separate incidents have taken place over the space of nine months, with businesses falling victim to so called ‘ram raid’ style attacks.

High end stores such as Louis Vuitton, Flannels and Rolex outlets have all fallen victim to attempted and successful raids on their stores, whereby vehicles have gained entry by driving at high speeds into the buildings, thereby breaking through any doors, windows and security rafters.

However, according to a report in the Yorkshire Evening Post, retail staff working in the area have pointed to the local Hugo Boss store as an example of how businesses can protect themselves. The Hugo Boss store has several bollards placed directly in front of their store which effectively reduce the impact of any ram raid style attacks and act as a deterrent against would be thieves.

Another recent example of businesses turning to bollards as a means of protecting against vehicular attacks comes from a Waitrose store in Oxford. The Wantage branch of Waitrose announced plans to install both number-plate recognition cameras and ram-raid-proof bollards in their car park after a series of ram-raids at supermarkets across Oxfordshire where criminals stole cash machines.

Gateway Automation offer a variety of both automatic, static and anti-terrorism bollards which can be used in this way. We offer a value for money service with well-engineered quality bollards manufactured to your specific requirements. For total peace of mind, we offer nationwide maintenance contracts on our own bollards and on existing perimeter security equipment made by other manufacturers.

Whether your business runs from small retail premises or a large industrial site, Gateway Automation can provide you with a free, no-obligation quotation and feasibility survey to assess your bollard requirements. To find out more please call us on 01522 682 255.