By Chris, Director at Store Fittings Direct. Last updated 6 October 2026.
Bollards are short, sturdy posts that control where vehicles can and can't go. They protect shop fronts, pedestrians, EV chargers, cash machines and loading bays, and they guide traffic around car parks and retail parks. This guide covers every main type of bollard sold in the UK, what each one costs, how to choose the right material and fixing, which safety and security standards apply, and where each type works best.
Quick answer: a standard 1000mm galvanised steel bollard starts from around £52 ex VAT, recycled plastic bollards with a steel core from £69, stainless steel from about £78, and telescopic or fold-down parking posts from £59 to £105. Crash-tested security bollards start at around £400, and automatic bollards run into the thousands. Choose by what you're protecting, how hard a vehicle could hit it, and whether you need to remove it for access.
Contents
- Bollard types and prices at a glance
- How much do bollards cost in the UK?
- How to choose the right bollard
- Security ratings and standards explained
- Height, spacing and visibility
- Bollards by site and sector
- Do bollards need planning permission?
- Installation and maintenance
- Why buy bollards from Store Fittings Direct
- FAQs
Bollard types and prices at a glance
All prices below are starting prices ex VAT from our current range, correct at the time of writing.
| Bollard type | Best for | From (ex VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Galvanised steel bollards | General protection, car parks, shop fronts | £52.17 (1000mm) |
| Powder coated bollards | High visibility, brand colours | £65.52 |
| Stainless steel bollards | Shop fronts, offices, premium sites | £77.65 (1000mm, grade 304) |
| Plastic and recycled bollards | Retail parks, low maintenance sites | £39.99 |
| Timber bollards | Parks, verges, rural and leisure sites | £14.37 |
| Ornamental and cast iron bollards | Town centres, heritage areas | £80.08 |
| Removable bollards | Occasional vehicle access | £53.99 |
| Fold down parking posts | Private parking bays | £59.28 |
| Telescopic parking posts | Driveways, bays, flush when lowered | £104.32 |
| Anti-ram security bollards | Shop fronts, ATMs, ram-raid risk | £69.00 |
| Crash-tested bollards | Storefronts, pedestrian areas | £402.27 |
| BFT high security and automatic bollards | Controlled access, high-risk sites | £920.03 |
| Keep left bollards | Traffic islands, internal roads | £129.00 |
| EV charger protection | Charging bays | £76.44 |
Browse the full bollards collection to filter by height, colour and application.
How much do bollards cost in the UK?
Bollard prices depend on four things: material, diameter, fixing method and security level. Here's how the budget usually breaks down.
Budget: under £100 per bollard
Fixed galvanised steel, recycled plastic and timber bollards. These stop cars drifting onto paths and mark out areas, but they aren't designed to stop a determined impact. Our Galvanised Mild Steel Bollard, 1000mm above ground starts at £52.17 ex VAT and is our most popular all-rounder. The 3RS Retail Park Plastic Bollard starts at £69 ex VAT and can take a galvanised anti-ram core.
Mid-range: £100 to £400
Larger diameter steel, stainless steel, removable and lockable bollards, telescopic posts and heritage designs such as the Cast Iron Manchester Bollard (from £219 ex VAT). You're paying for better finishes, locks and flexibility of access.
Security: £400 and up
Crash-tested bollards like the CrashCore S10 removable bollard and fixed and automatic units from BFT, such as the Ranch B Fixed Bollard. These have been tested against real vehicle impacts, so you know what they'll stop.
Don't forget installation
Root-fixed bollards are set in concrete, so budget for groundworks. Surface-mounted (base plated) bollards bolt down and are cheaper and quicker to fit, but give less impact resistance. Crash-rated and automatic bollards need deeper foundations and, for automatic models, power and controls. See How to Install Different Types of Bollards for the details.
How to choose the right bollard
1. What are you protecting against?
- Guiding and marking: keeping cars off paths, marking routes or bay ends. Plastic, timber or light steel bollards, or flexible traffic posts from £7.15 ex VAT.
- Accidental impact: drivers misjudging a reverse or parking manoeuvre near glass, chargers or people. Galvanised or stainless steel, root fixed, ideally 90mm diameter or more.
- Deliberate attack: ram raids, ATM theft and hostile vehicles. Anti-ram or crash-tested bollards with proper foundations.
2. Do you need access?
- Fixed: permanent, strongest and cheapest.
- Removable: lifts out of a ground socket with a key, for occasional deliveries or emergency access.
- Telescopic: drops into the ground flush with the surface. Good for driveways and bays where nothing should be left sticking up.
- Fold down: hinges flat when unlocked. Quick to fit and great for private parking bays.
- Automatic: rises and lowers on command for controlled access, such as staff car parks or pedestrianised zones.
3. Which material?
- Galvanised steel: strong, low cost and rust resistant. Can be powder coated in yellow, black or a brand colour.
- Stainless steel: smart, modern finish for shop fronts and offices. Grade 304 suits most UK sites; grade 316 is worth asking about for coastal locations.
- Recycled plastic: won't rust, rot or need painting, and is kinder on car bumpers. Add a steel core for strength.
- Timber: natural look for parks, schools and rural sites. Lowest cost but lowest strength.
- Cast iron and ornamental: traditional designs for town centres and conservation areas.
- Polyurethane: flexible, heritage-style options like the Hexham bollard that absorb knocks.
4. How will it be fixed?
- Root fixed: set into concrete in the ground. Strongest option for impact protection.
- Base plated (surface mounted): bolted to existing concrete. Faster to install, useful where you can't dig, but weaker under impact.
- Socket fixed: a ground socket allows the bollard to be removed.
Security ratings and standards explained
If you need a bollard to stop a vehicle, not just deter it, look for a crash test rating. These are the ones you'll come across in the UK:
- ISO 22343-1:2023 is now the main international standard for vehicle security barriers. It has superseded both PAS 68 and IWA 14-1.
- PAS 68 (UK) and IWA 14-1 (international) are the older standards. Products tested to them are still widely accepted.
- ASTM F3016 is a US standard for low-speed impacts in car parks and storefronts. It uses a 5,000lb vehicle at 10mph (S10), 20mph (S20) or 30mph (S30), which matches the real risk at most retail sites: a car accelerating by mistake in a car park.
For most shops and retail parks, an ASTM F3016-rated bollard gives tested protection without the cost and foundations of a full hostile vehicle mitigation system. For high-risk public spaces, specify to ISO 22343-1 or PAS 68 and take advice from a security specialist.
Height, spacing and visibility
A bollard that people can't see is a hazard. The Department for Transport's Inclusive Mobility guide recommends:
- Bollards at least 1000mm high.
- Tops that contrast in tone and colour with their surroundings, and lighting where possible.
- Gaps between bollards of no more than 1200mm.
- No chains or ropes between bollards, as they're a trip hazard for people with sight loss.
A clear gap of about 1000mm is widely used as the minimum so wheelchair users and pushchairs can pass. BS 8300 guidance uses a difference of at least 30 points in Light Reflectance Value (LRV) as a benchmark for good visual contrast, so pick yellow or banded bollards on dark tarmac. For sites used after dark, add reflective bands: the EB100 bollard comes with a choice of reflective tape colours, and reflective hazard tape can retrofit existing posts.
Bollards by site and sector
Shops and shop fronts
Protect glazing and entrances from vehicles while keeping the frontage safe for pedestrians. Root-fixed steel or stainless steel at 1000mm, or anti-ram bollards where ram raids are a risk. See our retail shop fittings range for matching protection.
Supermarkets and retail parks
Mark walkways, protect trolley shelters and stop cars cutting across pedestrian routes. Recycled plastic bollards like the 3RS are popular because they're kind to bumpers and need no painting.
EV charging bays
Chargers are expensive and drivers reverse right up to them. Use yellow and black banded bollards or guards such as the Black Bull EV Charging Protection Bollard.
Warehouses and loading bays
Protect racking, doors, columns and pedestrian routes from forklifts and HGVs. See our warehousing and loading bay barriers ranges.
NHS, schools and councils
Public sites need accessible, visible bollards that meet Inclusive Mobility guidance, plus removable or fold-down posts for emergency vehicle access. We supply public sector buyers through our NHS and councils ranges.
Driveways and private parking
Telescopic and fold-down posts stop unauthorised parking and help deter vehicle theft. See our driveway bollards.
Construction sites
Temporary and removable bollards, traffic posts and barriers to separate site traffic from people. See our construction range.
Do bollards need planning permission?
Bollards fully within your own private land, such as your car park, forecourt or driveway, don't usually need planning permission. You'll need to check with your local planning authority if:
- the site is a listed building or in a conservation area,
- the bollards are close to a road and taller than about 1 metre, or
- they would affect visibility for drivers or pedestrians.
Never install bollards on a pavement, verge or road without permission from the highway authority, usually your local council. Verges that look like part of your property often belong to the council. If in doubt, check your boundary with HM Land Registry.
Installation and maintenance
- Check for services before digging, using utility plans and a cable avoidance tool.
- Root-fixed bollards go into a concrete foundation. Follow the manufacturer's depth and concrete spec, especially for anti-ram and crash-tested units.
- Base-plated bollards need sound concrete beneath them and the right anchor bolts.
- Inspect at least once a year for damage, loose fixings, faded paint and worn reflective bands, and lubricate locks on removable, telescopic and fold-down posts.
Step-by-step guides: installing different types of bollards, installing steel bollards for perimeter security and installing and maintaining timber bollards.
Why buy bollards from Store Fittings Direct
- One of the widest ranges online: over 120 bollards across 16 categories, from £14 timber posts to crash-tested and automatic security bollards, so you can spec a whole site from one supplier.
- Clear pricing: prices are shown both ex VAT and inc VAT, so you know exactly what you'll pay.
- Free delivery on over 90% of our products.
- Proven: over 30 years of experience, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified, a SEDEX member, and every Google review we've had is five stars.
- Trusted brands: including BFT, Autolok, Autopa, Plaswood and Traffic-Line.
- Real advice: our team will help you choose the right bollard, fixing and spacing for your site. Call 0116 318 4182.
- Sector specialists: we supply retailers, the NHS, councils, warehouses and construction firms, so we know what each site needs.
Not sure where bollards should go on your site? Read Bollards and Where to Use Them, or browse the full bollards range.
Bollard FAQs
How much does a bollard cost in the UK?
A standard 1000mm galvanised steel bollard costs from around £52 ex VAT. Recycled plastic bollards start from about £40 to £69, stainless steel from about £78, and parking posts from about £59. Crash-tested bollards start at around £400, and automatic bollards cost £900 or more.
What is the standard height of a bollard?
Most bollards are 1000mm above ground, which is the minimum height recommended by the Department for Transport's Inclusive Mobility guide for pedestrian areas. Lower bollards of 500mm to 900mm are used in parking bays and on driveways.
How far apart should bollards be?
Inclusive Mobility recommends gaps of no more than 1200mm. A clear gap of about 1000mm is widely used as a minimum so wheelchair users and pushchairs can pass.
What is the strongest type of bollard?
Crash-tested bollards rated to ISO 22343-1, PAS 68, IWA 14-1 or ASTM F3016 are the strongest, because they've been proven against a real vehicle impact. Among standard bollards, root-fixed steel with a large diameter offers the most resistance.
What's the difference between removable and telescopic bollards?
A removable bollard lifts completely out of a ground socket and has to be stored somewhere. A telescopic bollard lowers into the ground and stays there, sitting flush with the surface until it's raised again.
Do I need planning permission for bollards?
Not usually, if they're fully on your own private land. Check with your local planning authority for listed buildings, conservation areas, or bollards near a road over about 1 metre high. Bollards on the public highway always need permission from the highway authority.
Which bollards stop ram raids?
Anti-ram bollards with a steel core and deep concrete foundations, or crash-tested bollards, are designed to stop vehicle attacks. Standard plastic or light steel bollards are a visual deterrent only.
Are plastic bollards any good?
Yes, for guiding traffic and marking areas. Recycled plastic bollards don't rust, rot or need painting, and they cause less damage to vehicles. For impact protection, choose a plastic bollard with a galvanised steel core.
