Quick summary
A crash-tested bollard is a security post that has been hit by a real vehicle or test cart, at a set weight and speed, in an independent lab, and has a published rating showing how far the vehicle got past it. That is what separates it from an ordinary steel post or a bollard simply sold as "anti-ram". In the UK the main standards are ISO 22343-1:2023, the older PAS 68 and IWA 14-1 (now superseded but still accepted), PAS 170-1 for low-speed bollards and the US standard ASTM F3016 for shopfronts.
Quick answer: Store Fittings Direct's crash-tested bollards start from £402.27 ex VAT (CrashCore S10, ASTM F3016 tested at 10mph with a 5,000lb pickup), £551.43 ex VAT for the 15mph S15 and £795 ex VAT for the Crash Rated Bollard 20 (20mph, listed as ASTM F3016, PAS 68 and IWA 14 certified). Space them with no more than a 1,200mm gap, install them exactly as tested, and always ask for the test certificate.
- ✓PAS 68 and IWA 14-1 were superseded by ISO 22343-1:2023, but products already tested to them remain acceptable.
- ✓ASTM F3016 uses a 5,000lb (2,268kg) test cart at 10, 20 or 30mph, the speeds a car reaches in a car park or across a pavement.
- ✓"Anti-ram" on its own is a description, not a rating. Ask for a test report.
- ✓Martyn's Law starts in spring 2027 (expected). Only enhanced-tier sites (800+ people) are expected to consider physical measures such as vehicle restrictions.
- ✓Prices on this page are ex VAT. Our site shows both ex and inc VAT.
On this page
What is it?StandardsReading a ratingPricesHow to chooseMartyn's LawBy site typeInstallationWhy buy from usFAQsWhat is a crash-tested bollard?
A standard steel bollard or recycled plastic bollard does that job well and costs from well under £100. What it can't do is prove how it will behave when a car or van hits it at speed.
A crash-tested bollard can. The manufacturer has paid an independent lab to drive a vehicle (or a weighted test cart) into it at a set mass, speed and angle, and the lab has measured how far the vehicle travelled past the bollard. That result becomes the rating. You'll see four phrases used, and they don't mean the same thing:
Crash-tested / crash-rated
Has passed an independent impact test to a named standard and comes with a rating and test report. This is what you need if you're protecting people from a vehicle.
Impact-rated (joules)
The maker quotes an energy figure, for example the BFT Ranch D at 667,000 joules. Useful for comparing strength, but it isn't a vehicle crash rating.
Anti-ram
A reinforced or deeper-set post, such as our 3RS anti-ram plastic bollard with a steel core set 950mm deep. Much tougher than standard, but not a tested rating.
Standard bollard
Marks routes and stops low-speed knocks. Great value, but no stopping performance is claimed.
If it doesn't come with a test certificate naming the standard, the vehicle, the speed and the penetration, it isn't crash-rated. "Anti-ram" is a description, not a rating.
UK crash test standards explained
There are a handful of standards you'll see on spec sheets. Here's what each one is, in plain English. Our bollards buying guide covers the wider range if you only need everyday protection.
ISO 22343-1:2023
The current international standard for vehicle security barriers, published September 2023. It sets impact test methods and performance ratings for a single impact. ISO and Secured by Design both confirm it replaced IWA 14-1 and PAS 68.
PAS 68 and IWA 14-1
The long-standing UK and international crash test specs. Both are now superseded, but Secured by Design says products already tested to them "remain acceptable". You'll still see PAS 68 ratings everywhere.
PAS 170-1:2017
A BSI test for bollards against low-speed passenger vehicles. It uses a 2,500kg trolley at 16km/h or 32km/h and tests a single bollard. BSI says it isn't a substitute for a full-scale vehicle test.
ASTM F3016
A US standard built for shopfronts. A 5,000lb (2,268kg) cart hits the bollard at 10, 20 or 30mph (Calspan). Passes are graded P1 (under 1 foot of penetration) or P2 (under 4 feet).
ISO 22343 comes in two parts. Part 1 is the crash test. Part 2 is guidance for site owners and specifiers on choosing and installing barriers, starting with an operational requirement for your site. If you're working on a public space or a large venue, the national security body NPSA keeps a catalogue of impact-rated barriers you can check products against.
How to read a crash rating
A PAS 68 or ISO-style rating looks like code, but it's easy once you know the order. Take V/7200[N2]/48/90:5.6:
- ✓V means tested with a real vehicle.
- ✓7200 is the test vehicle's mass in kg.
- ✓[N2] is the vehicle class. M1 is a car (about 1,500kg), N1 a van, N2 a medium lorry (around 7,200–7,500kg), N3 a heavy lorry.
- ✓48 is the impact speed in km/h (48km/h is 30mph).
- ✓90 is the impact angle in degrees (head-on).
- ✓5.6 is how far, in metres, the vehicle travelled past the back of the barrier. Lower is better.
An ASTM F3016 rating is simpler: the speed tier and the penetration class, for example S20 P1. The Crash Rated Bollard 20 is named after its 20mph test.
Crash-tested bollard prices UK (2026)
Here's what our crash-tested and high-security bollards cost, with an everyday anti-ram post for comparison. All prices are ex VAT, per bollard, before concrete and groundworks.
| Bollard | Rating / test | Best for | From (ex VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CrashCore S10 | ASTM F3016, 10mph, 5,000lb pickup | Shop doors, car park fronts | £402.27 |
| CrashCore S15 | ASTM F3016, 15mph, 5,000lb pickup | Busier frontages, drive-thrus | £551.43 |
| CrashCore S15 Asphalt | ASTM F3016, 15mph, for asphalt | Tarmac car parks | £559.00 |
| Crash Rated Bollard 20 | ASTM F3016, PAS 68 & IWA 14 (20mph) | Entrances, footways, forecourts | £795.00 |
| CrashCore S10 Removable | ASTM F3016, 10mph | Access points you need to open | £1,010.03 |
| BFT Ranch B fixed | High-security fixed, impact-rated | Access control lines | £920.03 |
| BFT Ranch D fixed | 667,000J breaking resistance | Restricted zones, paired with automatic units | £1,872.38 |
| BFT Ranch E fixed | 2,100,000J breaking resistance | Critical sites, 1,200mm tall | £3,283.34 |
| 3RS anti-ram plastic bollard | Not crash-rated (steel core, 950mm deep) | Car park edges, low-speed knocks | £129.00 |
The CrashCore and Crash Rated 20 sleeves come in a 4" plastic cover (with or without reflective strips) or a 6" stainless steel cover. The stainless option takes the S10 to £795, the S15 to £790.13 and the S20 to £1,295, all ex VAT. Browse the full crash-tested bollards collection or the wider BFT high-security range.
What adds to the cost
The bollard is only part of the bill. Budget for core drilling or excavation, concrete, making good the surface, traffic management if you're near a road, and design input if it's a full security scheme. Bollards rated against heavy lorries at 40–50mph need deep, reinforced foundations and specialist design, so they cost many times more than a shallow-mount shopfront bollard.
How to choose the right crash rating
Work through these six questions before you pick a product. They follow the logic of ISO 22343-2: understand the threat and the site first, then choose the barrier.
Accident or attack?
Most shops, forecourts and car parks face accidental impacts. ASTM F3016 bollards are built for exactly that. Deliberate attacks on crowded places need a proper HVM assessment.
How fast can a vehicle get?
Measure the straight run-up a vehicle has towards what you're protecting. A short run from a parking bay means low speed; a long straight road means higher speed and a higher rating.
What vehicle?
A car (about 1,500kg) and a 7.5-tonne lorry are very different tests. Match the rating's test vehicle to the vehicles that can realistically reach you.
How much penetration can you accept?
If there's a shop window 1m behind the bollards, you need a low penetration figure. More space behind the line means you can accept more.
What's under the ground?
Shallow-mount systems suit sites with cellars, cables or drainage. Check before you dig: HSE guidance is clear that buried services must be located first. Asphalt needs an asphalt-rated product such as the S15 Asphalt.
Do vehicles need access?
Use removable crash-tested bollards or automatic units at access points, and fixed bollards everywhere else. See our removable bollards guide for the everyday options.
Spacing: the 1,200mm rule
Government guidance in Traffic Advisory Leaflet 2/13, produced by the Department for Transport with the national security advisers, says hostile vehicle mitigation bollards should be "spaced at a maximum air gap (between bollards) of 1,200mm". That's the clear gap between bollards, not centre to centre. Our storefront bollards guide has more on layout.
Martyn's Law and crash-rated bollards
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, known as Martyn's Law, was passed on 3 April 2025 with at least two years before it takes effect, according to the Home Office factsheet. Law firm Burges Salmon expects it to come into force in spring 2027. The Security Industry Authority (SIA) will regulate it.
Standard tier: 200–799 people
Simple procedures such as evacuation, invacuation and lockdown. Mayer Brown notes there's no expectation of physical security infrastructure.
Enhanced tier: 800+ people
Premises and events must take reasonably practicable measures to reduce the risk and harm of an attack. Physical security and vehicle access checks or restrictions are listed as examples.
So Martyn's Law doesn't say "buy crash-rated bollards". But if you run an enhanced-tier venue with a crowded entrance next to a road, your assessment may well land there. For the background read what Martyn's Law means for you and Martyn's Law premises compliance explained. For bag checks and screening, see our security range.
Martyn's Law is about doing what's reasonably practicable. A few crash-rated bollards at a crowded entrance can be a lot more practicable than people think.
Crash-tested bollards by site type
Shops and convenience stores
Accidental drive-ins through glazing are the main risk. CrashCore S10 or S15 along the frontage, plus other retail security inside.
Petrol forecourts and drive-thrus
Kiosks, tills and queuing lanes sit close to moving cars. The 20mph Crash Rated Bollard 20 suits longer approaches.
Schools and hospitals
Protect waiting areas, entrances and drop-off zones. Our NHS range covers the wider site.
Councils and public spaces
Pedestrian zones and events need the 1,200mm rule and proper design. See our council products.
Venues and stadiums
Enhanced-tier Martyn's Law sites with crowds at fixed times. Combine fixed crash-rated bollards with removable or automatic units for access.
Offices, warehouses and data centres
Protect entrances and plant. For forklift knocks inside, anti-ram bollards and impact barriers do the job.
Where you only need to stop low-speed knocks, a crash rating is overkill. The Eco recycled plastic bollard (anti-ram version with core from £139 ex VAT) or a stainless steel bollard will do. Our plastic vs steel bollards comparison helps you choose.
Installation and maintenance
This is where crash ratings are won or lost. A rating applies to the bollard and the foundation it was tested in. Change the depth, the concrete or the ground conditions and you no longer have the tested product.
- ✓Follow the maker's foundation detail exactly. CrashCore bollards are a kit: core, cover, rebar cage and hardware are included, you supply the concrete. The maker says each one can be core-drilled and installed in under an hour.
- ✓Locate buried services first and follow HSE excavation guidance before you drill or dig.
- ✓High-security fixed bollards need serious foundations. The BFT Ranch D drawing shows a 1,400mm x 1,400mm foundation 750mm deep.
- ✓Automatic bollards need a qualified engineer and drainage. Our BFT Stoppy B (from £1,779.60 ex VAT) is an access-control bollard rated at 6,000J, not a crash-rated barrier, and isn't suitable for flood-prone ground.
- ✓Inspect after every hit. A bollard that's stopped a car has done its job. Get it checked, and don't assume it will perform the same a second time.
- ✓Keep the paperwork. Store test certificates and installation records with your risk assessment. Our steel bollard installation guide covers the basics.
Why buy crash-tested bollards from Store Fittings Direct
- ✓A wide range, from everyday bollards to ASTM F3016 crash-tested and BFT high-security bollards, plus EV charger protection and impact barriers.
- ✓Prices shown ex VAT and inc VAT, so there are no surprises.
- ✓Free delivery on over 90% of our products.
- ✓Over 30 years' experience supplying retailers, the NHS, councils, warehouses and construction.
- ✓ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified, and a SEDEX member.
- ✓Every one of our Google reviews is five stars.
- ✓Straight answers on what's crash-rated and what isn't. Call our advice line on 0116 318 4182.
Protect your frontage with proven, crash-tested bollards
Independently tested, clearly priced and delivered. Not sure which rating you need? Give us a call and we'll talk it through.
Shop crash-tested bollardsCall 0116 318 4182Crash-tested bollards: FAQs
What is the difference between crash-tested and anti-ram bollards?
A crash-tested (or crash-rated) bollard has been hit by a real vehicle or test cart at a known weight and speed in an independent test, and holds a rating to a named standard such as ISO 22343-1, PAS 68, IWA 14-1 or ASTM F3016. “Anti-ram” is a sales description for a reinforced or deeper-set bollard. It may be much stronger than a standard post, but unless it comes with a test certificate it has no proven stopping performance.
Is PAS 68 still valid in 2026?
PAS 68 has been superseded by ISO 22343-1:2023, which also replaced IWA 14-1. Secured by Design says products already tested to PAS 68 or IWA 14-1 remain acceptable, so a PAS 68 rating still means something. For new specifications, ask for ISO 22343-1 or check the PAS 68 test report carefully.
How much do crash-tested bollards cost in the UK?
At Store Fittings Direct, ASTM F3016 crash-tested bollards start from £402.27 ex VAT for a CrashCore S10, £551.43 ex VAT for the S15 and £795 ex VAT for the Crash Rated Bollard 20, which is also listed as PAS 68 and IWA 14 certified. Concrete, groundworks and installation are on top, and full hostile vehicle mitigation schemes for high-speed lorry attacks cost far more.
What does a PAS 68 rating like V/7200[N2]/48/90:5.6 mean?
V means tested with a real vehicle, 7200 is the vehicle mass in kg, [N2] is the vehicle class (a medium goods vehicle), 48 is the impact speed in km/h (about 30mph), 90 is the impact angle in degrees and 5.6 is how far in metres the vehicle got past the back of the barrier. Lower penetration means better protection.
How far apart should security bollards be?
Government guidance in Traffic Advisory Leaflet 2/13, produced by the Department for Transport with the national security advisers, says hostile vehicle mitigation bollards should have a maximum air gap of 1,200mm between them. That stops a car getting through while still letting pedestrians, wheelchairs and pushchairs pass.
Does Martyn's Law mean I need crash-rated bollards?
Not automatically. The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 sets a standard tier for premises expecting 200 to 799 people and an enhanced tier for 800 or more. Standard tier is about procedures, with no expectation of physical security infrastructure. Enhanced tier sites must take reasonably practicable measures, and vehicle access restrictions are one example, so a risk assessment may point you towards crash-rated protection.
Can I install crash-tested bollards myself?
Shallow-mount systems such as CrashCore are designed for simple core-drilled installation and come as a kit with the core, cover, rebar cage and hardware (you supply the concrete). A rating only applies if the bollard is installed exactly as tested, so follow the manufacturer's foundation details to the letter, check for buried services first, and use a qualified engineer for anything automatic or high-security.
Are automatic rising bollards crash-rated?
Some are and many are not. Everyday automatic bollards such as the BFT Stoppy B are designed for access control and are rated by impact resistance in joules, not by a vehicle crash test. If you need to stop a deliberate attack, ask for the specific crash test certificate for the exact model and foundation.
