Retractable & Telescopic Bollards

Retractable bollards are an excellent tool for security, traffic and parking management. They are, generally speaking, retractable columns of different thicknesses and heights installed into the ground. Their unique feature is that, via a system within the bollard itself, the telescopic pole can be lowered and covered or raised and locked in an erect position.

Retractable bollards offer flexibility in space utilisation – a busy central street can be closed off for an event within minutes, and a pedestrian area can be opened up for an emergency vehicle just at the click of a button. We offer a range of telescopic bollards made from different materials, including steel, stainless steel or iron.

Retractable Telescopic Bollards as Efficient and Versatile Access Control

Telescopic bollards are becoming an increasingly popular feature of the urban landscape. They are easy to use, versatile and very convenient. They help with safety – for pedestrians and property by providing a hard and ram-resistant barrier between vehicles and sidewalks, bike paths or buildings. Removable bollards are great flexible access control tools, as they leave space for pedestrians while blocking off vehicles when you need their access restricted. Then, easily and with the press of a button or a handle, you can let cars back into a designated area. This makes them ideal for delivery sites, stadiums, event spaces, public buildings, main streets, and private residences alike.

There are two broad categories of collapsible bollards based on their movement mechanism. They can be manually or automatically operated with remote control. Manual telescopic bollards, like our Heavy Duty Retractable Bollard, are simple, cost-effective products to prevent unwanted access. Although manually operated, these bollards are remarkably easy to use as they have a simple mechanism with a handle to hold to raise and lower into position. Some products, like the Thaw RT SQ8 Telescopic Bollard, have only 11kg of pull-up weight, so most people should be able to use them easily. This being said, the automated models are slightly more effortless to use, and they work at the press of a button with retraction times as quick as 3 seconds, like the Vigilant 500 Automatic Bollard. This does give you the ability to react quickly and from a distance to any sudden threat or urgent situation. Having a remote control also means raising and lowering your bollard from the comfort of your car or the security booth on your premises.

Telescopic bollards are very useful in places where another access control, like a barrier, would be impractical or unattractive to install. Bollards can also be much easier to operate than the alternatives, especially if they are remotely controlled and require minimal effort to get them out of the ground.

Another benefit of installing retractable bollards is that they can be easily hidden underground and seamlessly fit most architectural settings.

The ease of use and their discreteness make them ideal for commercial and domestic use. They can be installed in a large car park of a shopping centre to help control access, for example, to delivery sites. And just as easily, they can be fitted at a residential building to allow controlled access to the parking spaces only to those living there and prevent any outsider vehicles.

Retractable bollards are often compared to removable bollards, which we also offer. They share similarities, of course, but one advantage of telescopic bollards is that they don't need to be stored while not in an erect position. When taking off a removable bollard, you need to be prepared to keep it somewhere safe, while the collapsible bollards simply stay underground when not needed.

Retractable bollards can be made from different materials, including steel, stainless steel or iron. For example, our SS Domestic Automatic Bollard is an excellent example of a cheaper automated variant made from cast iron. It is a high-quality remote-controlled product with LED lights, reflective film and good crash resistance specifications of up to 10 000J. Meanwhile, our Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Retractable Telescopic Bollard is a great stainless steel model with a minimalist and modern design and integral locking mechanism and is very easy to operate.

If you want to discuss retractable bollards, don't hesitate to get in touch with us. We are always happy to advise our clients on the best solution.