Maintaining Effective Traffic Management Around Car Parks

The areas around car parks can easily become congested, especially at peak times, if the flow of traffic is not effectively managed. Gates and barriers are often used to protect parking facilities and prevent unauthorised use. However, these can slow down entry and exit points if the right features are not in place.

Why Use a Car Park Barrier?

Car park gates and barriers are generally used with access-control systems to manage which cars can enter or exit the area. They can easily be adapted to work with ticketed or pass systems, depending on the type of facility the car park is provided for. For instance, those used by the general public often require payment before a car can exit the barrier, while a staff car park might use a swipe pass or an entry code to prevent unauthorised usage.

When a car park barrier is used, it will open automatically when a ticket has been taken or the pass swiped to allow the vehicle to enter. Depending on the requirements, the exit barrier might open as a vehicle approaches or require a ticket to be inserted. This process enables more effective traffic management by speeding up entry and exit. It also helps to control who parks in certain areas.

A Reliable System

The type of barrier that is chosen for a car park needs to be reliable. It’s important that vehicles are able to access the site quickly and easily when required; otherwise it could result in a build-up of traffic. A temperamental or faulty system could lead to queues forming at the entrance points or mean that drivers are unable to get out of the car park.

It’s important to consider the number of times that the car park gates are likely to be opened and closed each day, as this will have some bearing on the type of materials and system that is used. A facility that has heavy usage would have different requirements to a car park that is only used occasionally.

Strong and Durable

As well as preventing unauthorised entry, car park gates are also a security measure. They can restrict access to certain areas of a site or make it harder for those carrying out criminal acts to leave. This means that the gates and barriers need to be able to withstand a certain degree of force, such as a vehicle attempting to gain entry by ramming them.

Galvanised steel is often used in these situations, as it is a strong material but is also considerably lightweight. The steel can be powder-coated with a selection of colours, allowing customers to match existing fences or to increase the barrier’s visibility. These types of gates are protected from the elements, reducing the amount of maintenance required and the risk of a fault occurring.

Car park barriers and gates can provide protection for the vehicles and equipment inside. They are also an effective way of managing the traffic that enters and exits the site.