A removable bollard lifts right out of a socket in the ground, a telescopic bollard slides down into a sleeve until it’s flush with the drive, and a fold-down bollard hinges flat on a base plate bolted to the surface. For stopping car theft, a telescopic security post set deep in concrete is the usual choice. For stopping people parking, a fold-down post is the simplest and cheapest. We supply and fit telescopic, fold-down, lift-assist and automatic driveway bollards, but not plain removable posts, and this guide explains why. Below is how each type works, how they compare, and which suits your drive.
Watch on YouTubeRemovable, telescopic and fold-down bollards compared
| Removable | Telescopic | Fold-down | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it works | Unlock it and lift the whole post out of a socket in the ground | Unlock it, lift it until it locks upright, and lock it | Unlock it and fold it flat; lift it and it locks upright |
| Where the post goes when it’s down | Out of the ground, to be stored somewhere | Down inside its sleeve, under the drive | Flat on the drive |
| What’s left on the surface | The socket, usually under a plate or lid | The top of the post, flush with the drive | The base plate and folded post (60mm high on our DriveGuard Park) |
| How it’s fixed | A socket set in the ground | A sleeve set in concrete: 700mm below ground for the Rhino RT/RD4, 950mm for the RT/R8 | Bolted down to the drive |
| Daily use | You lift and carry the whole post | You lift part of the post: 6kg on the Rhino RT/RD4, 14kg on the RT/R8 | Fold it down and lift it back up: our DriveGuard Park weighs 3kg |
| Main job | Controlling access, often in public spaces | Stopping theft, and stopping parking | Stopping people parking |
| Security | Depends on the post, socket and lock | Built for theft; the heavy-duty Rhino RT/R8 is certified Sold Secure Gold | Not designed to stop a car being stolen |
| Fitted price with us | We don’t fit removable posts | From £799 | From £310 |
What is a removable bollard?
A removable bollard is a post that locks into a socket set in the ground. To open the way, you unlock it and lift it out. When it’s out, only the socket is left, usually under a cover plate or lid so the surface stays level. Kent Stainless, which makes lift-out bollards and sockets, designed its hidden-lock socket around problems councils had with damaged flip lids, hinges and padlocks; with the post out, a flush, heel-proof plate is all that remains.
The catch is the post itself. Each time you open the way, you lift out the whole post and need somewhere to put it. Kent Stainless suggests ordering two ground sockets for every removable bollard, so the post can be stored out of the way in the second one.
Do we fit removable bollards? No. Our range is built around posts that stay with the drive. A telescopic post drops into its own sleeve, a fold-down post folds onto its own base, and an automatic bollard lowers at the press of a fob. There’s nothing to lift out, carry or store, and nothing to forget to put back. If a lift-out post is what you need, for example for occasional access on a commercial site, a street-furniture supplier is the place to look.
What is a telescopic bollard?
A telescopic bollard (also called a retractable bollard) is a steel post that slides up out of a sleeve set in concrete and locks upright with a key. Lowered, it sits flush inside the sleeve, so there’s nothing to trip over or drive around. You only lift part of the weight: our Premium Stainless post weighs 22kg overall but takes 6kg to lift.
All our telescopic security posts are made by Marshalls, in its Rhino range:
Premium Stainless: the Rhino RT/RD4 at 500mm high and 76mm across, set 700mm below ground, or the larger RT/SS5 at 710mm or 900mm for big SUVs. From £849 fitted, or 3 × £283 interest-free with Klarna.
Powder-coated: the Rhino RT/RD4 in five colours, £799 fitted.
Heavy-duty: the Rhino RT/R8, 670mm high and 90mm across, set 950mm below ground, 14kg to lift, and certified Sold Secure Gold. £949 fitted, in eight colours.
Because the sleeve sits below the drive, rainwater can get into it. Proper drainage at the bottom lets it drain away instead of sitting in the sleeve, where it could freeze and jam the post. Every telescopic post we fit has drainage built in. For more on the models, see our Marshalls Rhino bollards guide.
What is a fold-down bollard?
A fold-down bollard (also called a folding or collapsible parking post) is a post on a hinged base plate that’s bolted to the drive. Unlock it and fold it flat to drive over it; lift it upright and it locks in place.
Our DriveGuard Park is 620mm high and 62mm across, folds down to 60mm, sits on a 175 × 140mm base plate and weighs 3kg. It has an anti-tamper integrated lock and comes with four keys. It costs £310 fitted, £580 for two, or 3 × £103.33 interest-free with Klarna for one.
Be clear about what it’s for. A fold-down post is built to stop people parking, not to stop a car being stolen. It’s bolted to the surface rather than set deep in concrete, and DriveGuard Park isn’t covered by our Gold Guarantee. If theft is the worry, choose a telescopic security post instead.
We also fit a yellow Heavy-Duty Fold-Down Post with an extra-strong hinge (£330 fitted) and a 730mm High-Vis Folding Post that’s surface mounted, so there’s no deep digging (£399 fitted). See all our parking bollards and posts.
Two more types: lift-assist and automatic
Lift-assist bollards are telescopic security posts with a gas strut inside. Unlock one and the strut takes most of the weight, so you only lift around 6–7kg. They need no power. From £1,499 fitted.
Automatic bollards rise and lower at the press of a fob, so you never get out of the car. Our DriveGuard Automatic is battery-powered, so there’s no cable to run, and comes with 2 fobs and 2 batteries. It’s £2,999 fitted. Our guide to electric bollards explains how they work and what to watch for.
Which type should you choose?
You’re worried about keyless car theft
Choose a driveway security post: a telescopic, lift-assist or automatic bollard set deep in concrete. Keyless thieves can open and start a car without its key, but with a locked post in front of it, they can’t drive it off the drive. For high-value cars, 4x4s and vans, the heavy-duty Rhino RT/R8 is the strongest manual post we fit. Every security bollard comes with our Gold Guarantee: if thieves break through your Wentworth bollard to take your car within 36 months, we refund your installation in full. More in our guide on how to prevent keyless car theft.
You want to stop people parking on your drive
A fold-down post does this for the least money and the least digging. If you’d rather have nothing left on the surface when the post is down, a telescopic post sits flush instead. For your rights when someone parks on your drive, read is it illegal to park on someone’s drive?
You use the drive several times a day
Think about how often you’ll lift the post. The Rhino RT/RD4 takes 6kg to lift, which you can do with one hand. If that still sounds like a chore twice a day, a lift-assist post cuts the effort, and an automatic bollard removes it altogether. A removable post is the hardest to live with here, because you lift out and store the whole post each time.
Your drive is shared or narrow
On a shared drive, agree the bollard with everyone who has a right to use the drive before anything is fitted. A telescopic post sits flush when it’s lowered, so others have nothing to drive around, and each post comes with its own keys. On a narrow drive, one post is usually enough: one for a single drive up to about 3.6m wide, and one in front of each car on a double drive. There’s also little room on a tight drive to store a lifted-out post, which is another reason telescopic posts suit most homes.
Bollards on your own drive don’t usually need planning permission, but check with your council if your home is listed or in a conservation area. Our UK bollard regulations guide has the details, and our bollard cost guide lists every fitted price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a removable bollard?
A removable bollard is a post that locks into a socket in the ground and lifts right out when you want to open the way. When it’s out, the socket is usually covered by a plate or lid. We don’t fit removable posts; for driveways we fit telescopic posts, which drop into their own sleeve instead.
What is the difference between a telescopic and a removable bollard?
A telescopic bollard never leaves the ground: you lower it into its sleeve until it’s flush with the drive, and you only lift part of its weight (6kg on the Rhino RT/RD4). A removable bollard lifts out of its socket completely, so you carry the whole post and store it somewhere.
Are fold-down bollards secure enough to stop car theft?
No. Fold-down posts are built to stop people parking. They’re bolted to the surface rather than set deep in concrete. For theft, choose a telescopic security post such as the Rhino RT/RD4 or the heavy-duty RT/R8, which is certified Sold Secure Gold.
How deep should a bollard be installed?
It depends on the type. Our telescopic security posts sit in sleeves set in concrete: 700mm below ground for the Rhino RT/RD4, 950mm for the RT/R8, 960mm for our lift-assist post and 1,000mm for the 900mm stainless post. Fold-down parking posts like the DriveGuard Park are bolted to the surface instead.
Which type of bollard is best for a driveway?
For stopping theft, a telescopic security post, from £799 fitted. For stopping people parking, a fold-down post, from £310 fitted. If you use the drive several times a day, a lift-assist or automatic bollard saves the lifting.
Sources
Product sizes, depths, weights, keys and prices: Wentworth Protection spec sheets for the Premium Stainless Telescopic (Marshalls Rhino RT/RD4), Heavy-Duty Telescopic (Marshalls Rhino RT/R8) and DriveGuard Park (October 2026), and our product catalogue. Prices on this page update automatically from our shop.
How removable bollard sockets work, and storing the post: Kent Stainless, Hidden Lock Socket.
Electric Bollards: How They Work and What to Know Before You Buy
Marshalls Rhino Bollards: Every Model Compared
Rhino RT/RD4 vs RT/R8: Which Telescopic Bollard Should You Get?