The history of bollards

To the present day bollards are a large part of our traffic management systems. They are primarily used to control/direct the traffic, whilst also preventing vehicles from mounting the pavement and harming pedestrians or damaging properties. Although their appearance and functionalities have altered slightly over the years, the use of bollards dates back to the eighteenth century.

The earliest bollards were made from timber; however as transportation changed from horses to motorised vehicles, it became clear that cast iron was a more suitable material. Cast iron has a very high corrosion resistance and longevity, with excellent levels of durability.

Furnitubes began casting bollards in the 1940s with one of the earliest designs being the Cannon bollard. Its design was shaped around the cannons from ships, which were widely used  as bollards during the Victorian era. The Gunner and City bollard were also two of Furnitubes’ earliest models, based around Victorian orginals. The City bollard was primarily used in the City of Westminster but this popular design can now be seen in many locations across the UK. Most of Furnitubes’ earlier designs were produced for specific councils and authorities - the Palace bollard was designed for the London Borough of Lewisham in the 90’s and the Beresford designed for the London Borough of Greenwich.

Cannon	City	Gunner	Beresford	Palace

The renowned Bell bollard was introduced by Furnitubes in 1985, with its unique design offering a solution to solve many traffic management issues. Furnitubes are the ONLY manufacturers of the Bell® bollard in the UK.

Furnitubes recognised the need for change and began to introduce bollards in a range of materials and styles, famously giving us one of the largest bollard selections in the UK. We now supply bollards to suit a variety of locations, from traditional cast iron to contemporary stainless steel, as well as telescopic, power, removable, rebound and traffic bollards.

Here are just some of the benefits of buying bollards from Furnitubes:

• Many of our bollards are 100% recyclable, reducing the environmental impact of your scheme.
• We have over 2000 bollards in stock and can guarantee next day delivery on these items.
• To reinforce your corporate identity or scheme, we can paint your bollard to any BS or RAL series colour.
• Industry experts since 1946, our diverse team excels in providing the highest level of customer service, with professional no obligation free advice.