Spacing guide
Bollard Spacing: How Far Apart Should Bollards Be?
Bollard spacing is a trade-off. Too wide and a car squeezes through; too tight and a wheelchair or pram can't. Here's how to measure it, the figures commonly used in Australia, and how many bollards a run needs.
Updated 8 October 2026
Short answer: A clear gap of roughly 1000–1200mm between bollards is a common starting point where pedestrians and wheelchair users must get through but cars must not. If stopping cars is the goal, keep every gap under about 1500mm clear. For 90mm bollards that is roughly 1090–1290mm centre to centre. General figures, not a design standard: confirm against AS 1428.1, your council and your site designer.
Measuring
Clear gap vs centre-to-centre spacing
Spacing figures and access widths mean the clear gap: the open space between the edges of two bollards. Set-out usually works from bollard centres, so convert before you mark up.
Centre-to-centre = clear gap + one bollard diameter. A 1200mm clear gap between two 90mm bollards is 1290mm from centre to centre.
| Clear gap | Centres, 90mm bollard | Centres, 140mm bollard | Typically suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000mm | 1090mm | 1140mm | An ambulant person; the tight end of pedestrian gaps |
| 1200mm | 1290mm | 1340mm | A wheelchair user |
| 1500mm | 1590mm | 1640mm | Two people passing; the upper limit if you are stopping cars |
Our removable 90mm bollard is Ø90mm; the fixed 90mm is Ø89mm, so take 1mm off its centres. The 140mm bollards are Ø140mm. Check the clear gap with a tape once they are in.
By purpose
Bollard spacing by purpose
No single Australian rule sets bollard spacing for every site. Suppliers commonly suggest at least about 900–1000mm clear for access and no more than about 1500mm clear to stop a car, as most cars are roughly 1.7–1.9m wide. This table is general guidance.
| Purpose | Clear gap | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stop cars, let people through | About 1000–1200mm | A common starting point. Stay under about 1500mm to stop cars. |
| Wheelchair access | At least 1200mm | The AS 1428.1-based width. Go wider for scooters, prams or trolleys. |
| Ambulant pedestrians only | About 900–1000mm minimum | Suppliers commonly recommend at least this. 1000mm is the ambulant figure. |
| Two people passing | 1500mm | Also the top end for stopping cars, so no spare margin. |
| Doorway or roller door | Under about 1500mm if cars are the threat | Setback from the door matters as much as the gap. See below. |
| Forklift and truck areas | Set by the machine | Many forklifts and pallet trucks are narrower than a car. Work from the machine's width, load included. |
Access
Bollard spacing for wheelchair access
The path widths most designers work from come from AS 1428.1, as summarised in the Victorian Government's Design for Everyone guide:
- 1000mm for an ambulant person.
- 1200mm for a wheelchair user.
- 1500mm for two people to pass.
- 1800mm for a wheelchair to turn through 180°.
A wheelchair user needs the chair's width plus a margin to steer and keep their hands off the bollards, which is why the figure is 1200mm. The 1800mm turning space belongs on the path, not in a bollard gap: an 1800mm gap would let most cars through.
On a continuous accessible path, keep at least one gap that meets the width the path needs. Don't close every gap down to 900mm to be safe, and keep it clear of parked cars, bins and signs. Where it is a required accessible route, your building surveyor or access consultant sets the requirement under AS 1428.1.
Setbacks
Bollard setback from kerbs, paths and doors
Off the edge of a path
Council guidance commonly asks for bollards to sit at least 500mm off the edge of a path (Sunshine Coast Council, for example, references the Austroads Guide to Road Design Part 6A). We can't give you one national figure for setback from a kerb. Bollards on a footpath, nature strip or road reserve generally need council consent, so ask the council that owns the land before you order. On private property you usually don't need it, but check strata or owners corporation rules and any planning overlay.
In front of doors, roller doors and meter boxes
Set the bollard far enough out to stop the vehicle before it touches the door or box, but not so close that it blocks the door swing, the roller door's travel or access to the meter. The right distance depends on the vehicle (bonnet and bumper overhang, or a forklift's forks), the slab and how far the bollard can lean. Get the figure from your designer rather than guessing. The same logic applies to a driveway or garage door.
Building corners
A corner is usually clipped by a turning vehicle, not hit head on. Set the bollard out from the corner where the vehicle swings, leave a walking gap if people pass, and have the turning path checked. In a car park bay, a wheel stop is the usual way to stop a car at a kerb or wall: see our wheel stop installation guide.
Accessible parking
Bollards in an accessible parking shared area
AS/NZS 2890.6 (off-street parking for people with disabilities) requires a bollard in the shared area beside an accessible parking space, to stop that area being parked in. Industry guides summarise it as a minimum installed height of 1300mm with a reflective or contrasting band.
Our 140mm fixed bollard is 1300mm tall with a red reflective band, so its height matches the figure commonly specified. Our other bollards stand 900mm above ground, so they don't. We don't claim any SafeWise product complies with AS/NZS 2890.6. Position in the shared area matters as much as height, so check the band and position against the current edition of the standard, and with your designer or certifier, before you order.
Quantities
How many bollards do you need?
For a straight run, count gaps. Measure the run from the centre of the first bollard to the centre of the last.
-
1. Convert your clear gap to centres
Clear gap plus one bollard diameter. 1200mm clear with 90mm bollards is 1290mm.
-
2. Count the gaps
Run length ÷ centre spacing, rounded up. Rounding up keeps the gap at or under your target.
-
3. Add one
Bollards = gaps + 1.
-
4. Check the real gap
Run length ÷ gaps gives the actual centres. Take off one bollard diameter for the clear gap.
Worked example: a 6m run
Run 6000mm, 90mm bollards, target clear gap 1200mm. Centres = 1200 + 90 = 1290mm. Gaps = 6000 ÷ 1290 = 4.65, rounded up to 5. Bollards = 5 + 1 = 6. Actual centres = 6000 ÷ 5 = 1200mm, so the clear gap is 1200 − 90 = 1110mm. Rounding down to 4 gaps would give 1500mm centres and a 1410mm clear gap, wider than you wanted.
Worked example: 6m between two fixed points
If the bollards sit between a wall and a fence, there is one more gap than there are bollards. With 90mm bollards and equal gaps, clear gap = (6000 − bollards × 90) ÷ (bollards + 1).
| Bollards | Gaps | Clear gap each | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4 | About 1430mm | Stops cars, but wider than the 1000–1200mm starting point |
| 4 | 5 | 1128mm | Inside the 1000–1200mm starting point |
| 5 | 6 | 925mm | Under 1000mm: tight for pedestrians and below the 1200mm wheelchair figure |
Fixed 90mm bollards at from $80 each ex GST: six is from $480 ex GST, before freight and installation.
Run worked out? Send us the quantity and your postcode and we'll quote unit price and freight. Pallet volumes price better. Request a quote for 90mm fixed bollards.
Access gaps
Removable bollards in the run
If vehicles sometimes need through, for deliveries, emergency access or maintenance, put removable bollards at the access gap and fix the rest. Removable bollards lift out of their own in-ground socket with a key; fixed bollards bolt to the surface and stay put. See removable vs fixed bollards.
Take the 6m run above at 1200mm centres and make the middle two bollards removable. Pull one and the neighbours are 2400mm apart centre to centre, or 2310mm clear. Pull both and it is 3600mm centres, or 3510mm clear. Measure the widest vehicle, mirrors included.
Set the sockets on the same line and centres as the fixed bollards. A bolt-down storage holder gives each removed bollard somewhere to sit, as pictured. See how to install removable bollards.
Limits
What spacing can't do
SafeWise bollards are safety and delineation bollards: they mark boundaries, protect against low-speed nudges and keep vehicles off an area. They are not crash-rated, impact-tested or certified to PAS 68 or IWA 14, and tighter spacing doesn't change that. If the risk is a heavy vehicle at speed or a hostile vehicle, talk to a security engineer, who will specify rated bollards, foundations and spacing.
FAQs
Bollard spacing questions
How far apart should bollards be?
As a common starting point, a clear gap of roughly 1000–1200mm between bollards, which is about 1090–1290mm centre to centre for 90mm bollards. Go no wider than about 1500mm clear if the aim is to stop cars. These are general figures, so confirm against AS 1428.1, your council and your site designer.
What is the distance between bollards to stop a car?
Suppliers commonly recommend no more than about 1500mm clear, because most cars are roughly 1.7–1.9m wide. UK Department for Transport guidance prefers a 1.5m opening where practical. A 1000–1200mm gap gives more margin and still lets wheelchairs through.
What bollard spacing do I need for wheelchair access?
Guidance based on AS 1428.1 gives 1200mm clear for a wheelchair user, 1000mm for an ambulant person and 1500mm for two people passing. Keep at least one gap that meets the width on each accessible path.
Is bollard spacing measured from the centre or the edge?
Access widths are clear gaps, measured between bollard edges. Set-out is usually from centres, so add one bollard diameter. A 1200mm clear gap is 1290mm centre to centre with 90mm bollards and 1340mm with 140mm.
How far should a bollard be from the kerb or footpath edge?
Council guidance commonly asks for bollards at least 500mm off the edge of a path (Sunshine Coast Council, for example, references Austroads Guide to Road Design Part 6A). No single figure covers every kerb. Works on a footpath, nature strip or road reserve generally need council consent, so ask your council first.
What bollard does an accessible parking space need?
AS/NZS 2890.6 calls for a bollard in the shared area beside an accessible space. Industry guides summarise it as a minimum 1300mm installed height with a reflective or contrasting band. Our 140mm fixed bollard is 1300mm tall, but we don't claim compliance. Check the band and position against the current standard.
Do closely spaced bollards make a crash-rated barrier?
No. Closer spacing stops vehicles squeezing through, but it doesn't change what each bollard can take. SafeWise bollards are delineation bollards, not crash-rated. For heavy or hostile vehicles, talk to a security engineer.
Related products
Bollards for the job
Bollards are pre-order on the next container: factory production typically takes 15–20 days, plus sea freight and customs. Storage holders are in stock now.
Related guides
Keep reading
- 90mm vs 140mm bollardsWhich size suits the job
- Removable vs fixed bollardsLift-out or permanent
- Driveway bollardsProtecting a driveway or garage door
- How to install fixed bollardsSet-out, anchors and slab checks
- Bollard cost in AustraliaSupply and install price ranges
- Wheel stop installationBay positioning and fixings
Planning a bollard run?
Send us the opening width, the gap you're working to and your delivery postcode. We aim to reply within one business day.