Trench covers are a vital part of safe roadwork in the UK, often used in road or utility works. Trenches are often dug and left open as part of the construction, maintenance, and repair works of roads and utilities, posing a hazard to pedestrians and motorists. While steel plates have traditionally been used, they are expensive, difficult to work with, often requiring a two-person lift, and challenging to transport.

What is a Trench Cover?

A trench cover provides a safe and versatile passage through apertures, bores, and trenches during maintenance, construction, and repair projects. This safety product allows for secure access over and around site excavations for pedestrians and light vehicles. In the UK, trench covers made from GRP (glass-reinforced plastic) are approved to conceal trenches or holes in the pavement, and these trench plates are all highly visible and anti-slip. Using Trench Covers or Road Plates to cover a trench will provide pedestrians and vehicles with a safe access route.

Use of Trench Covers or Footway Boards in the UK:

Trench Covers or Footway boards in the UK are governed by the Safety at Street Works and Road Works A Code of Practice.

During excavation work, footway boards or trench covers must maintain pedestrian and light vehicle access. The use of trench covers in the UK must adhere to the following properties.

• Allow for the full width of any temporary footpath.
• The structure should be strong enough to support pedestrians, mobility scooters and when light vehicles are required, the weight of those vehicles.
• Made from materials that are not susceptible to distortion.
• Must cover the entire width of the vehicle crossover.
• Has chamfered edges to avoid trip hazards.
• Should have a non-slip surface.
• Needs to be rigidly fixed along either side of the excavation, with a sufficient length to support the excavation.

Ramps must be provided when pedestrians are diverted to temporary walkways in the carriageway to enable people using wheelchairs or pushchairs to cross kerbs safely. Access to and from a temporary walkway should be safe for wheelchair and scooter users.

Ramps should:

• remain in position and have a minimum width of 1 metre
• provide a slip-resistant surface that prevents wheelchairs and other items from sliding over the edge.
• incline gently enough to allow people with manual wheelchairs to access the kerb without undue difficulty and to avoid grounding mobility scooters (some of which have low ground clearances and long wheelbases).
• allow rainwater to flow along gutters.

Trench Cover Safety Approvals

Tricel Safety products meet the highest standards and have been approved by major utilities and local authorities, including

• Department for Transport compliant (Safety at Street Works and Road Works)
• Department for Transport compliant (Practical guide for Street Works)
• DETR compliant (Best Practice in Street Works and Highway Works)
• Complies to and exceeds the directives and specifications in the latest Street Works regulations and Directive 2017 relating to Ramps, Trench Covers and Road Plates
• Complies to and exceeds T/SP/E42 National Grid specification for Ramps, Trench Covers and Road Plates
• Complies with HAUC’s 2018/01 advice note

Choosing the right Trench Cover

The Trench Covers we provide at Tricel have a high level of visibility and a non-tripping surface and are fully compliant with British standards. There is a wide selection of Trench Covers available in various sizes, all of which can be used for multiple purposes. Tricel also offers the largest UK edged trench cover known as Surefoot™.

Our Trench Covers are made from high-quality GRP material, which is very strong and durable. Below is a guide to help you choose the right trench cover for your project:

Kerb Ramps by Tricel

Also available from Tricel is the Kerbmaster Kerb Ramp, which provides access over kerbs. The bright yellow finish on this Kerbmaster makes it easy to spot and ensures a high level of safety. It is constructed from GRP strong enough to support pedestrians and mobility scooter users. 

We offer Trench Covers and Kerb Ramps as part of pallet deals to reduce the cost of ordering a larger quantity of these covers.

If you have any questions or need further information about these covers, please do not hesitate to contact us: