Can a driveway bollard hit a gas pipe? How we make sure it doesn't

It's a fair question. Fitting a telescopic bollard means a hole up to a metre deep, and many homes have a gas pipe running under the front garden or drive.

The short answer: it can happen if nobody checks. That's exactly why we check.

Where gas pipes usually run

Most homes with gas have a service pipe running from the main in the street to the meter. That route often crosses the front garden or the drive. It's usually less than a metre deep, so a bollard hole could reach it.

The service pipe is often plastic, which matters, because some scanners can't detect plastic on its own.

How we find it before we dig

We use several checks, because no single one is enough.

1. A utility search. When you book, we search the gas network's records through LinesearchbeforeUdig and review the plans that come back. Read more in LSBUD explained.
2. Your meter position. Where your meter is tells us a lot about where the service pipe comes in. We'll ask, or look at your photos.
3. A scan on the day. We sweep the area with a cable avoidance tool and signal generator before breaking ground.
4. Careful digging. Where a pipe might run, we dig by hand rather than with power tools, and we keep checking as we go deeper.

If anything suggests a pipe is near the planned spot, we move the post. A small shift is almost always enough.

What we'd do if we found one

If we ever uncovered a pipe we didn't expect, we'd stop straight away, make the area safe and contact the gas network.

If anyone ever suspects a gas leak, whether near a bollard or anywhere else, the advice is the same: get everyone away from the area, don't use anything that could cause a spark, and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.

Questions people ask

Is it safe to have a bollard near a gas pipe? Yes, once it's in. The risk is during digging, which is why the checks happen first. We'd never set a post on top of a pipe.

What about my electricity cable? Same process. Live cables are actually easier to detect with a scanner than plastic pipes, but we still check the plans and dig carefully.

Can you fit a bollard if there's a pipe right where I want it? Usually yes, just in a slightly different spot. We'll show you the options.

Send us a photo of your drive for a fixed price