Short answer: choose a telescopic bollard if you can dig into your driveway and want the strongest protection. Choose a fold-down bollard if you can't dig, want the lowest cost, or need something you can fit yourself in an afternoon.
We're Bison Products of Swadlincote, Derbyshire. We've made and fitted both types since 1972, and this is the comparison we talk customers through on the phone. Prices include VAT and were correct on 15 August 2026.
Side by side
| Telescopic | Fold-down | |
|---|---|---|
| How it fixes | Sleeve concreted 850mm into the ground | Bolted to the existing surface |
| Digging | Yes, a hole per bollard | None |
| Security | Highest — anchored in concrete | Moderate — as strong as the surface beneath |
| When lowered | Sits flush with the drive | Lies flat on the surface, slightly proud |
| Fitting time | Half a day per bollard, plus curing | Around an hour |
| Price from | £139.99 supply-only, £359.99 fitted | £112.99 supply-only |
| Best for | Vehicle theft protection, vans, caravans, insurance-conscious owners | Stopping other people parking, rented or block-paved drives, tight budgets |
Telescopic bollards in detail
The post lives inside a steel sleeve set in concrete below your driveway. You unlock it, lift it, and lock it upright in seconds. Drop it back down and it is flush with the surface, so you can drive and walk over it.
- Why it wins on security: there is nothing to unbolt. To defeat it you have to defeat 850mm of concrete, which is not a quiet or quick job on somebody's driveway.
- What it asks of you: a hole in the drive. On block paving the blocks lift and go back; on tarmac or concrete we cut out a section, set the sleeve and make good around it.
- The range: the Ramco 70 (£159.99) is the popular residential choice at 70mm square section, standing 540mm above ground at bumper height and weighing about 6kg to lift. The Ramco 100 (£199.99) steps up to 100mm × 5mm box section at about 10kg. The Ramco 600 (from £269.99, black and anthracite £319.99) is a 92mm round post standing 600mm high for a smarter finish, with stainless steel and copper-gold options.
- Boxed lid versions add a solid steel lid over the socket for a clean flush finish, from £219.99 on the Ramco 100.
Fold-down bollards in detail
The Ramco Fold Down Bollard (£112.99) bolts onto existing concrete and hinges flat against the ground when you don't need it.
- Why people choose it: lowest cost, no excavation, no making good, and a competent DIYer can fit it with a hammer drill in an afternoon.
- Worth knowing: it is only as strong as what it is bolted to. On thin or crumbling concrete the fixings are the weak point, so we recommend it where the base is sound.
- Living with it: folded down it lies flat rather than flush, so it stays visible on the drive. That is a deterrent in itself, but it is not invisible the way a telescopic post is.
How to choose
- Can you dig? If the answer is no — a shared drive, a rented property, a resin surface you don't want cut — the fold-down is your bollard.
- What are you protecting? A vehicle worth stealing deserves the telescopic. Stopping a neighbour parking across your drive does not.
- How often will you use it? Several times a day and neither manual type is ideal — look at an automatic bollard instead, from £1,899.99.
- How many do you need? Roughly one every 1.5 metres across the opening, so a double drive usually takes three or four. All Ramco bollards can be supplied keyed alike so one key works every post, and each comes with two keys.
What each one really costs
Supply-only, a fold-down saves you £47 against a Ramco 70. Fitted, the gap is wider because the telescopic needs excavation: one Ramco 70 fitted is £359.99 locally, rising with distance from Swadlincote. Our installation is £200 per bollard locally and £250 elsewhere in mainland UK, plus travel, with no call-out charge on top and a 2-year warranty on product and installation when we fit it. Full figures are in our driveway bollard cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more secure, a telescopic or a fold-down bollard?
The telescopic. It is anchored in 850mm of concrete rather than bolted to the surface, so there are no fixings to attack and it resists a vehicle being driven at it.
Can I fit a bollard without digging up my driveway?
Yes — a fold-down bollard bolts to the existing surface and needs no excavation. It costs £112.99 and a competent DIYer can fit it in about an hour.
Do fold-down bollards stop a car being stolen?
They are a strong visual deterrent and physically block the drive, but their strength depends on the concrete they are bolted into. Where the priority is stopping a vehicle being driven away, we recommend a telescopic post.
How deep does a telescopic bollard need to go?
850mm for the Ramco 70 and Ramco 100, and 950mm for the Ramco 600. The post stands 540mm to 600mm above ground, roughly car bumper height.
Does a fold-down bollard sit flush with the driveway?
No. It folds flat against the surface but the hinge and post remain visible. Only a telescopic bollard sits flush, and boxed-lid versions cover the socket completely.
Can I use both types on the same driveway?
Yes, and people do — telescopic posts across the vehicle opening and a fold-down where digging isn't possible. Keyed-alike locks mean one key still opens everything.
Still deciding? Our guide to the three types of driveway bollard covers automatic bollards too, or call us on 01283 215097.