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Road Plates and Trench Covers

Site Equipment Limited supplies heavy-duty steel road plates and anti-skid trench covers for sale or hire across the UK. Designed to securely bridge open excavations and trenches, our ground protection equipment maintains safe access for pedestrians, cars, and heavy plant machinery while excavation work continues below.

Use cases

  • Bridging open trenches and utility excavations
  • Maintaining vehicle access at site entrances
  • Safe pedestrian crossings over ground voids
  • High-friction coverage in wet conditions
  • Protecting manholes and inspection chambers
  • Bridging road surfaces on civil works

Our Solutions

Not sure what thickness or plate size your trench span requires? Contact an SEL expert for technical advice and load-bearing guidance.

Road Plates vs. Road Mats

Road plates bridge open excavations for safe access. If you need surface protection for soft ground or turf instead, see our temporary road mats.

Temporary Works Design

Our Expertise

Our in-house civil and structural engineers provide Temporary Works Design to BS 5975 for road plate and excavation covering arrangements – calculating allowable trench spans, plate thicknesses, and vehicle load capacities to ensure complete site safety compliance. We supply heavy-duty steel and anti-skid road plates for hire or sale nationwide with fast delivery from our depots in Bristol, Cardiff, and London.

Need a BS 5975 Temporary Works Design scheme or technical advice on road plate load capacities? Speak to our engineering team today.

Which Road Plate Do I Need?

The right road plate depends on traffic type, surface conditions, and trench span.

ProblemRecommended Solution
Pedestrian trench crossingSteel Road Plates (12mm–13mm)
High-friction pedestrian crossingAnti-Skid Road Plates (12mm–13mm)
Standard vehicle trench bridgingSteel Road Plates (20mm)
Highway or public road worksAnti-Skid Road Plates (20mm–25mm)
Heavy plant & HGV trafficSteel Road Plates (20mm–25mm)
Wide excavation bridgingAnti-Skid Road Plates (25mm) or Steel Road Plates (25mm)

If you need specific advice on road plate specifications or trench spans, contact our engineering team.

We also supply

Complete the system

Road plates and trench covers often form part of a broader groundworks setup, from excavation shoring to site access and temporary works engineering.

Common Questions

What is the difference between road plates and road mats?
Road plates are heavy-duty steel sheets engineered to bridge open trench excavations and voids under live vehicle or pedestrian traffic. In contrast, temporary road mats (ground protection boards) are flexible PVC mats laid on intact soft ground or turf to distribute vehicle loads and prevent surface rutting, but cannot bridge open excavations.
What thickness of steel road plate is required for vehicle traffic?
For vehicle traffic and heavy plant machinery, steel road plates should typically be between 20mm and 25mm thick depending on the unsupported trench span. For pedestrian traffic, a 12mm or 13mm thick plate is generally sufficient, though exact requirements must be calculated by a qualified engineer under a temporary works design.
When are anti-skid road plates required instead of plain steel?
Anti-skid road plates are required whenever temporary covers are deployed on public highways, footpaths, or wet construction sites where vehicle skidding or pedestrian slip hazards exist. Their textured bauxite coating provides high surface friction to satisfy NRSWA and local highway authority safety standards.
How are steel road plates secured to prevent movement under traffic?
Steel road plates are secured by drilling holding-down bolts directly through pre-drilled corner holes into the surrounding road surface. Using countersunk bolts with protective caps ensures the plates remain firmly anchored without sliding, shifting, or creating raised trip points under braking vehicles.
How much ground overlap is required when installing a road plate over a trench?
A road plate should overlap solid, undisturbed ground by a minimum of 300mm to 500mm on each side of the excavation. Adequate ground bearing area is essential to prevent edge crumbling and ensure structural stability under heavy axle loads.
Can you hire or buy road plates from Site Equipment Limited?
Yes, Site Equipment Limited offers both standard steel road plates and anti-skid road plates for hire or purchase across the UK. Fast delivery is available from depots in Bristol, Cardiff, and London with flexible hire terms and competitive rates.

We can help with your next project.

Our team is friendly, knowledgeable and ready to consult. We offer no-obligation site visits, fast delivery and competitive rates. Simply fill in the form and we'll be in touch.

You can also give us a call at any time.