Turnstiles

Turnstiles control pedestrian access at entrances, concourses and the boundary of secure zones. Full height models form a complete physical barrier, while glass models suit lobbies where appearance matters. ArxBridge supplies and installs both types across the UK for offices, transport hubs, stadia and public buildings.

• Full height barrierFloor to ceiling rotor models
• Glass optionsMotorised panels for smart lobbies
• Access control compatibleCard, fob and biometric readers
• UK wideSurvey, supply and installation

Turnstiles explained

A turnstile is a pedestrian gate that admits one authorised person at a time. The reader checks the credential, the mechanism releases, and the person passes through. The barrier then resets, so the next person cannot follow without their own authorisation.

Full height turnstiles use a floor to ceiling rotor with three or four arms. They are the closest a turnstile comes to a door: climbing over or crawling under is not practical, so they suit unmanned boundaries and external perimeters. Waist height tripod turnstiles use a three arm rotor at hip level and suit supervised entrances where staff can see the line.

Glass turnstiles use motorised glass panels that swing or slide open on authorisation. They read as furniture rather than fortification, which is why architects choose them for corporate lobbies, while still giving one person per passage control tied to the access system.

Choosing the right rating for turnstiles

Turnstiles are specified by barrier type and control level rather than a forced entry rating. Choose the type that matches the supervision level and the threat at each entrance.

Where the entrance must also resist forced entry, the turnstile handles the people while an LPS 1175 rated doorset beside it carries the attack rating. The two are specified as one entrance set so the barrier line has no weak point.

Specifier note. Every turnstile line needs an accessible bypass gate for wheelchair users and emergency access. Plan its position and its locking at design stage, not after the turnstiles arrive on site.

How turnstiles work

The reader, mounted on or beside the turnstile, takes the credential and asks the access control system for a decision. On approval the mechanism releases for a single passage. Sensors confirm the person has cleared the lane before the barrier resets, which stops a second person slipping through on the same authorisation.

Direction is configurable. The common arrangement is controlled entry with free exit: staff badge in, and walk out through the same lane without a credential. Anti passback logic can stop a credential being used twice in quick succession, which closes a simple route around the system.

On fire alarm the turnstiles release to their agreed state. Full height models can be set to freewheel so people can push through to escape, and motorised glass models open. The bypass gate beside the line gives step free escape in every arrangement.

Pairing turnstiles with other ratings

Turnstiles manage people; other products in the ArxBridge range handle the threats turnstiles cannot. Hostile vehicle mitigation outside the entrance keeps vehicles away from the pedestrian line, and security gates control the vehicle entrances on the same boundary.

At the building line, pair turnstiles with rated doorsets so the whole entrance carries a consistent level of protection. For sites covered by the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, the physical measures sit inside the wider protective security plan described in the Martyn’s Law guide; the Act itself does not mandate specific products, so the specification follows the site risk assessment.

Sites that use turnstiles

Transport hubs use full height turnstiles at staff and depot boundaries and glass models at premium entrances. Public spaces such as stadia and arenas use tripod lines to move ticket holders quickly while keeping each entry authorised.

High-value retail sites use turnstiles at staff and service entrances to separate public and back of house areas. Data centres, utilities compounds and logistics sites use full height models where the boundary must hold without constant supervision.

What sets the cost and lead time for turnstiles

The number of lanes is the biggest factor: each lane needs its own mechanism, readers and power. Full height rotors cost more than waist height units and need deeper foundations or structural fixing. Glass models add motorised panels and finer finishes, which extend manufacture.

Integration with the existing access control platform takes commissioning time, especially where anti passback or visitor management must talk to the turnstile controller. Site works, power and data at each lane, and any civils for external units all add to the programme. As with every entrance product, a site survey and a clear brief are the only reliable basis for a quotation.

How to specify your turnstiles

1. Define the supervision level. Decide whether each entrance is staffed, monitored on camera, or unmanned.
2. Choose the barrier type. Full height, tripod or glass, using the table above.
3. Plan the accessible route. Position the bypass gate and agree its locking and release.
4. Set the fire behaviour. Agree how each lane releases on alarm and on power failure.
5. Agree the interfaces. Confirm readers, the access platform, and any visitor management links.
6. Request a detailed quotation. Send layouts, lane counts and the access requirements for a fixed proposal.

Frequently asked questions