What is a Speed Gate?
Speed gates are a form of turnstile designed to allow users to enter faster than traditional turnstiles or swing gates. They integrate with access control services and their response speed is generally much faster than other gates.
Compared to the traditional tripod turnstiles that you’re probably used to seeing at stations and stadiums, speed gates are new technology. They’ve recently risen in popularity and are set to be the number-one entry solution for years to come. Many commercial buildings, schools, healthcare facilities, transportation hubs and offices have already adopted speed gates.
As providers of entry solutions and security systems, we’ve noticed a trend of businesses who ask us for an older entry service but change their mind once they understand the benefits that speed gates can provide. That’s why we’ve written this blog today, to help you and your team to understand the benefits these gates can bring to your business.
Aesthetic
The first difference you’ll notice when you compare speed gates to traditional turnstiles is their appearance. Our speed gates, from Swing Lanes to Speed Lanes, all feature a contemporary and modern finish, featuring glass gates and metal frames. We also offer a choice of finishes to suit your entranceway.
Speed gates offer more flexibility for businesses when it comes to customisation. At EA Group, we can carry out a survey of your site to ensure that the gate we provide properly meets all your requirements. You can choose from a range of models that differ in speed, appearance and width. We know in many reception areas in schools, business centres and healthcare facilities, space is at a premium. That’s where these bespoke gates shine, as they are able to be tailored to fit any space, whether you need three lanes for a gym, or over a dozen at an airport.
Security
The primary purpose of any entry point is to maintain the security of your premise. Speed gates provide a variety of great ways to keep your building secure, without sacrificing ease of entry. Our speed gates feature a 0.8 open/close time. This speed is not only great at guaranteeing unimpeded access for authorised people, but also prevents tailgating.
Our speed gates also include sensors that can detect whether one person is entering at a time as they should, or whether others are piggybacking through with them. This can then send an alert to any on-site security personnel or reception staff. Security features like this make speed gates such a popular choice when it comes to creating a safe unmanned entrance.
We also offer taller EA Slide Gates that prevent unauthorised entrants from hurdling over them.
Integration
One of the greatest innovations that speed gates bring is their integration with a variety of access control services. Our speed gates here at EA have the ability to embed most manufacturers’ access control readers beneath the top glass cover. This means you can use ID cards, QR codes, or even biometrics to enter your premises.
These integrations are ideal for a number of industries. For schools, where it is crucial to keep a clear record of attendance, your speed gate’s access control service can link to your IT system to show exactly who is where. For areas where security is paramount, such as in secure areas of commercial spaces, biometrics can be used.
Accessibility
As much as it’s important to increase the security and appearance of your building’s entrance, it is just as crucial to ensure that every person can enter in a safe and efficient way. That’s why our speed gates come equipped with a variety of accessibility features.
As part of our initial survey process, we ensure that anything we provide for your site falls within accessibility guidelines. To ensure that people with wheelchairs and other mobility aids can still enter efficiently we offer wider EA Swing Gates that still offer the same great appearance and integrations.
Versatility
One of the main reasons for the popularity of speed gates is how they can be tailored to work effectively in a variety of situations. Their modern appearance and integration with access control is part of it, but they also have other useful features available.
In the case of emergency, speed gates can easily be configured to open manually, or lock into an open position to allow a far quicker flow of traffic. The ability to manually open or close gates can also be controlled by a button operated by security personnel, to create a manned entry solution.
In summary, speed gates have soared in popularity because they do exactly what they say on the box. They allow for a quick entrance, while keeping your business secure. There are no long queues and accessibility is prioritised. If you’re interested in accessing speed gates yourself, why not get in touch with EA Group? We have decades of experience in installing and maintaining turnstiles and gates , and you can quickly get in touch with one of our experts at +44 (0) 1372 459536
