Electric Gates for Small Driveways
If your driveway is short, narrow or opens straight onto the road, a standard pair of swing gates often will not work. There simply is not the room for them to open without blocking the drive, fouling a parked car or swinging out over the pavement.
TPS Gates & Doors designs and supplies space-saving electric gates, with full electric gate installation, for homeowners across Gloucestershire, Bristol, Cheltenham, Herefordshire, Worcester and the wider South West. We offer three systems built for constrained entrances: tracked sliding, cantilever and bi-folding gates.
Which Gate System Fits Your Space?
The right answer depends on how much room you have alongside the entrance, what your driveway surface is like, and how far back the gates can travel. A site survey settles it, but here is the short version.
Bi-Folding Electric Gates
Bi-folding gates split each leaf in two and fold back on themselves as they open. That halves the swing radius compared with a conventional swing gate, which makes them the most compact option when there is no room to slide sideways.
They suit properties where the driveway is short from gate to house, where the entrance opens close to a road, or where a parked vehicle would otherwise be in the way. Because they open quickly, they also work well on busier entrances.
Each leaf is made of two panels hinged together, and the motor folds them back as the gate opens. Because there are extra hinges and moving parts, the posts and fixings need to be stronger than for a standard swing gate, and we size the automation to the gate’s weight and how exposed the entrance is to wind. Bi-folding gates can be made in timber, steel or aluminium, and work with remotes, keypads or an intercom like any other electric gate.
Tracked Sliding Gates
Tracked sliding gates run on a ground track and slide parallel to your boundary. You will need clear run-off space roughly equal to the width of the entrance, plus around 500 mm for the slide-away area. They are a strong choice where you have a fence line or wall the gate can sit against.
Cantilever Sliding Gates
Cantilever gates slide without any ground track, so there is nothing to fill with grit, leaves or snow, and your driveway paving stays unbroken. They need slide-away room equal to the entrance width plus approximately 30% for the counterbalance and gear mechanism. They are the usual recommendation for sloping or uneven driveways.
How Much Space Do You Actually Need?
- Bi-folding – roughly half the opening arc of a swing gate, with no sideways run-off required. Best where depth is the constraint.
- Tracked sliding – entrance width plus around 500 mm alongside. Best where you have a clear run to one side.
- Cantilever sliding – entrance width plus approximately 30%. Best on slopes, uneven ground, or where you want no ground track.
- Swing gates – need the full leaf length to open inward. Often ruled out on small driveways, which is usually why people are reading this page.
If you are not sure which category your driveway falls into, send us a photo and a rough measurement of the opening and we will tell you honestly what will and will not work.
Benefits of Space-Saving Electric Gates
- Security without the sacrifice – a compact entrance is still a secured entrance.
- No wasted driveway – nothing swinging into the space you park on.
- Safer onto the road – no gate leaf crossing the pavement or carriageway as it opens.
- Operate from the car – remote, keypad or intercom entry, so you are not getting out in the rain.
- Built to last – steel, aluminium or timber, weather-coated and fitted with certified automation.
Bespoke Design & Installation
Every gate we install starts with a full site survey and exact measurements, then the gate itself is built to your specification in our own workshop. We handle the locks, hinges, posts, automation gear and final commissioning, so there is one team accountable from first visit to handover.
Certified Installation & Ongoing Support
Installations are carried out by specialist gate automation engineers using systems built to ISO 13857 standards. Force testing and safety edges are part of the job, not an upsell. We also service what we fit, so the system stays safe and reliable for years rather than months.
Premium Design
Our electric gates are designed specifically for your needs.
Quality Support
We offer full support for your newly fitted gate.
Guarantee
All work Guaranteed in line with regular servicing & maintenance.
Build Quality
Our electric gates are built to ISO 13857 standards.
Related Gate Systems
Looking at a specific gate type instead? Our sliding electric gates page covers tracked and cantilever systems in more depth, and you can browse materials on our aluminium, wooden and metal gate pages. For entry systems see intercoms and access control.
Why Choose TPS
We have been designing and installing electric gates for over 20 years from our workshop in Lydney, Gloucestershire. Small and awkward entrances are some of the most interesting work we do, because they need a properly considered answer rather than a catalogue product. If a system will not work on your driveway, we will say so.
