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Fire Service Access Routes - Fire Safety Technical Note

19 August 2022

In this Technical Note we discuss the minimum dimensions for a Fire Service access route.

What is classed as a Fire Service Access Route?

An access route is any space a Fire Service vehicle may need to traverse to carry out firefighting activities in or around a building. Access roads may be public highways, public roads, footpaths or specifically strengthened and defined routes through the land surrounding a building.

What are the Minimum Access Requirements for a Fire Vehicle?

This depends on the type of vehicle access required. The fire strategy for the building should detail the firefighting intervention strategy, including the provisions for internal and external firefighting. In many cases there is a requirement for a Fire Service vehicle to gain access to a certain percentage of the building perimeter, or to within a given distance of a breaching inlet, based on the firefighting intervention strategy.

Key parameters that influence this intervention strategy include the total floor area of the building, the height of the top storey above ground level and the method of entry into the building.

Where Can I Find More Guidance on Fire Service Vehicle Access?

Regulation B5 of the Building Regulations 2010 (as amended) imposes a legal requirement to provide reasonable provision to enable fire appliances to gain access to the building. Guidance documents that provide practical means of meeting the Building Regulations, for example Approved Document B, give minimum dimensions and key parameters for access roads. 

Some Fire and Rescue Services also provide guidance specific to their fleet, for example the London Fire Brigade (LFB) publish a specific guidance note GN29 which covers Access for Fire Appliances.

What are the Minimum Requirements for Fire Service Access?

The minimum requirements as detailed in Approved Document B are as follows:

Pump Appliance

  • Minimum width of road between kerbs – 3.7m
  • Minimum width of gateways – 3.1m
  • Minimum turning circle between kerbs – 16.8m
  • Minimum turning circle between walls – 19.2m
  • Minimum clearance height – 3.7m

High Reach Appliance

  • Minimum width of road between kerbs – 3.7m
  • Minimum width of gateways – 3.1m
  • Minimum turning circle between kerbs – 26.0m
  • Minimum turning circle between walls – 29.0m
  • Minimum clearance height – 4.0m

What are the Carrying Capacity Requirements?

This depends on the type of vehicle.

Approved Document B recommends a minimum carrying capacity of 12.5 tonnes for a pump appliance and 17.0 tonnes for a high reach appliance. This applies to a standard roadway and there are slightly different requirements for structures such as bridges.

The local Fire and Rescue Service should however be consulted as fire appliances are not standardised, therefore more onerous local requirements may apply. For example, London Fire Brigade GN29 recommends 14.0 tonnes carrying capacity for pump appliances and 23.0 tonnes for high reach vehicles.

What if the Building Doesn’t Meet These Access Requirements?

There may be alternative firefighting intervention strategies that do not rely on proximity of Fire Service vehicles, or there may be alternative access routes to the building. A Fire Engineer, in consultation with Building Control and the local Fire Service, should be able to advise on whether it is viable to deviate from guidance and adopt a fire engineered approach. 

Previous Technical Notes:

  • Regulation 38 - Fire Safety Technical Note
  • Wall and Ceiling Linings - Fire Safety Technical Note
  • Inner Rooms - Fire Safety Technical Note

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