Traffic cones in Australia come in three working sizes described in AS 1742.3: 450 to 500mm cones for built-up and open road applications where traffic speeds do not exceed 60 km/h, 700mm cones where speeds exceed 60 km/h (and on lower speed roads if preferred), and 900mm cones that may be used instead of 700mm on high speed, high volume roads. Every cone is fluorescent orange with a white retroreflective collar, and recommended maximum spacing runs from 4 metres in low speed zones out to 18 metres above 75 km/h. This guide covers the sizes, the collar each size needs, spacing, stability, and when a T-top bollard or hazard marker does the job better.
In this article
- What are traffic cones used for on a worksite?
- What sizes do traffic cones come in?
- What reflective collar does a traffic cone need?
- How far apart should traffic cones be placed?
- Cones or T-top bollards: which one?
- What about night works and unattended cones?
- Frequently asked questions
What are traffic cones used for on a worksite?
Under AS 1742.3, traffic cones and temporary bollards are used on short-term and long-term works to define the traffic path through and past the work site. That covers the jobs crews do every day: forming the taper that shifts traffic out of a closed lane, running a line along the work area, marking a crossover, and guiding pedestrians past the site.
Cones earn their place because they can go where fixed devices cannot. Fixed delineation like guideposts should sit a metre clear of the travelled path, but cones and bollards may be placed closer where needed to help control the speed of passing traffic. They set up in seconds, stack for transport, and move as the job moves.
What sizes do traffic cones come in?
AS 1742.3 describes three sizes, and the speed of the road decides which one a job calls for:
| Cone size | Where it is used | UAGS Heavy Duty Series |
|---|---|---|
| 450 to 500mm | Most built-up and open road applications where traffic speeds do not exceed 60 km/h, including footpaths, shared paths and bicycle paths | 450mm cone, 5 pack |
| 700mm | All other road applications where traffic speeds exceed 60 km/h. May also be used on lower speed roads | 700mm cone, 5 pack |
| 900mm | May be used instead of 700mm cones on high speed, high volume roads such as expressway type roads | 900mm cone, 4 pack |
For most trade crews the 700mm cone is the workhorse: it covers every road application, low speed or high, which is why fleets standardise on it and keep 450mm cones for footpath and pedestrian work.
Fluorescent orange PVC, 3.2kg with a 350mm base, fitted with a 250mm 3M reflective collar and a ribbed grip top. The size that covers every road application.
What reflective collar does a traffic cone need?
Two visibility requirements sit behind every cone in AS 1742.3. The body must be fluorescent orange material in accordance with the chromaticity coordinates in AS/NZS 1906.1, which is what makes the cone read vividly in daylight. And every cone and bollard is fitted with a white horizontal retroreflective band with performance at least equal to Class 400T material under AS/NZS 1906.1, which is what makes it read at night under headlights.
The band is sized to the device, per Table 4.6 of the standard:
| Device | Band width | Distance from top of device to band |
|---|---|---|
| Cone, 450 to 500mm | 150mm | 130mm ± 5 |
| Cone, 700mm and over | 250mm | 220mm ± 5 |
| Bollard, all heights | 250mm | 220mm ± 5 |
That is why the UAGS 700mm cone carries a 250mm collar: it is the band width the standard describes for cones of 700mm and over. A cone with a narrow strip of tape where a 250mm collar should be is easy to spot once you know the table.
How far apart should traffic cones be placed?
AS 1742.3 gives recommended maximum spacings, and the speed that matters is the speed of traffic where the line of cones actually stands:
| Purpose | Traffic speed | Recommended maximum spacing |
|---|---|---|
| All purposes | 55 km/h and under | 4m |
| 56 to 75 km/h | 12m | |
| 76 km/h and over | 18m | |
| Divided road crossovers | All speeds | 2m |
| Protecting freshly painted lines | 75 km/h and under | 24m |
| 76 km/h and over | 60m |
Three practical notes go with the table. Spacing may need to close right up, to as little as 1 metre, where a gap could let a driver take a wrong turn or slip through the line of cones. The wider spacings may need to be reduced on curves and crests, or where the row does not read clearly at night. And the spacing on any given job comes from the traffic guidance scheme, so treat the table as the standard's ceiling, not a substitute for the TGS.
Where cones separate pedestrians from the works rather than guiding vehicles, extendable cone bars link the cones into a continuous visual barrier so the line reads as a boundary rather than a row of markers.
Extends from 1100mm to 2000mm to link cones into a continuous barrier for pedestrian separation and work area boundaries.
Cones or T-top bollards: which one?
AS 1742.3 treats cones and temporary bollards as devices for the same job, defining the traffic path, and both carry the same 250mm retroreflective band requirement at full height. The choice mostly comes down to how a crew works.
A T-top bollard is a two-part device: a fluorescent orange stem that drops into a separate weighted base. That modularity is its advantage. A clipped stem or a cracked base is replaced on its own rather than binning the whole unit, the T-top profile takes compatible cone bars for linked delineation, and stems and bases pack down flat and dense in a vehicle. Cones are one-piece, faster to drop and pick up on a moving operation, and stack into a column a crew member can carry under one arm.
Many crews run both: cones for tapers and mobile works, bollards for longer-standing delineation where the weighted base and cone bar compatibility earn their keep.
25 assembled bollard sets with fluorescent orange stems and weighted bases. Replacement stems and bases sold individually.
What about night works and unattended cones?
The standard is blunt about stability: cones and bollards shall be designed to stay stable under reasonably expected wind and the air turbulence of passing traffic, but they can still be displaced. If workers are not on hand to reset them, cones should not be used unless they are fixed to the pavement or weighted to hold their position unattended. Weight and base size do the work here, which is why a full-size cone like the UAGS 700mm at 3.2kg on a 350mm base holds its ground where a lightweight cone walks.
Night changes the toolkit in two more ways. On works extending overnight where an obstruction encroaches on the roadway, a series of T5-4 Temporary Hazard Markers may be used instead of cones to form the taper, spaced so they read as a continuous line on approach. And where a line of cones may not be visible early enough to approaching traffic at short-term works, a T5-5 or T5-7 marker indicates the start of the line.
Boxed-edge metal chevron marker. A series of T5-4s may form the taper at night works in lieu of cones, spaced to read as a continuous line.
Where a line of cones needs to do more work at night, sequential warning lights lift it from reflective to illuminated. Ring-shaped rechargeable lights slide over the top of a compatible cone, and when arranged in order their sequential modes run a progressive chase along the taper or lane shift, reinforcing the path as a supplementary illuminated device alongside the required signs and devices.
Seven rechargeable ring lights that slide over compatible cones, with five sequential and flashing modes, supplied in a carry and charging case with mains and vehicle chargers.
Frequently asked questions
What size traffic cone do I need?
AS 1742.3 describes 450 to 500mm cones for most built-up and open road applications where traffic speeds do not exceed 60 km/h, 700mm cones for all other road applications where speeds exceed 60 km/h (also usable on lower speed roads), and 900mm cones as an option instead of 700mm on high speed, high volume roads. The 700mm cone covers the widest range of jobs, which is why most crews standardise on it.
How far apart should traffic cones be placed?
Recommended maximums in AS 1742.3 are 4m where traffic is at 55 km/h or less, 12m at 56 to 75 km/h, and 18m at 76 km/h and over, with 2m at divided road crossovers. Spacing may need to close to as little as 1m to prevent a wrong movement, and may need reducing on curves, crests or where the line does not read clearly at night. The spacing for any job comes from the traffic guidance scheme.
What reflective band does a traffic cone need?
A white horizontal retroreflective band with performance at least equal to Class 400T material under AS/NZS 1906.1. Cones from 450 to 500mm carry a 150mm band, and cones of 700mm and over carry a 250mm band, positioned about 220mm from the top of the cone.
Can traffic cones be left out unattended?
Only with care. Cones can be displaced by passing traffic, so where no workers are present to reset them, AS 1742.3 says they should not be used unless securely fixed to the pavement or weighted for adequate stability. Heavier full-size cones with wide bases hold position better, and longer-standing unattended delineation is often better served by weighted bollards or other devices named in the TGS.
What is the difference between a traffic cone and a T-top bollard?
Both define the traffic path under AS 1742.3 and carry the same reflective band requirement. A cone is a one-piece stackable device that is fast to deploy and retrieve. A T-top bollard is a stem in a separate weighted base, so damaged parts are replaced individually, and the T-top profile suits cone bars for linked delineation.
Do the right cones make a traffic setup compliant?
No. Cones are one device within a broader temporary traffic management setup. Device selection, placement and spacing are determined by the traffic management plan, the traffic guidance scheme, site conditions and relevant road authority requirements.
Stocking up a crew or a fleet?
UAGS carries the Heavy Duty Series cone family, T-top bollards with replaceable stems and bases, cone bars and hazard markers. Trade pricing available. Pickup from Bayswater North VIC or delivery Australia-wide.
Browse Traffic Cones & Bollards →Selection, placement and spacing of temporary traffic management devices remain subject to the applicable TMP, TGS, site conditions and relevant authority requirements. This article is general information for the Australian market, not traffic management design advice.