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What a city crane is
A city crane is a compact mobile crane built for tight sites. It is shorter, narrower and lower than an all-terrain crane of similar capacity, turns in a smaller space and can set up in a smaller footprint, so it can work in town centres, service yards and inside large buildings where a standard crane will not fit.
In short
- A city crane is a compact mobile crane designed for restricted access, low headroom and small set-up areas.
- City cranes run from about 10 tonnes to 70 tonnes, with most work done by cranes in the 20 to 30 tonne range.
- They drive to site on the road, set up on outriggers and lift with a telescopic boom, like a larger mobile crane.
- Access, outrigger positions and overhead obstructions matter more on a city crane lift than the crane’s headline capacity.
We supply city cranes from 10 to 70 tonnes for crane hire and contract lifting. This guide explains how city cranes are built, the sizes available, where they are used and what to plan for.
How a city crane is built
A city crane lifts in the same way as any other wheeled mobile crane: it sets up on outriggers, uses counterweight to balance the load and lifts with a hydraulic telescopic boom. What makes it a city crane is how much of that is packed into a small machine.
A short, manoeuvrable carrier
City cranes run on two or three axles and are short for their capacity. Steering on more than one axle, or independent rear steering on the smallest cranes, lets them turn tightly, crab sideways and reach a lift position through narrow gates and busy yards.
Low overall height
Many city cranes are built low, with a short base section on the boom, so they can drive under height restrictions and into large buildings, then raise the boom to lift beneath a roof or through an opening.
A small footprint
A compact tail swing keeps the counterweight close to the crane as it slews, and outriggers can often be set at different spreads on each side. That lets the crane set up against a building line or in a single traffic lane, with the load chart adjusted for the outrigger positions used.
City crane sizes
City cranes are named by their maximum capacity in tonnes. As with any mobile crane, that figure applies only at the shortest radius, so the crane is chosen from the weight of the load and how far it has to reach together. The sizes fall roughly into three groups.
10 to 13 tonnes
The smallest city cranes are very short and narrow, with a tight turning circle and a small tail swing. They suit lifts inside factories and warehouses, in service yards and between buildings, where access is the main problem and the loads are modest.
20 to 30 tonnes
The most common city cranes. They carry enough capacity for most roof-top plant, air handling units, generators, glazing and light steelwork, while still fitting on narrow streets and small sites.
50 to 70 tonnes
The largest city cranes are compact three-axle versions of the all-terrain crane, built to keep their length, height and axle loads down. They take on heavier plant and longer reaches on sites too tight for a standard crane of the same size.
Capacity falls quickly as the radius increases, so a load that has to be placed well back from where the crane can stand may need a larger crane than its weight suggests. Our guide What size crane do I need? explains how weight and radius decide the crane.
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City cranes compared with all-terrain cranes
Most city cranes are close relatives of the all-terrain crane. The difference is the trade-off each one makes between size and capability.
Where a city crane is the better choice
A city crane wins where access is tight: narrow streets, low bridges or doorways, small yards and sites where the crane has to set up in a single lane. Its smaller size can also mean less disruption to traffic and neighbours while it works.
Where an all-terrain crane is the better choice
For heavy loads, long reaches and sites with room to set up, an all-terrain crane gives more capacity and height for its class. Our guide What is an all-terrain crane? covers those cranes and the sizes they come in.
On some jobs both would work. The choice then comes down to where the crane can stand, what it has to reach over and how long the road or site can be given over to it.
Where city cranes are used
City cranes are chosen when the lift itself is straightforward but getting a crane into position is not.
- Town and city centre sites: lifting from the road into buildings and onto roofs where there is no room for a larger crane.
- Roof-top plant: air handling units, chillers, heat pumps and generators. See lift and shift.
- Inside large buildings: lifting in factories, warehouses and plant halls where headroom and floor space are limited.
- Service yards and car parks: deliveries and installations on busy commercial and industrial sites.
- Steel and glazing: light steelwork, cladding panels and glass on constrained sites. See steel erection and dismantling.
What to plan for with a city crane
On a city crane job, most of the planning goes into where the crane will stand and what surrounds it.
Road space and permissions
Setting a crane up on a public road or pavement usually needs a licence from the local highway authority, and often a lane or road closure with traffic management. Allow time for the application, because each authority sets its own notice period and conditions. We can arrange traffic management and road closures as part of the lift.
Outrigger positions and ground
Pavements and yards can hide cellars, vaults, drains and buried services, and each outrigger pad puts a concentrated load into the ground. The positions are checked before the day and spreader mats used to share the load. BS 7121-3, the code of practice for the safe use of mobile cranes, covers crane support in detail.
Overhead obstructions
Urban sites are crowded overhead: building edges, trees, street lighting, telephone cables and power lines. The HSE’s guidance on avoiding danger from overhead power lines sets out how work near them should be planned, and the lift plan fixes safe distances for the boom and load.
The lift plan
Under regulation 8 of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), every lifting operation must be properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner. The HSE’s LOLER guidance explains what that means in practice. On a public road, the plan also covers the exclusion zone and how pedestrians and traffic are kept clear.
Hiring a city crane
We supply city cranes from 10 to 70 tonnes, matched to the load, the reach and the access. Every crane comes with a trained, carded operator, and our lifts are planned to BS 7121.
Crane hire or contract lift
You can hire the crane and operator and manage the lift yourself, or we can plan and carry out the whole lift on a contract lift basis, including road closures where they are needed. Our guide to crane hire or a contract lift explains who is responsible for what under each.
What we need to know
- The weight and dimensions of the load, and where its lifting points are
- Where the crane can stand and how far it is from there to the load’s final position
- Access to the site, including any height, width or weight restrictions
- Whether the crane will stand on a public road or pavement
Common questions
How much can a city crane lift?
City cranes range from about 10 tonnes to 70 tonnes maximum capacity, and we supply them across that range. What a crane can lift on your job depends on the radius and its load chart, so the crane is chosen from the load and the reach together.
Can a city crane work inside a building?
Often, yes. The smaller and lower city cranes are built to drive into large buildings such as factories and warehouses and lift beneath the roof, provided the floor can take the outrigger loads and the doorway and headroom are big enough.
What is the difference between a city crane and an all-terrain crane?
A city crane is a compact mobile crane built for restricted sites, trading some capacity and reach for a smaller, lower and more manoeuvrable machine. An all-terrain crane is larger for its class and suits heavier lifts and longer reaches where there is room to set up.
Do I need permission to put a crane on the road?
Usually. Setting up on a public road or pavement normally needs a licence from the local highway authority, and a lane or road closure may be needed too. We can arrange the traffic management as part of the job.
Do I need a lift plan for a city crane?
Yes. LOLER requires every lifting operation to be planned by a competent person. On a contract lift we write the lift plan; on a crane hire, the hirer is responsible for planning the lift.
Get a quote for city crane hire
Call us on 0800 008 6096 or email office@synergy-lifting.co.uk. Tell us what the load is, where the crane can stand and what the access is like, and we will recommend the right crane.
Find out more about our crane hire and contract lifting, lift and shift and traffic management and road closures services.
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