Railway and underground security

For railway and underground operators, it is vital that every part of their infrastructure is considered and assessed when it comes to selecting and implementing an effective security solution. Whether it’s the station hall, the concourse, the platforms, or even the tracks, each of these elements has its own individual challenges to consider and overcome.

Railways tunnels are similarly challenging. Protecting tunnels against unauthorised access is especially difficult and an area that presents arguably the most significant threat to human life. Protecting level-crossings is another key area that requires careful consideration in order to avoid a potential disaster. However, there are steps operators can take and intelligent detection technologies that can be utilised to help overcome these challenges and protect the public from (often self-inflicted) harm.

Accurate detection

Level-crossing barriers can provide an obstacle for pedestrians or cyclists, who may struggle to navigate through the space with their pushchairs or bicycles, for example. LiDAR’s advanced detection capabilities means it can detect any individual or object that are trapped or caught in-between the barriers. Its detection parameters can even be set to detect the smallest of children, or kids who may be fooling around by laying on the track or playing ‘chicken’.

The signalling system tells the LIDAR system when the Level Crossing is active, and the detection system scans the crossing area within the barriers accordingly. If the crossing is clear, the signal turns green and the train can go through safely. If an object is detected, then the barriers are raised to enable that object (a vehicle or pedestrian) to leave the area before allowing the train to pass.

If an object is static and the system has gone through three cycles, a message can be sent to the train driver to proceed with caution at no more than five miles or eight kilometre per hour to determine what it is obstructing the track.