01.01.07
Bringing a digital dimension to rail security
The need for robust transportation security measures across rail networks has never been greater following the Madrid and London bombings.
Those responsible for ensuring the smooth running of this critical infrastructure have to contend with a broad range of challenges from petty vandals, professional criminals and even terrorist attack.
Sophisticated mobile and static CCTV solutions can help to secure the safety of passengers, prevent damage to transport infrastructure, minimise disruption to services and deliver vital management information. In the case of the London bombings, the value of CCTV images was brought into focus for both 7/7, when those obtained from Luton railway station showed clear, identifiable, images of the perpetrators, and for the aborted attack on 21/7, when the police were able to rapidly issue images captured on tube trains and stations of the alleged culprits.
Security on the move
Against this backdrop, multi-camera digital video recorders, such as the Queen’s Award winning TransVu, are becoming an increasingly important part of transportation security. This is not surprising, given the potential of this technology to address the vulnerability of what can be an extensive infrastructure, helping operators to spot unusual activity and tackle the day-to-day headaches of vandalism and assaults on passengers and staff.
When fitted to trains, for example, these compact, self contained systems are capable of continuously monitoring the inside of carriages and have the potential to conduct remote surveillance, from trains on key routes, complementing the existing permanently positioned CCTV infrastructure.
Applied as an overt measure, with the cameras in public view, experience suggests that this provides a significant deterrent to criminal damage, delivering much needed reassurance to the travelling public. In some cases, digital recorders are linked to a panic button to enhance protection for staff and passengers. In the event of an emergency, the panic button is activated by authorised personnel, such as drivers or train managers, initiating an immediate call to a control station for assistance.
Protecting transport hubs
When it comes to static security for railway stations, CCTV can help protect and monitor the tens of thousands of people who transit through these buildings and ensure that only authorised personnel gain access to restricted areas. With the latest network-enabled Video over IP systems, CCTV solutions have never been so capable or affordable, being able to take advantage of existing IT infrastructure. In operation, these systems are able to support image storage, fast retrieval from desktop, wide distribution and can easily be extended to meet changing demands. They also do away with tape management issues associated with older analogue solutions, deliver powerful databases and search facilities. The railway’s need for more cameras, more screens, remote viewing and bottom line economics are all playing their part in driving the take up of these distributed systems to ensure passenger safety, prevent damage to infrastructure, minimise disruption and deliver valuable management information.
We are also seeing the widespread adoption of a common architecture for a variety of CCTV systems from mobile digital DVRs to IP Cameras to facilitate deeper integration in large scale distributed video applications. The advantage is that any device attached to a network will operate seamlessly with other compatible systems, allowing common image indexing techniques to be employed and managed, without the potential loss of performance or functionality.
An eye on the future
Looking ahead, there is little doubt that mobile and static digital CCTV solutions are going to become an even more common sight on rail networks across Europe, not only in the face of new global uncertainties as evidenced by the events of 7/7, but also to deter and address more usual concerns such as vandalism, including arson, graffiti and attacks on staff.
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