Transport for London (TfL) announced that this year Engineering Support Group Limited (ESG) will install the automatic braking system on the trams. London’s tram network will be the first in the UK to have an automatic braking that it will automatically apply the brakes and bring a moving tram to a controlled stop if exceeding the speed limit at designated locations.
“Awarding the contract for a new automatic braking system is a first for trams in the UK, and not only will it improve safety for customers in London, but we hope it will lead the way for other tram operators across the country,” Mark Davis, General Manager of London Trams, TfL, said.
It is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2019, including a period of training and familiarisation with tram drivers, and will operate alongside the driver protection device that has been in operation since September 2017, alerting to any signs of driver distraction and fatigue.
The automatic braking is one of the 15 recommendations set out by the Rail Accidents Investigation Branch (RAIB) following the tragic tram overturning. It will initially be configured to priority high-risk locations as suggested by the RAIB but will have the flexibility to be introduced elsewhere on the tram network.
A new emergency lighting system, which will operate independently of the tram’s battery in the event of an emergency, has also been procured and will be installed over the summer, addressing RAIB recommendation. To answer recommendation six, TfL says that extensive testing with safety experts has also progressed and a new higher specification film that is 75 per cent thicker (from 100microns to 175microns) will be fitted to all doors and windows to improve containment, by spring.
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