Banedanmark, the Danish rail infrastructure manager, has completed the ETCS installation on Copenhagen – Ringsted high-speed line.
Following the deployment of the digital signalling system, errors are reduced and the capacity is increased allowing more trains to run along the line which also provide passengers direct connection from Næstved, in island of Zealand to Copenhagen via Køge, 40 km southwest of Copenhagen.
“I am proud that we have now rolled out the new signalling system for the first time on a main line. The old safety systems are the single biggest cause of delayed trains,” Janus Steen Møller, the Director of Signalling at Banedanmark said, adding that the number of errors will significantly decrease in long term providing passengers increased punctuality, capacity, and comfort.
“There is no doubt that the new signalling system brings a significant boost to punctuality and the customer experience. [with the deployment of the digital system] there will be challenges at the start, but I note that Banedanmark monitors and follows the development closely, and I am completely comfortable about that,” Per Schrøder the Operations Director at DSB said.
The 60 km Copenhagen – Ringsted high-speed line which is crossing through Køge Nord, has been put into commercial operation in 2019 but it was equipped with legacy signalling system. DKK 11.4 billion (EUR 1.5 billion) was the value of the project which allows trains to travel at speeds of up to 250 km/h.
Banedanmark says that the legacy signalling system is the biggest issue of train delay at national level, thus deciding to replace it with the new technology which will deliver Banedanmark “a great precision for traffic management” handled in a more efficient manner.
“I am glad on behalf of the passengers, not least the Zealand commuters who can look in future for fewer signal errors and thus more trains on time. We are investing billions in the railway transport, and even if this results in unstable train operations for the period while the construction takes place, then the benefit is better quality and more trains on time,” the Minister of Transport Thomas Danielsen said.
Denmark has installed the ETCS system on several rail routes, but the rollout between Copenhagen and Ringsted is the first one taking place on a country’s mainline.
Banedanmark will replace all old and analogue signals with the new ETCS L2 signaling system along the entire railway network of more than 2,600 km.
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