‘If we do not modernise our transport infrastructure, we will slide down the international scale’
Let there be
Good lighting is essential for the security of rail networks and the dilemma for rail companies is to maintain safe and secure lighting levels without increasing carbon emissions.Michael McDonnell explains how new advances in lighting technology are helping to improve the safety of rail professionals and travellers, reduce costs and save energy
W
hen it comes to security, we all know the rail network can be a soft target for terrorists,
particularly since the London bombings in 2005. It is essential, therefore, that rail companies ensure they have the best security measures in place in order to guarantee the safety of travellers, staff members and the general public. Miles of railway tracks cross every
country across the world, many going through rural and deserted areas where safety and security can easily be compromised if tracks are not well monitored. Effective, good quality lighting is essential in order to improve observation. It enables rail staff to view tracks clearly and ensures scenes are visible on CCTV, which can also help to catch and deter criminals.
An effective lighting scheme involves
careful targeting of lighting so that it has the right lumen level to improve safety. There are many rules when looking at how lighting works in terms of safety. There should be no glare, no light trespass, no direct up light, no harsh shadows and no steep transitions from light to dark. Many rail companies are continually
trying to improve lighting provision. They are investing in new lighting systems that comply with current safety rules and replacing old systems, many of which have been in place for up to 45 years. Rail companies also have to comply with new government legislation, such as the Climate Change Act and the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency scheme. This means they have had to lower their carbon emissions and the associated costs, while ensuring the safety and security of staff
and travellers is maintained. The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, in particular, means that large rail companies have to lower their CO2 emissions by 34 per cent by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050, based on 1990 levels. With lighting one of the highest users of electrical energy, and therefore one of the largest emitters of carbon emissions, it is one of the key areas many rail companies are looking at when it comes to saving energy. Of course, it would be easy for rail
companies just to ‘switch off’ lighting systems in order to save energy. However, the security pressures to advance railway lighting and the government’s master plans to improve the rail network mean this is not an option. Other ways of reducing carbon emissions and energy costs have to be found, whilst ensuring safety is maintained. continued, page 27
AUGUST 2012 PAGE 25
Photo: Buckshaw station
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