Security VITAL SERVICES GROUP
Rail’s Thames Valley Area from metal theft, vandalism and trespass in a trackside security programme between West Drayton and Cholsey in South Oxfordshire. It’s a 45-mile route which we cover using approximately 60 miles of road. We’re using Security Industry Authority (SIA) licensed staff who patrol the route in marked, jointly-branded Network Rail/Vital vehicles. These teams patrol the railway at irregular times to detect and deter dangerous or criminal behaviour, the priority being to stop cable theft before it happens.
“During patrols, the staff checks gates, fencing and infrastructure for theft, damage or evidence of suspicious activities, reporting significant incidents to Network Rail Control in Swindon, where dedicated facilities have been made available for this exercise. While vandalism and trespass have posed similar threat levels for many years, spiraling copper prices and the relatively slow pace in reforming the scrap metal trade have made this level of co-operation a prerequisite for a successful programme.”
Advances in Technology.
Estimates in London (ACPO 2011) indicate that 2,000 CCTV cameras monitor the capital’s overground railway stations. But the attention span for a security guard who is solely watching CCTV monitors has been judged to be as low as 20 minutes (Source: US Dept of Justice). Clearly the availability of manpower cannot match the amount of video footage that needs to be checked.
Disruption to rail lines can cost up to £8,000 per minute (Environment Agency 2010), so R&D departments are under immense pressure to exploit artificial computer intelligence, in order to screen surveillance footage and create alarms on patterns of movement near railway lines that depart from the norm.
Technology has moved beyond crude motion detection to intelligent scene analysis or video analytics, in which software is ‘taught’ to discount ambient movement caused by foliage or wildlife.
Alex Renton, a Senior Systems Engineer, explains how Vital Technology is using it’s specialist knowledge in automated intelligent analysis of video streams to tackle the problem: “Vital is one of the few companies to create their own algorithms whereby the specific needs of the rail sector can be addressed. Trackside protection often involves configuring multiple regions of interest and a ‘virtual tripwire’, which can be used to monitor the activity of people, vehicles and objects.
“The performance of new high-definition cameras means that facial recognition is achievable to a standard which is accepted in a court of law.”
When applied with intelligently-configured filters, systems can trigger alerts on patterns of movement and direction.”
“Unfortunately, just about everything on a railway is of value to thieves. Their targets include cable, track ends, gantry infrastructure and overhead wiring. Working alongside Vital Rail Security, we know that our staff are empowered and at their most effective when they are reacting to a credible alert, rather than simply patrolling. The use of intelligent monitoring through video analytics allows a more targeted and efficient approach to the deployment of manpower and security personnel, and allows for a quick Return on Investment (ROI), since it is possible to protect larger areas for longer periods. It is worth noting, however, that technology cannot ‘respond’ to the alerts, and in order to maintain the most effective security approach at a site, a combination of appropriate technologies and security staff is required.”
Vital Technology has recently introduced XTEND, a rapid deployment trailer-based combination of CCTV cameras and computer- based scene analysis. As Alex describes, “The trailer features a hydraulic mast which extends to nine metres. A modular approach allows customers to combine regular CCTV cameras with more advanced thermal and low- light imaging cameras which can be invaluable in restricted light and adverse weather conditions.”
“Various power options on the trailer mean that staff can deploy the unit at trackside or depot locations and, using 3G, satellite, wireless or cabled communications, report to a central monitoring location.”
“Feedback suggests that CCTV, enhanced by video analytics, provides scene information which can be usefully shared with law enforcement agencies. This simply does not happen with other technologies, such as sensors, which generate an alarm when cable is cut or displaced. By then, either the
thieves is signalling equipment since much of its wiring is copper. When line managers are deprived of information about train movements as a result of loss of signalling, they are obliged to halt services which may be many miles away from an incident, and entire routes can be affected.
Increasingly sophisticated detection and classification of objects, with resilience against variation in weather conditions, has made video analytics one of the most promising solutions for protecting the railway network.
So far we have focused on railway metal theft, but application of the same intelligent scene analysis can reveal misuse of level crossings and general vandalism. A combination of discriminating trackside patrols with computer- assisted video surveillance is improving the prospects of all parties as they seek to eliminate theft, trespass and dangerous behaviour on Britain’s railway network.
RailCONNECT 39
theft or significant damage has already taken place, meaning that systems can only react to the issue rather than act as a preventative measure with a deterrent effect. The performance of new high-definition cameras means that facial recognition is achievable to a standard which is accepted in a court of law.”
The obvious opportunity cost of cable theft is disruption to train services, but another cost is lost hours, when crews who should be performing routine infrastructure maintenance are called to a theft site. The prime target for
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