On track for safety

Proven engineering expertise and a reputation for cost effective multi-site surveillance meant Quadrant Video Systems winning a prestigious “supertram” CCTV contract.

The SuperTram system run by South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, (SYPTE) serves areas across Sheffield along a 29km route.

Helping to give passengers a feeling of safety and security was of major importance.

Explained Stephen Skeet, SYPTE's fixed track manager: "SYPTE conceived a package of measures to help encourage more passengers to use the new SuperTram.

“An important part of these measures was the requirement to help with peoples’ feeling of security, particularly when travelling on an evening. In this respect, we put out to tender the requirement for a high-performance CCTV system that would be used to counter a perception, rather than an actual problem."

SYPTE's stringent procurement procedures awarded the winning tender bid to Quadrant on the grounds of 'best value' response.

The £1m contract acknowledged the company’s engineering expertise and reputation for providing cost-effective, multi-site CCTV surveillance. The large-scale scheme now provides SYPTE and the SuperTrams operator, Stagecoach UK, with a high-resolution colour camera system, installed across 16 tram stops, stretching across the Lower Dan Valley and Sheffield to Malin Bridge and Middlewood.

Devised to accommodate any expansion to the SuperTram route itself, the system's CCTV cameras are connected to Stagecoach SuperTram's own dedicated surveillance control room via a 144-strand private fibre optic backbone network.

This network, which involved large-scale civil works, is laid in six sets of ducts and provides the large bandwidth required for the transmission of the system's high resolution camera images, with ample spare capacity to cater for any future expansion requirements.

Image access

As part of the multi-stakeholder 'Sheffield Wide Imaging and Switching System', or SWISS, the SYPTE CCTV system's camera images are also available for use by the SWISS main control room at Sheffield's town hall, and the South Yorkshire police.

These images are joined by others from system stakeholder users Meadowhall Shopping Centre, Urban Traffic Control and Sheffield University.

The advanced system's control and integration is managed by Synectics' SynergyPro software.

It combines a clear and concise operator screen layout with intuitive routes to all common or urgent functions, and these can be accessed via an on-screen defined area for each specific type of task.

Quadrant's Ian Moore says that SynergyPro's design also simplifies the operator interface, making it more useable and therefore more effective, allowing the SYPTE operators to get the most from the system and maximise its performance.

To secure the system, individual users have a unique login and password, meaning that only parts of the network relevant to that user are made available for viewing. For example, Sheffield University does not need to view the Meadowhall section of the system and is denied access under its user login.

Multi-functional system

Installed across 16 of the SuperTram network's tram stops, a static and at least one fully functional PTZ camera are mounted either on a wall or 5m poles. The cameras provide the ability to track subjects as they approach and leave the tram stop and also offer general coverage of the tram shelter and platform areas.

At each of the 16 tram stops, linked to pre-set positioning on the adjacently located cameras, two-way 'help' and 'emergency' call audio intercom help points provide two services to passengers.

The 'help' button gives a direct connection to the main SYPTE interchange and passengers can enquire about general travel information, such as time and frequency of trams. The other button, marked 'emergency', is for use to muster help in an urgent situation. This call is connected to the SWISS town centre control room which, in turn, is able to liaise directly with the emergency response services.

Since the launch of the system, a number of acts of vandalism to trams and stations have been caught on camera, including the breaking of a tram's windscreen. In all cases, assisted by the CCTV video evidence, the captured incidents have concluded with prosecution.

Incidents of people determined to injure themselves on some of the tram network’s high bridges have also been witnessed.

As well as providing security and health and safety monitoring, the system is also beneficial for the management of vehicle and passenger traffic flow. In liaison with Urban Traffic Control, trams can be guided through particularly heavy traffic periods, such as rush hours, with system operators advising drivers of queues and warning passengers of potential delays.

Customer demand can also be monitored, allowing extra trams to be provided whenever necessary.

Passengers guided safely

The system is used to good effect when major events and concerts are held at the Sheffield Hallam Arena.

Passenger traffic queues are monitored to avoid heavy congestion and they can be guided to special holding areas as required.This avoids potentially dangerous overcrowding on platforms adjacent to the arena. Management of passenger density accessing the trams also ensures that each customer purchases a ticket to travel.

The system has been embraced by its users and has become ”both an effective management system and security tool," Skeet says. "It is an invaluable asset to the day to day running of the SuperTram system, producing wide-ranging benefits for the safety of staff, passengers and equipment.

"The large-scale CCTV scheme represents a major commitment by SYPTE to enhance the comfort and security of their passengers and is instrumental in helping to encourage greater use of the SuperTram network."