UK: London Trams is to trial the VibeSafe alert system which uses track vibrations to warn pedestrians when trams are approaching crossings.
The VibeSafe system is capable of providing a 30 sec warning of an approaching tram. It has been developed by Efficiency Ups Ltd, with initial proof of concept tests carried out with Sheffield Supertram last year.
The Light Rail Safety & Standards Board has provided funding and guidance to support research and testing, and University of Birmingham Enterprise is working on the development of prototype equipment.
‘While the principle of using track vibrations as a trigger for warnings has been established, this next stage of the project will focus on determining the most effective way to implement the device and alert people of an approaching tram, be it through audio alarms, visual signals, or a combination of both’, said Craig O’Brien, Head of Engineering Safety & Innovation at LRSSB, when plans for trials on Transport for London’s Croydon tram network were announced on September 17.
