Saturday, May 28, 2011

Do we really still need guards on trains?

Melbourne - no guards required!
Some of BrizCommuter's readers may have noticed that Brisbane is stuck in a railway timewarp, with infrequent train services, the use of guards, and apparently no automatic train protection (ATP) - oh dear! One of the largest financial costs involved with the operation of railways is staffing, and thus it is not rocket science that having two members of staff on board a train increases the running costs per train service. If the funding spent of guards could be re-used for more drivers to be utilised on 15 minute off-peak services, and more visible security staff, then we may have an increasingly safe, frequent, and efficient train network.

Many other rail networks have already eliminated guards. In Australia, rail networks in Perth, Melbourne, and even a large country town - Adelaide, have eliminated guards. On London Underground, London Overground, and London's C2C network, guards have also been eliminated. Even in Japan, where the is no lack of staffing on the rail networks, there have been recent moves to increase the use driver only operation. CCTV cameras, displays (either on platform end displays, or in-cab), and mirrors are used to display the platform images to the driver. Before stuck in their ways Queenslanders say "we can't do that", it should be noted driver only operation is in use with curved platforms, platform/door gaps, platform view obstructions, sun, rain, snow, and hail. One thorn in the side of driver only operation, is the lack of ATP on Brisbane's suburban rail system. No ATP means that there is little to prevent a train overrunning a red signal other than driver awareness. Thus utmost concentration is required to ensure safety. Would remembering to get the ramp out at Sunshine for Mrs Bloggs to alight from the train really decrease this concentration?

Changes that would need to be made with driver only operation, would include the installation of CCTV, displays, and mirrors at the platform end. Waiting positions for those that require assistance would be moved to the end of the platforms. Ideally, raised sections of platforms to improve access would be built at the end of platforms instead of in the middle as at present. Installing automated announcements, and next station LCD displays on trains would also be useful, and reduce the number of tasks required of the driver. The drivers would have to be trained in assisting disabled passengers onto the first carriage with the use of ramps.

BrizCommuter thinks that Brisbane should start to move towards driver only operation with its obvious financial efficiencies, and ATP with its obvious safety advantages. The latter should be integrated with higher capacity signalling improvements required due to the delay of Cross River Rail. However, as with any progress on SE Queensland's rail network, BrizCommuter is pessimistic that we will see any change soon.

8 comments:

  1. Singapore's North East Line does employ guards but not for prevention of drunk bogans trying to make problem. It's more like against terrorist attacks (bombing, gas etc) since it's the only fully underground train line in Singapore so far. Not sure about the Circle Line.

    Again, what's the chance of Australia getting a terrorist attack? I'm not hinting.

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  2. Singapore's North East Line doesn't have a driver, as it is driverless metro. Its "guard", is merely a train babysitter, and even they have failed to stop a drunk opening the emergency door at the trains end, and they certainly wouldn't stop a determined terrorist. Anyway, the staffing of the Singapore North East Line has little relevance to SE Queensland's rail network, as one is a self-contained automated metro, and the other is a suburban rail system.

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  3. Just FYI, Melbourne doesn't have ATP either. You can run driver-only without ATP.

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  4. Melbourne does have ATP, of the old skool intermittent variety - trip cocks and train stops.

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  5. BTW Brisbane does has a form of ATP called AWS (Automatic Warning System) which is a form of limited train mechanical protection.

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  6. Perhaps trains without guards will make your trip a liitle bit longer, more delays than currently being experienced. OMG.

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  7. There is no evidence of driver only operated services being slower or more unreliable than those with guards.

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  8. In London UK driver only trains have shorter station stops & therefore faster journeys than trains with a guard. It's because the guard has to open his door first before releasing all the doors & then has to shut his door & bell the driver after shutting all the train doors. A driver alone does it instantly just by looking in the platform or cab monitors. It's a win win to eliminate guards,cheaper,faster & the statistics in Europe & the UK show it is just as safe.

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