UK: Cordel has installed Lidar sensors on two Network Rail maintenance units to make accurate measurements of platforms which will help to maximise the opportunities for level boarding of Southeastern’s next generation of London suburban trains.
Platform heights, shapes and curvature vary considerably as a legacy of the age of the network. The collection of accurate data will help train manufacturers design trains to maximise unassisted boarding for passengers with mobility challenges, including wheelchair users and people with luggage or pushchairs.
Southeastern Engineering Director Mark Johnson said the operator wants its replacement fleet, for which procurement is currently under way, ‘to be a gamechanger for customers, not only in terms of performance and operating costs but also a major step forward for accessibility’.
However, ‘simply getting new trains won’t fix the historic issues we face across our railway. Our joint work with Network Rail and Cordel will, for the first time, provide highly accurate 3D measurements of our platforms, including their height, curvature and gaps from trains. This information will be absolutely invaluable for manufacturers and suppliers to provide the best possible train for the Southeastern network.’
