While safety addresses problems caused accidentally, security concerns those caused intentionally. As more people journey, both at home and across borders, and travel becomes intermodal by nature, keeping mass transport secure is proving a costly, time- and technology-consuming task. To help operators in European cities stay in control, FP7 project SECUR-ED has stepped into the breach.

The objective of the research programme is to develop ‘capacities’ – video analytics, sensors, preventive and early intervention, post-event analysis, emergency and crisis management, training and simulation – to address the main security challenges identified by public transport operators. Depending on factors such as past events, cultural environments and history, the implication of authorities, the split and size of operators, priorities can focus on low-probability, high-impact situations
like physical violence or terrorism, or on more ‘ordinary’ crimes such as graffiti or anti-social behaviour.

The complexities of the intermodal environment, i.e. the legal, cultural, and societal aspects, are also on the SECUR-ED agenda, as are supporting standardisation and the creation of a common market for the future, together with the development of mass transport security solutions. “Societal and legacy concerns dictate a very diverse
environment of mass transportation across Europe,” points out project coordinator Yves Perreal. “To overcome it and deploy a consistent set of solutions, SECUR-ED concentrates on aggregating an interoperable mix of technologies and processes, understanding best practices, starting from risk assessment and ending with updated
measures including complete training packages.”

Source: mobility-magazine.com