21 March 2014
FutureRailway launches competition to improve train ticket detection
How could we get more passengers through our busiest stations?
Research by RSSB has shown that ticket gate-lines are a major source of
congestion at stations. Existing ticket barriers will not be able to clear future, higher
passenger loadings quickly enough. People are likely to need to queue for longer to
exit platform areas, leading to delays and frustration and potentially presenting new
safety risk due to overcrowding.
Could future ticket detection technologies hold the key? Which blueprints for ticket
detection are destined to succeed in allowing more people to pass through the same
space, while maintaining revenue protection?
In response, FutureRailway has launched a £2m Future Ticket Detection
competition. This seeks alternatives to the existing gate-line and ticket detection
system in order to cope with increased passenger flows within the same floor space.
The competition is looking for solutions and ideas to meet this challenge, which will
include ticket detection systems, revenue protection methods and interfaces with
existing systems.
The competition is open from Friday 21 March 2014 at 1200 hrs (midday). A
Competition Guideline document will be available for download from the live
competitions page on the FutureRailway website, once the competition goes live.
As part of the competition, a briefing/partnership forming event will be held on
Wednesday 2 April 2014, in Holborn, London, to allow bidders to gain further
information about the competition and seek partners to form a consortium.
-Ends-
Enquiries about the competition please contact gatelessgatelines@futurerailway.org
Media enquiries, please contact the RSSB press office, on
020 3142 5333 / 5332 / 5331 or email pressoffice@rssb.co.uk
Notes to editors:
1. About FutureRailway: FutureRailway is the delivery team working on behalf of the crossindustry Technical Strategy Leadership Group (TSLG) to implement the Rail Technical Strategy.
FutureRailway incorporates the activities of the former Enabling Innovation Team which was set
up by the rail industry to accelerate the uptake of innovation. Our mission is to offer support to
practical cross-industry demonstrator projects, but also seeking out innovative ideas and
proposals from across the industry. Our approach is to: understand the challenges that industry
faces; connect potential innovators with these challenges; and, where necessary with potential
funding. The team is hosted by RSSB, and reports into TSLG, and is supported by the Rail
Delivery Group, RSSB’s Board as well as the Department for Transport.