Vehicle/Train Command and Control System
Interface Committee
(V/TC&C SIC)
APPROVED REMIT
Vehicle/Train Control and Communication
System Interface Committee (V/TC&C SIC)
Remit
Issue No. 5, 27 April 2016
1
Introduction
1.1
This remit defines the working arrangements for the V/TC&C System Interface Committee (SIC) in
accordance with the SIC Protocol.
1.2
The V/TC&C SIC provides the focus for train control and communication issues in accordance with
the SIC Protocol, Issue 7, 5 September 2013 (the ‘SIC Protocol’).
2
Scope of the SIC
2.1
The general purpose and scope of V/TC&C SIC is to assist the railway industry in managing the
vehicle/train control and communications interfaces in the most effective, safe and economic way.
2.2
The SIC supports the development and implementation of the Rail Technical Strategy 2012 (RTS) by
acting as Portfolio Champion for the Control, Command and Communication chapter of the RTS as
set out in Appendix A.
2.3
The V/TC&C SIC covers three general areas:
2.4

Train control and traffic management systems

Signalling

Telecommunications
It is concerned with the interface between ground-based sub-systems and vehicle-based subsystems. These systems include but are not limited to:

European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) / European Train Control System
(ETCS)

Legacy train protection systems (including Great Western Automatic Train Protection
[ATP], Chiltern ATP, Train Protection Warning and System [TPWS], Automatic Warning
System [AWS], KVB and TVM430)

Train detection (but excluding the geometry of the wheel-rail interface)

Train location and positioning systems (terrestrial and satellite)

Selective door operation (SDO)

Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)

Global System for Mobile Telecommunication – Railways (GSM-R)

Legacy network radio systems (NRN, CSR)

Fixed and mobile communication systems for operational and commercial purposes

Control-command and signalling (CCS) asset management

CCS Defect Recording Analysis and Corrective Action System (DRACAS)
Secretary: Roisin Mulvany | Telephone: 020 3142 5579 |Email: Roisin.Mulvany@rssb.co.uk
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Vehicle/Train Command and Control System
Interface Committee
(V/TC&C SIC)
APPROVED REMIT

Traffic management (including Driver Advisory Systems and degraded mode control
system [COMPASS])

Automatic train operation.
2.5
The V/TC&C sub-groups are listed at Appendix B.
3
Objectives of the V/TC&C SIC
3.1
The Rail Technical Strategy
3.1.1
The SIC Protocol requires that SICs support the development and implementation of the RTS,
working with RSSB and the rail industry to define and take forward research and innovation
projects in pursuit of the RTS vision.
3.1.2
With this in mind the role of the SIC, in agreement with TSLG, includes championing portfolios of
the RTS. The Protocol states the following:
‘3.2 The approach adopted by SICs shall be:
a
Strategic – resulting from the Rail Technical Strategy, and its further development as the Rail
Technical Strategy 2012, and any consequent direction from TSLG through formal remits to SIC
Chairs, and
b
Tactical – dealing with more immediate issues, but aligning where necessary with the
trajectory of the Rail Technical Strategy and its successor, the Rail Technical Strategy 2012.’
3.1.3
V/TC&C SIC is the control command and communication (CCC) industry portfolio champion.
3.1.4
All SICs will provide support to the cross-cutting Whole System Approach that is being championed
by TSLG.
3.2
Oversight of current railway system
3.2.1
V/TC&C SIC provides oversight to the management of system interfaces relevant to the scope set
out in section 2. In doing so, V/TC&C SIC seeks to contribute to the safe, cost-effective operation of
today’s railway.
3.3
Work plan
3.3.1
V/TC&C SIC will document its activities in a work plan. The work plan will, as a minimum, provide a
coherent agenda that links to the RTS.
3.3.2
In addition, V/TC&C SIC will develop a communications plan to support the dissemination of
information to the railway industry (including the outcome of research, the benefits of research to
the industry and implementation of research by industry) in co-operation with the other SICs.
3.3.3
The work plan and communications plan will be reviewed frequently, at least at the same time as
this remit is reviewed (see 11.3).
3.4
Conditions under which the group will cease activity
3.4.1
The group will cease to exist if TSLG so determines, or when the group has achieved its purpose.
4
Membership of V/TC&C SIC
4.1
The membership of V/TC&C SIC shall be appropriate to its scope. However each industry category,
RSSB, DfT and ORR, is entitled to have one member on the V/TC&C SIC. The role of each member is
to represent the views of the constituency to which they belong.
Secretary: Roisin Mulvany | Telephone: 020 3142 5579 |Email: Roisin.Mulvany@rssb.co.uk
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Vehicle/Train Command and Control System
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4.2
The core membership of V/TC&C SIC will comprise representation from:

1 x Railway undertakings (passenger train operators)

1 x Railway undertakings (non-passenger train operators; excluding any party which
operates non-passenger trains wholly or mainly in connection with its role as an
infrastructure contractor)

4 x Network Rail and other infrastructure managers

1 x Rolling stock owners (including rolling stock leasing companies)

1 x Suppliers (including rolling stock manufacturers)

1 x Department for Transport (DfT) (observer)

1 x Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) (observer)

1 x RSSB

1 x Rail Research UK
4.3
The membership and alternates list is managed by RSSB and will be available for review at
meetings. Members may nominate an alternate to carry out committee duties when they are
unavailable and will provide contact details of the alternate to the committee secretary.
4.4
If members are unable to attend they will inform the secretary at the earliest opportunity and
confirm the attendance of their alternate.
4.5
The Chair may invite guests and participants to attend as required to inform the work and decisions
of the SIC or for specific projects.
5
Specialist Skills and Knowledge
5.1
Knowledge
5.2
The committee members shall collectively provide expertise and strategic knowledge of:

Train control systems

Signalling

Telecommunications

Operations

Rolling stock
5.3
Membership of sub-groups of the V/TC&C SIC will provide skills and knowledge pertaining to the
work of the sub-group.
5.1
Disclosure of Interests
5.1.1
Disclosure of interests applies to both SICs and sub-groups. The SIC Protocol states:
‘If a member, or a person for whom that member works, has a direct or indirect personal interest in
a matter to be discussed by the committee, as distinct from a common interest of the industry
category as a whole, the member shall declare that interest to the Chairman of the committee of
which they are a member at the earliest opportunity:
a) On the first occasion at which the matter is discussed, or
Secretary: Roisin Mulvany | Telephone: 020 3142 5579 |Email: Roisin.Mulvany@rssb.co.uk
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Vehicle/Train Command and Control System
Interface Committee
(V/TC&C SIC)
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b) If a member is not aware of an interest at that time, at the next committee meeting after which
they become aware of that interest, regardless of whether the matter is being discussed at that
meeting.
Once disclosed, an interest need not be disclosed again.
When a member declares an interest, the other members shall decide whether that member may
continue to participate in discussions on the matter concerned or whether that member shall be
excluded from the meeting while the matter is discussed.’
6
Delegation of Authority
6.1
Decision making
6.1.1
The V/TC&C SIC shall operate on a consensus basis in accordance with the SIC Protocol which
states:
‘Consensus means a general agreement characterised by the absence of sustained opposition to
substantial issues by any member of the committee concerned. The process of consensus involves
taking into account the views of all members of the committee concerned and to reconcile
conflicting arguments.
‘If timely consensus cannot be achieved the SIC Chairman may consult with TSLG. If TSLG is not able
to resolve the issue, the SIC Chairman may prepare a report for the board in order to receive a
decision on the issue.’
6.2
Meeting quorum
6.2.1
The V/TC&C SIC’s quorum shall consist of:

1 x Passenger train operator

1 x Rolling stock owner

1 x Non-passenger train operator

1 x Supplier

1 x Infrastructure Manager

1 x RSSB.
6.2.2
When a meeting is not quorate absent members will have two weeks after receipt of the draft
minutes to object to a decision. If no objection is raised the decision taken in the meeting will
stand.
6.2.3
RSSB will facilitate the meeting in consultation with the Chairman of the meeting.
7
Process to nominate and appoint a new Chairman or new members
7.1.1
The process to nominate and appoint a new Chairman or new members is set out in the SIC
Protocol.
8
Governance
8.1
Reporting / Recommendations
8.1.1
The V/TC&C SIC shall provide an annual report to TSLG on work completed, proposals for future
avenues of research, alignment with other SICs and achievement against the Control Command and
Secretary: Roisin Mulvany | Telephone: 020 3142 5579 |Email: Roisin.Mulvany@rssb.co.uk
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Vehicle/Train Command and Control System
Interface Committee
(V/TC&C SIC)
APPROVED REMIT
Communications theme in the RTS. The annual report shall be provided to the RSSB Board setting
out its activities for the year and the achievements.
8.1.2
The sub-groups shall provide reports to the V/TC&C SIC (on a pre-agreed schedule, or by
exception).
9
Support provided by RSSB
9.1
Support provided by RSSB shall be in accordance with the SIC Protocol.
9.2
Funding for specific activity may be made available from RSSB subject to support from TSLG.
10
Organisation and Operation of Meetings
10.1
The meeting will operate to a pre-agreed agenda with six meetings a year as minimum.
10.2
A draft agenda will be sent to the Chair for approval 10 days in advance of the meeting. If there are
insufficient agenda items to be discussed at any single meeting the Chair will cancel the meeting
with five working days’ notice.
11
Administration
11.1
Minutes
11.1.1 The draft minutes will be reviewed by the RSSB technical specialist, RSSB R&D member, quality
reviewed by RSSB and reviewed by the Chair before distribution to the group.
11.1.2 Care will be taken to ensure the approved published minutes and any associated papers do not
contain commercially sensitive information.
11.1.3 Where requests are made to distribute approved published minutes and any associated papers
beyond the intended audience (for example RIA distribution to their members) the relevant Chair is
to be made aware and their authorisation is to be sought, to ensure the papers do not contain
information they would not wish to share beyond the group. Requests will be made via the Lead
Stakeholder Support Manager, RSSB.
11.1.4 The draft minutes will be made available to the group via the RSSB Extranet. The draft minutes will
be approved by members at the next meeting.
11.1.5 The approved minutes of each meeting will be made available to the group via the RSSB Extranet.
11.2
Meeting Documentation
11.2.1 The meeting documentation will be provided to the group no later than five working days prior to
the meeting.
11.2.2 The meeting documentation will be made available to the group via the RSSB Extranet.
11.3
Remit Review
11.3.1 This remit shall be reviewed by the V/TC&C SIC at least once every 12 months.
Secretary: Roisin Mulvany | Telephone: 020 3142 5579 |Email: Roisin.Mulvany@rssb.co.uk
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Vehicle/Train Command and Control System
Interface Committee
(V/TC&C SIC)
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Appendix A
A.1
A.2
A.3
A.4
A.5
A.6
A.7
Remit for Portfolio Champions
For a particular portfolio, provide cross-industry endorsement for need and benefit, endorsing the
route map and plan developed and maintained by RSSB.
Participate in, and advise on, the on-going review, gap analysis and strategic development of the
route map and plan developed and maintained by RSSB.
Advise TSLG on the scope of the Portfolios and Programmes required to deliver the RTS and
effectively deliver benefits and value from the available budget.
Help ensure that a whole system approach is adopted taking account of the wider and cross-system
implications of the SIC scope of work and contributing to cross-system portfolios.
Contribute to the development and maintenance of the proposed whole system reference
architecture.
Provide expert advice to TSLG Core Group and other industry decision making groups, including for
example on specific projects.
Where appropriate provide the industry sponsor role for individual programmes / projects until
dedicated industry sponsors / steering groups are appointed.
Notes
The champions will not be accountable for delivery of the strategy and they will be provided with
appropriate resource support by RSSB to fulfil their advisory role.
It is necessary for the individuals/ groups to have the expertise, attitude, competence, gravitas and contacts
to command the respect of senior decision makers and the wider industry. In delivering the role, the
‘champions’ will need to engage with relevant stakeholder groups.
Secretary: Roisin Mulvany | Telephone: 020 3142 5579 |Email: Roisin.Mulvany@rssb.co.uk
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Vehicle/Train Command and Control System
Interface Committee
(V/TC&C SIC)
Appendix B
V/TC&C SIC and Sub Group Management Diagram
Vehicle/Train Control & Communications
System Interface Committee (V/TC&C SIC)
Chair: Clive Burrows
Future Traffic
Regulation
Optimisation
Programme Control
Board (FuTRO PCB)
Chair:
Clive Burrows
Future Comms &
Positioning
Systems Advisory
Group (FC&PS AG)
Driver Advisory
System (DAS)
Board
EMC Working
Group
Chair:
Ian Maxwell
Chair:
John Collins
Chair:
Maya Petkova
Defect Recording
Analysis and
Corrective Action
System Steering
Group (DRACAS)
Chair:
Simon Tonks
Vehicle
Communication
s Advisory
Group (VCAG)
Train Protection
Strategy Group
(TPSG)
Combined
Positioning and
Alternative
Signaling System
Train Control
Technical Sub
Group (TCTSG)
Chair:
Nick Wright
Chair:
Phil Barrett
Chair:
John Collins
Chair:
Nick Wright
Track Circuit Assisters Steering Group (TCA SG)
[Dormant]
Chair: Nick Wright
Chiltern Automatic Train Protections User Management
Group (Chiltern ATP UMG) [Dormant]
Chair: Graham Wire
Great Western Automatic Train Protection User
Management Group (GW ATP UMG)
Chair: Martin Evans
Secretary: Roisin Mulvany | Telephone: 020 3142 5579 |Email: Roisin.Mulvany@rssb.co.uk
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