Interoperability
Since the late 1990s several European Commission (EC) Directives have been enacted by all EU Member States that govern the technology and methods of operation to be used by Europe’s railways to enable the freedom of movement of goods and people, known as Interoperability. The Directives apply to new, upgraded or renewed railways and also to components that are key to freedom of movement, such as wheels and rails, and which are known as Interoperability Constituents. We are perhaps uniquely placed to assist you in adhering to Interoperability and national approvals regimes.
Since the late 1990s several European Commission (EC) Directives have been enacted by all EU Member States that govern the technology and methods of operation to be used by Europe’s railways to enable the freedom of movement of goods and people, known as Interoperability. The Directives apply to new, upgraded or renewed railways and also to components that are key to freedom of movement, such as wheels and rails, and which are known as Interoperability Constituents.
Companies that must adhere to the Interoperability Directives must invariably also adhere to other, national approvals regimes. Consequently, the owners or manufacturers of systems being deployed in more than one EU Member State will find that they have to navigate through a complex web of regulatory and approvals processes.
We are perhaps uniquely placed to assist you in making this process as painless and effective as possible. We have a long track record of working on behalf of clients to develop effective compliance documentation. Importantly, our presence in several EU Member States means that we are also experienced in the management of approvals through national approvals bodies. Equally, we hold Notified Body status in the UK and The Netherlands and this gives our clients the almost unique choice of using us in either a consultative or independent assurance capacity.
Fleet maintenance, monitoring and performance
Effective performance of traction and rolling stock relies upon pro-active, timely and well-planned maintenance that reduces the risk of vehicle degradation escalating to levels which cause service disruption and increased maintenance costs. Optimising your maintenance regime requires effective real-time monitoring of your fleet and a sound understanding of the maintenance activities and schedules needed to achieve your reliability and availability requirements. Find out how our services can help you achieve this.
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Notified body
Notified Bodies are appointed by members of the European Union to carry out conformity assessment against European Directives. For rail, these are Directive 96/48/EC for the Interoperability of the Trans Europe High Speed Rail System and Directive 2001/16/EC for the interoperability of the conventional European rail system.
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Independent safety assessment (ISA)
Independent safety assessment involves making a judgement against a set of requirements about the safety adequacy of a product, system or process in a particular context and environment. It may require demonstration of compliance to recognised standards but for specific situations full compliance may not be necessary.
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Rail vehicle design and engineering
Good design stands out as being effective in function and form. In the complex rail environment, function comes with a required performance capability and adequate safety measures - aspects which need to be considered at the outset of design. Find out how our services can help you achieve this.
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Rolling stock certification
We hold appointments as a Notified Body for both the High Speed and Conventional Railway Interoperability Directives. We can certify new build, upgrades and renewals of rolling stock against the requirements of the technical specifications for interoperability throughout Europe. Find out how our services could help you.
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Signal engineering
Since the first days of commercial railway operation there has been a need to safeguard the movement of trains, allowing them to operate in accordance with the required service density and speed profile. Railway signalling and control systems provide that capability and must continue to provide the required safety levels under failure conditions. Such systems need careful design, implementation and stewardship. Find out how our services can help you do this.
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Telecommunications engineering
With key expertise in telecommunications systems for transportation, our qualified engineers provide objective advice in areas as diverse as GSM-R, fixed transmission networks, lineside communications, data networks, CCTV and passenger information, whether on-train or at the station. Our knowledge of legacy systems and emerging technologies allows us to offer pragmatic solutions.
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Track and civil engineering
Our civil engineering and permanent way expertise draws on significant experience in both heavy and light rail environments. We address a number of areas: track layout and design, maintenance regimes and the impact on whole life asset management, structures condition assessment and investment and renewals planning. Whichever aspect your needs relate to, we have the capability to provide objective independent support.
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Working with regulations and standards
Understanding and meeting national and international requirements, such as safety and interoperability regulations, can be complex and time consuming. Expert advice from a body dealing with the issues on a regular basis can save time and avoid wasted effort. We have the necessary experience to help you.
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