2007 Reference Document for Groupe Eurotunnel SA PDF file size

6. DESCRIPTION OF EUROTUNNEL GROUP’S ACTIVITIES6.5 Safety and Security6.5.1 Safety of the System and of the Shuttle ServicesSafety and security considerations are central to the overall design and operating procedures of the System. TheSystem was designed under the supervision of the IGC and the Safety Authority (described in section 6.5.3 below).Each phase of the initial design was examined by the IGC and formally acknowledged by way of a non-objectiondeclaration.The operational safety of the System and of the Shuttle Services is mainly the result of the following design features:two separate rail tunnels, a layout that substantially reduces the risk of head-on collisions;a service tunnel linked to the rail tunnels by connecting passages situated on average every 375 metres, whichprovides access for emergency services and allows passengers to be evacuated to a safe environment;the infrastructure of the Tunnel. Each tunnel lies at a depth of 25 to 45 metres below the seabed and the walls ofthe tunnel are enclosed in reinforced concrete (or in some cases in cast iron);an advanced signalling system that incorporates automatic train protection, considerably reducing thelikelihood of any type of collision;fire detection devices in the System and on all the Shuttles, as well as fire-extinguishing equipment in all thePassenger Shuttles (controlled by automated onboard systems) and in the Club Cars of all the Freight Shuttles(manually operated fire extinguishers);fire safety doors in all the Passenger Shuttles to prevent fires from spreading;a ventilation system that keeps the air in the service tunnel at a slightly higher pressure than in the rail tunnels,which prevents smoke from entering the service tunnel in the event of a fire in a rail tunnel; andthe prohibition on transporting certain hazardous materials through the Tunnel.Safety features and procedures are updated regularly and are set out in the Safety Case that is required to retain theoperating certificate issued by the IGC. The European Union’s Railway Safety Directive (2004/49/EC) is in theprocess of being transposed. The binational implementation regulation has been signed by the two delegations on24 January 2007 and will only come into effect when it has been ratified by both governments. When it becomesapplicable, the Safety Case will be replaced in the short to medium term by a new document called the ‘‘SafetyManagement System’’. On 21 August 2006, a fire broke out in a truck on a Freight Shuttle. All of the System’s safetydevices and the relevant procedures functioned effectively. The fire was quickly brought under control andcommercial services were restored within 24 hours. Prior to this incident and since the start of the System’soperations in 1994, the only fire affecting TNU to have occurred in the Tunnel was in 1996.The System has detailed security and policing features meeting the requirements of the UK and French authorities.Examples of the security measures taken for the protection of the System are:access control at the perimeter of the terminals;surveillance by closed-circuit television cameras; anduse of advanced techniques for searching vehicles.In 2006, TNU reinforced the security measures at the British terminal. In 2007, Eurotunnel Group proceeded torenew the Euroscan facilities in the French terminal, 60% of this investment being financed by a subsidy of1.7 million euros from French customs.Safety and security measures for Eurostar and Through Railfreight Services have been developed by the Railwaysafter discussion with, and the approval of, the States. These safety and security measures, which are theresponsibility of the Railways, have been submitted to the IGC by Eurotunnel Group in connection with the SafetyCase. As the infrastructure manager, Eurotunnel Group consults and cooperates with the Railways in relation to theongoing development and implementation of these safety measures. The UK and French governments can require37