RiskUKNovember2017

Security in the Transport Sector: Access Control Case Study
Transport for London (TfL) is the integrated
transport authority responsible for
delivering Mayor of London Sadiq Khan's
strategy and commitments on transport. The
organisation runs the day-to-day operation of
the capital’s public transport network and
manages London’s main roads. The services it
operates include London Underground, London
Buses, the Docklands Light Railway, London
Overground, TfL Rail, London Trams, London
River Services, London Dial-a-Ride, Victoria
Coach Station, Santander Cycles and the
Emirates Air Line in Docklands.
TfL is funded from fares income (the largest
single source of its income) as well as
advertising revenues, property rental and
income from the Congestion Charge. In
addition, there’s grant funding from the
Department for Transport and the Greater
London Authority as well as Crossrail funding
(which, in 2017-2018, is largely being funded
through the Community Infrastructure Levy and
developers’ contributions). Borrowing and cash
movements complete the funding picture.
Every day, more than 31 million journeys are
made across the TfL network. It’s a staggering
figure, isn’t it? Each day also entails TfL
working to make journeys easier through the
use of technology and data. The organisation
provides modern ways for customers to pay for
its services through Oyster and contactless
payment cards and provides information in
numerous different formats to help people
move easily around the city.
As an integral element of the TfL network,
London Underground has now been operational
for 150 years and conveys over 1.265 billion
passengers each year. Every one of those
passengers is reliant upon the efficient running
of the service to travel across the capital.
Speaking on behalf of London Underground’s
signals maintenance managers and their
associated teams, Phil McCusker (signals
maintenance manager – North Signals for
London Underground) stated: “It’s our duty to
make sure we have the right systems in place
such that seamless journeys can take place.
Everything must be done to create a safe and
secure environment at all times.”
Of course, that last point is particularly true
in today’s turbulent times when the threat level
posed by terrorism is currently set at ‘Severe’
by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre and when
high profile locations such as London
Underground stations can be the target of
terrorist activity. The readers of Risk UK only
need to look back on the recent incident at
Parsons Green Station and, of course, the 7 July
2005 London bombings to highlight that fact.
On The Right Tracks
Arguably, no other city is as recognised by its transport
system as London, with the capital’s famous red buses, black
taxis and tube trains known the world over. Here, Ben Farrar
assesses key and equipment management on the London
Underground network in order to demonstrate how a
considered ‘small detail’ can impact the smooth running of
Transport for London for the benefit of staff and passengers
Seamless experience
As stated, alongside extending the network is
an ambition on the part of TfL to make journeys
easier through the efficient and effective use of
technology and data.
As journey processes become quicker, there’ll
be a natural and growing expectation from
passengers to see an increasingly seamless
journey experience being created for them by
TfL’s management. No-one likes delays at any
stage, especially so given the recently-installed
running of the Night Tube in the UK’s equivalent
of the ‘city that never sleeps.’ The Night Tube
runs on Fridays and Saturdays on the Victoria,
Jubilee and most of the Central, Northern and
Piccadilly lines.
While for passengers these ‘seamless
journeys’ mean that TfL must provide modern
ways in which to pay and offer as much salient
information ahead of journeys as possible,
behind the scenes it’s all about establishing
ways in which to improve the overall
efficiencies of everyday operations, taking all
detail into account. This includes what may
seemingly be perceived as the smaller details,
Ben Farrar:
Market Development Manager
at Traka UK
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