The latest solutions are moving transport security forward, says the British Security Industry Association.
Among the many challenges faced by transport operators, crime poses a huge threat in terms of loss and disruption. The right security measures however, can deliver significant improvement says the BSIA.
What they say
Alex Carmichael, BSIA Technical Director, says: "The falling cost and increasing sophistication of security technology is creating huge potential both in terms of crime prevention and customer services. Security technology has come a long way in the past decade and it continues to develop at an exponential rate, both in terms of affordability and potential."
While factors such as good lighting, the use of locks and barriers, the presence of staff and other relatively traditional forms of security used by transport operators remain of paramount importance, these measures can now be complemented by new developments in technology, the association says. Most types of fence and gate can now be fitted with detection technology, programmed to recognise the types of vibration caused by intruders. The detectors are designed to interface with on-site lighting, alarms and CCTV systems. Electric fences can also be effective, delivering a short, painful but otherwise harmless electric shock to anyone who tries to cut, climb or tamper with them.
CCTV, IP
The advent of digital CCTV and video-over-IP protocols, make comprehensive surveillance increasingly effective and affordable, according to the association. A number of locations can now be remotely monitored at one central control room. This technology is being implemented with great success across the transport industry. In some cases, cameras and detectors placed strategically around a site are connected, via the telephone or radio network, to a RVRC (Remote Video Response Centre). Depending on the circumstance, the operators can issue verbal warnings to intruders via on-site speakers or alert the emergency services and key holders. Many facilities, such as airports, have implemented comprehensive access control systems which are based on multiple PC networks and linked to CCTV surveillance facilities, often with an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) capability.
