and acceleration required by
rail vehicles, Request to Stop succeeds in lowering emissions
A digital signalling system enabling passengers to request a train to stop using an on-platform communication system to send a signal directly to the driver of an inbound request to stop service, notifying them that a passenger is waiting to board.
Request to Stop can operate on a Radio Electronic Token Block (RETB) radio network, the digital Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) or the rail variant GSM-R.
The RETB variant uses a Cab Display Radio, and GSM-R variant a mobile handset to display stop notifications to the driver or guard.
The RtS product provides a Customer Information Screen (CIS) displaying a live timetable, and confirmation that a stop has been requested.
Customers request a service to stop by utilising a button press. The communication system varies between GSM-R vs RETB radio network.
Passenger Experience & Safety
- Passenger gets positive feedback that their stop has been requested through the new Customer Information Screen
- Improved safety as passengers no longer have to stand near a platform edge to manually flag down approaching services
- Eliminates incidences of stops being missed or overrun as train crew receive advanced notice of a stop request
- Improved timetable resilience and service punctuality
Cost Efficiency & Sustainability
- Saving up to six litres of fuel and reducing brake wear by removing the need to unnecessarily slow and accelerate at request stop stations where no passengers are waiting.
- Reduction in carbon emissions associated with acceleration and braking
- Saving up to 70 seconds each time an unnecessary is avoided, reducing expensive delay minutes
- Potential to reopen closed stations as request stops, increasing the revenue of the railway and the economic activity in areas served by reopened stations.
RtS using the RETB radio network is operational on the Far North Line between Inverness and Wick.
Comms Design was awarded a UK Government grant in 2023 to develop and trial the GSM/GSM-R variant RtS on rural rail routes in Wales.
Funding for the next phase of RtS development, sponsored by Transport for Wales, was awarded as part of The Department for Transport (DfT) and Innovate UK First of Kind (FOAK) competition to bring novel technologies to the rail market. Click here to read more.
