Control Command and Signalling Standards Committee Strategy
The Control Command and Signalling Standards Committee (CCS SC) Strategy addresses key areas that are particularly relevant for 2019-2024. These are: the need to reduce costs and increase high performance; new technologies; decarbonisation and sustainability; changes following EU-exit.
Railway standards are agreed methods on what to do as a minimum requirement in all areas of the railway, divided up into seven main areas. The seven standards areas are: Control, Command and Signalling (CCS); Data, Systems and Telematics; Energy; Infrastructure; Plant; Rolling Stock; Traffic Operation and Management.
Each standards area has its own committee, overseen by the Industry Standards Coordination Committee (ISCC). Sometimes a standards committee may need to collaborate with other standards committees to ensure that the standards are appropriate for all areas of the railway involved, and that there is good interoperability between different standards areas.
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What does the CCS area cover?
The CCS area covers everything involved in controlling the safe movement of trains on the railway. This includes line-side signals, on-board and trackside structures and equipment and relevant new technologies. These communication systems cover both the technologies used to relay the signals and the content and format of the messages themselves.
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Why is this area important?
The safe, co-ordinated and efficient movement of trains requires agreed standards for communication systems. Without these agreed standards train movements would not be safe, or able to move as part of a co-ordinated railway with many different types of engines, carriages or loads connecting different parts of the country.
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What does the new strategy address?
The new CCS SC strategy addresses key areas that are particularly relevant for Control Period 6 (CP6, 2019-2024). These are: the need to reduce costs and increase high performance especially following the Covid-19 pandemic; new technologies; decarbonisation and sustainability; changes following EU-exit.
The strategy will focus on:
- gathering industry intelligence,
- delivering standards,
- supporting implementation,
- robust governance,
- developing competence.
The strategy also explains who will be involved in considering the standards, how it will be done, and other railway policies or frameworks that will be included.