How berth-level signal and delay data can improve system performance and safety management
The Red Aspect Approaches to Signals (RAATS) toolkit currently provides information at a specific signal or signal area but many members wanted to apply its analysis to train services.
Currently, RAATS provides a breakdown of the different types of approaches and considers factors such as the train type, the time of day, and day of week. It can be used to analyse trends over time at different locations, with the aim of putting measures in place to help mitigate SPAD risk.
Applying this analysis to train services would provide an additional level of information. This would be particularly useful for operators, for both the management of SPADs and providing performance insight.
Through our Strategic Partnership with the University of Huddersfield, the Red Aspect Approaches by Train Service (RABYTS) demonstrator was built.
RABYTS combines the RAATS data set with train movement data to provide an operator's perspective of red aspect approaches.
The RABYTS demonstrator allows the user to select a specific journey, or groups of journeys, in a variety of views. This provides a range of analyses that provide relevant safety and performance information.
The current demonstrator RABYTS tool is based on a limited set of data, but RSSB are now looking at plans to upgrade the RAATS toolkit, to expand the coverage of the tool and to implement RABYTS.
Once implemented all RSSB members will be able to access the data for their services and use the insights gained to improve performance and safety management.