CCTV on trains is being linked directly to police so footage can be viewed live. Train operator Northern said its on-board camera systems are being aligning with those inside British Transport Police control rooms.
The move, announced on Monday, is likely to prove a huge asset to crime detection, evidence gathering and, ultimately, prosecutions. Northern, which operates services across Greater Manchester and the north, also confirmed the start of new technology for its trains once used by space agency NASA in the US to map the surface of the moon.
Light detection and radar (LIDAR) scanning technology is being installed across the company's fleet of 345 trains in a development bosses said would make journeys by railway safer and more efficient.
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Horizon-scanning cameras will be used to detect infrastructure defects ahead, environmental threats and maintenance issues. The train-mounted cameras have the same LIDAR processes meteorologists used to measure clouds and pollution, and which was famously used by NASA to map the surface of the moon.
Thermal imaging systems will also be deployed to monitor 'passenger load factors' and provide accurate information to the emergency services in the event of a major incident emergency.
Northern is also aligning its on-board CCTV systems with British Transport Police to enable officers to tune-in to live, high-definition footage on-board its trains. "Security incidents and threats to public safety will be monitored in real time by British Transport Police officers," said Northern.
"Our trains will also be able to identify any defects in the track as they pass over them. Automatically logging the precise location and alerting maintenance teams to schedule a repair.
"Our trains will scan the horizon around them, looking for anything that might represent a danger to operations, such as fallen tree branches and overgrown vegetation, maintenance issues and energy saving opportunities such as identifying when station lights have been left on during the daytime."
The technology will also be able to identify the age old issue of leaves on the line and deploy water jets near the wheels to blast them off. "Trains will be able to detect bumps on the line as they pass over them and automatically send GPS co-ordinates to maintenance teams responsible for repairs," added Northern.
"External mounted cameras will also scan the roof of tunnels for loose bricks so they can be flagged with infrastructure safety teams before they become a danger."
Roll-out of the new technology will begin later this month, with more to follow throughout the course of the year.
Nick Donovan, managing director of Northern, said: "This is the beginning of what we're calling 'Intelligent Trains'. With these modifications, our fleet won't just travel the network, they will actively monitor and report back on issues that could have an impact on our operation.
"The result will be greater efficiencies in terms of resource allocation, faster responses in terms of maintenance programmes and an overall smarter – and safer - way of working. We are sharing details of this new software with other train operators so that passengers the length and breadth of the country can benefit from the approach we have pioneered in the North of England."
Northern is the second largest train operator in the country with nearly 2,000 services a day to more than 500 stations.
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