Transport sensing and detection company Smart Video & Sensing (SVS) has achieved a Safety Integrity Level (SIL) rating of SIL2 on a recent project to bring remote control operation to Sandfield swing bridge over the Gloucester & Sharpness canal.
The Sandfield Bridge operates on average 4,500 times during the 7 month season but at busy weekends during the holiday period can operate up to 80 times in a day. The objective of the project undertaken by SVS on behalf of Kier Integrated Services for the Canal & River Trust was to convert the bridge to remote control operation.
The ITS system design incorporated traffic signals, barriers, laser scanners, CCTV, intercom, VoIP, help points and the development of an app from a boater's smart device to local WiFi to automatically trigger the opening of the bridge. Barriers and traffic signals on either end of the bridge control vehicular and pedestrian traffic and light signals on the bridge approaches control approaching waterway traffic.
The SIL assessment was undertaken by DNV-GL, a leading global accredited management certification organisation, on behalf of SVS Ltd.
Commenting on the project Peter Eccleson, Managing Director of Smart Video & Sensing, said, 'The project was a big challenge for us. Safety takes precedence and applying principles of the Safety Integrity Level to a bridge operation was innovative. This is the first system of its type in the UK and we believe the first of its type in Europe to meet SIL2 accreditation requirements. It is a huge endorsement of the design, integration and delivery credentials of our company.'
Darren Parkinson, National MEICA/SCADA Manager for Canal & River Trust (C&RT) commented, 'This is an exciting achievement, delivered in partnership with Kier, ourselves and SVS. The success of Sandfield Bridge will play an important part in influencing future plans and decisions to implement similar systems on other bridges in the future.'
