VibeSafe alert to be trialled by Croydon trams

VibeSafe is an alert system that uses track vibrations to provide a warning to pedestrians at crossings. It can provide a 30-second warning of an approaching tram and has been developed with the support and guidance of the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board (LRSSB) by Efficiency Ups Ltd. Initial trials were carried out on the Sheffield tramway system in 2024. 

 

University of Birmingham Enterprise is developing prototype equipment. Plans for a trial on Transport for London’s Croydon tramway system were announced on 17 September. 

 

 

Craig O’Brien, Head of Engineering Safety and Innovation at LRSSB said, ‘While the principle of using track vibrations as a trigger for warnings has been established, this next stage of the project will focus on determining the most effective way tolerable implement the device and alert people of an approaching tram through audio alarms, visual signals or a combination of both’.