Pictured above: Team Simoco will provide communication
systems for the refurbishment of the A1 Hatfield road
tunnel
Paul Ducker Systems (PDS), a sub-contractor to Balfour Beatty
Engineering Services, has appointed fellow Derby company Team
Simoco to provide communication systems for the new A3 Hindhead
road tunnel and the refurbishment of the A1 Hatfield road
tunnel.
Specialising in supplying transportation infrastructure for
tunnels and road networks, PDS also provides solutions to metro,
rail and airport operators, with the Hindhead and Hatfield road
tunnels being the latest contracts to be won by the company.
PDS has selected Team Simoco to design and implement an
extensive communication system for the tunnels, with each requiring
GSM mobile, Airwave, fireground, DAB, voice break in and a
dedicated PMR radio system.
Chief Executive of Team Simoco, Ian Carr, says: "Both the
Hindhead and Hatfield road tunnels are designed to offer vehicles
more convenient and quicker journeys, but due to the high volumes
of traffic that travel along these routes, it is imperative that
the communication systems in place offer reliable and
uninterruptable access in case of accidents or fires.
"Team Simoco has extensive experience of confined space radio
engineering, leaky feeder technology and the specific signal
propagation challenges of combining multiple radio services in
enclosed environments such as tunnels. This expertise enabled us to
work with PDS to design the best operational solution for the
Hindhead and Hatfield tunnels."
Located in Surrey, between London and Portsmouth, the Hindhead
twin bore road tunnel is designed to remove traffic congestion from
the A3 and the local road network. Work began on the project in
2007 and the tunnel is scheduled to open to traffic in summer 2011.
The Hatfield road tunnel in Hertfordshire is also due to be
re-opened to traffic in the summer of 2011.
Both Team Simoco and PDS are Derby based businesses, with PDS'
services covering tunnel lighting, ventilation, traffic control and
monitoring, and include CCTV, PA, telephones, radio, fire and
security sub-systems in total compliance with the Highways Agency
standards.