In March 2017 POC were awarded an initial 18-month contract to protect 20 sites along the Preston to Blackpool North rail line, as part of the North West Electrification Project, specifically based on our experience of providing a robust security model on the East Coast Mainline.
We invested a lot of time and energy into surveying the project route and designing the most effective and efficient security solution. Because of the nature of the project we created a bespoke hybrid model of technology and man-power, in line with our STAR Standard, by protecting all 21 sites with tailored CCTV systems supported by our Mobile Support Units (MSU), Static Security, Site Access Controllers and our dedicated Control & Command Centre. We managed to fast-track the mobilisation of this project to meet the critical construction deadlines the client is working towards.
All camera systems have been set up with Analytic software, allowing us to define virtual perimeters and set up alerts when these are crossed. All alerts are remotely monitored and come through to our Control & Command Centre where our controllers view real-time footage and investigate the cause of the alarm. Our MSU teams will then be deployed to the site if required to investigate the alarm, establish a visible presence on site and ensure there are no perimeter breaches.
Our MSU teams visit each site regularly to perform patrols of the site and to ensure all perimeter security is intact and working at optimum levels. This allows us to protect multiple sites in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
In order to support the critical deadlines VolkerRail have faced, we developed and implemented a Worker Transportation service, running a series of minibuses 24/7 transporting workers to all of the sites from the main hubs.
Safety at site is paramount, and our Security Operatives are subject to high levels of control measures to ensure the safety of themselves, persons around them and the sites as a whole remain safe. All Security Operatives are fully briefed on site health & safety and ensure that all persons on the sites adhere to the safety rules.
Our security provision, where possible, is intelligence-led - based on information gathering from the client and their workforce, Open Source investigations into crime and protester threat in that area and LEA liaison. Key focus is currently on supporting the BTP with reducing cable theft and the protester activities in that geographical area, which requires us to make strategic decisions about site protection and the operational procedures for the MSU teams.