BridgeBouncer begins showcase at Global Centre of Rail Excellence site
The Rail and Station Innovation Company (Rasic) have installed their ‘BridgeBouncer’ system at the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) as part of a new showcase at the South Wales site.
The roadside safety system is designed to reduce the number of over-height vehicles striking low railway bridges and has been developed through the UK Government Department for Transport’s ‘First-Of-A-Kind’ programme.
Over the last few months GCRE has been the location for controlled testing and demonstration of the ‘BridgeBouncer’ system. Rasic have now installed their system as part of the Bronze Benefits scheme at the GCRE site measuring vehicles to a 6mm tolerance and are now in discussions for real world deployment.
The system delivers clear, timely alerts to drivers before they reach the point of risk, shifting bridge-strike prevention from static signs to a more active intervention that supports better decision making.
GCRE is a new, purpose-built facility being developed in South West Wales for international rail research, testing and net zero technology development. The GCRE facility is currently in development, but ahead of opening has installed showcasing infrastructure, including a 500-metre Road Rail Vehicle (RRV) line which can be used for product showcasing.
The line includes 1,000 metres of showcase and which provides a product demonstration platform for organisations of all sizes.
Managing Director of Rasic Ltd, Marcus Mayers, said:
“GCRE has been instrumental in getting BridgeBouncer to this point. Without their support, access and willingness to help us test in a realistic rail environment, we simply could not have built the evidence now needed to take the system forward.
“Joining the Bronze Benefits Scheme gives us an ongoing presence at GCRE, so we can continue refining the technology, demonstrate it to potential customers and give infrastructure owners a credible place to see how BridgeBouncer works in practice. That presence is already creating real opportunities for deployment and helping us move from a funded innovation project into a commercial route to market.”
GCRE Head of Business Development and Engagement Arthur Emyr said:
“It’s fantastic to have Rasic join the GCRE Benefits Scheme and showcase their innovative BridgeBouncer technology at the site. We’ve worked with the company through the development of their system, so it’s a natural next step to have it installed at the site on a longer-term basis.
“Showcasing on the GCRE site can help companies like Rasic highlight their product to an industry audience and show its practical impact for potential clients across a range of sectors.”
There are more than 1,800 bridge strikes every year in the UK, with each incident costing Network Rail around £100,000.
GCRE is a new, purpose-built facility being developed in South West Wales for international rail research, testing and net zero technology development. The 700-hectare site has the potential to become Europe’s leading cluster for rail and sustainable mobility innovation.
Details of the BridgeBouncer showcase can be found here: www.gcre.wales/showcases