Edmonton Initiates Independent Audit of Metro Signalling System

In its continued commitment to bring the Metro Line into safe and reliable public service as quickly as possible, the city of Edmonton has engaged an industry expert to conduct an independent safety audit of all documentation related to the line’s signalling system.

The city has a responsibility to ensure all aspects of its public transit system are safe for public use. In order to ensure that the Metro Line is safe for public operation the city requires certification from its signalling system contractor, Thales Rail Signalling Solutions. Unfortunately, Thales has failed to provide some essential documentation required for the city to accept Thales’ safety certification. The city has retained Rail Safety Consulting, an internationally recognized firm, to review all documentation provided by Thales and to identify and obtain the missing documentation.

At the same time, the city is exploring interim options to bring the Metro Line into public service without using the communication-based train control signalling system that Thales has been contracted to provide. Such options would not offer the frequency of LRT service that communication-based train control will eventually provide, but they are being explored in order to open the Metro Line to public service as quickly and safely as possible.