One
of the advantages of this
new public transport system
is its safety.
Light rail is perfectly
integrated into the city,
its tracks have no longitudinal
or transverse or barriers
and they are on the same
level as the rest of the
street. On the majority
of the route, the vehicles
use a reserved but not
exclusive right-of-way,
with some sections shared
with public and private
road transport and pedestrians.
The vehicle and pedestrian
crossings are clearly
marked. As with any other
vehicle, Light Rail is
controlled by compulsory
traffic lights, with luminous
signs at intersections
to regulate the traffic.
The lights at the ends
of the stops and the marked
pedestrian crossings have
buttons for pedestrians
to press when they wish
to cross.
The driver is responsible
for obeying the traffic
lights (road and tram)
ahead of the vehicle and
responding to the traffic
situation as he or she
sees it.
Metro Ligero Oeste circulation
supervision and control
is monitored and managed
from a Central Control
Post at the depot in Ciudad
de la Imagen (Pozuelo).
To assist the driver's
work, each line has a
signalling system that
provides greater security
in the sections with switch
points and low visibility
such as tunnels, curves
and hills.
.
“Coexistence”
between light rail, vehicles
and pedestrians is regulated
by road signs and of course
scrupulous, compulsory
respect by drivers and
pedestrians for the safety
measures.
Metro Ligero Oeste drivers
have passed a strict selection
process from amongst more
than 1,500 candidates.
The 65 chosen drivers
have been given solid
training in both Spain
and Porto (Portugal),
where they gained first-hand
experience of this new
transport system, in operation
for several years now.
To ensure maximum safety,
the light rail vehicles
circulate at moderate
speeds (70 km/h top speed
on the exclusive inter-urban
tracks, 45 km/h in the
shared rights-of-way,
and 20 km/h top speed
in the pedestrian zones).
They have one of the most
efficient braking systems
available - "tramway"
emergency breaking by
direct friction on the
rail instead of only using
the conventional rotating
mass deceleration system
(shafts and wheels) found
on railways. This means
that the emergency braking
system distances are much
shorter than on conventional
railways and metros.
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