Skip to main content

Communications systems key to tunnel safety

Paul Ducker Systems (PDS), a sub-contractor to Balfour Beatty Engineering Services, has appointed 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, and the Hindhead and Hatfield road tunnels, near London, are the latest contracts to be won by the company. PDS has selecte
May 15, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Hindhead road tunnel.
Paul Ducker Systems (PDS), a sub-contractor to 1146 Balfour Beatty Engineering Services, has appointed 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, and the Hindhead and Hatfield road tunnels, near London, are 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 County 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 reopened to traffic in the summer of 2011.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Towards sustainable mobility
    April 12, 2012
    Tony Marshall, Director at Arup, looks at ways in which the company encourages sustainable mobility.From policy and systems development through to the design and execution of major infrastructure projects, he reviews Arup's global project experiences and research programmes. Space on roads throughout the modern world is decreasing as the volume of cars and road users increases. How can mobility be safeguarded without compromising quality of life or environmental well-being? As engineers, we have a responsib
  • Towards sustainable mobility
    February 20, 2012
    Tony Marshall, Director at Arup, looks at ways in which the company encourages sustainable mobility. From policy and systems development through to the design and execution of major infrastructure projects, he reviews Arup's global project experiences and research programmes
  • UK motorway bridge work
    June 10, 2025
    A new bridge now spans the UK’s busy M6 motorway.
  • Speed and precision make for perfect tunnelling combination
    May 21, 2014
    Speed and precision have been the hallmarks of a number of major road tunnelling projects across the globe over the last 12 months, as the latest sector equipment from leading manufacturers has found itself in high demand. Guy Woodford reports Herrenknecht tunnel boring machines (TBM) have been busy tunnelling under major Chinese rivers, demonstrating phenomenal speed, top safety levels and extreme precision while playing a key role in the construction of road tunnels in the Yangtze River Delta. The Yang