Ricardo to perform whole-system safety assessment of Beijing’s latest metro line

• Beijing Metro Construction Administration Corporation Ltd has appointed Ricardo Certification to provide Independent Safety Assessment (ISA) services for the new metro line in the eastern side of the city
• Ricardo is assessing the new Line 17 against European standards EN 50126, 50128 and 50129

Beijing’s new Line 17 will offer a new north-south route through the city’s eastern districts, extending from Changping’s Future Science Park North station to Yizhuang Zhanqianqu South station in Tongzhou. The first section is planned to enter into operation in 2021.

Ricardo Certification will be responsible for assuring the safety of passengers, staff and surrounding communities is accounted for during the construction, installation, testing and eventual commissioning of the new line.

The scope of the assessment extends across the core rail sub-systems, including rolling stock, signalling, route infrastructure and communications technologies. Ricardo experts will assess each system in isolation, but also their interactions with other safety-critical systems, such as the interface between pantographs and the overhead catenary, and the vehicles and platform screen doors. A further area for assessment will be the wheel-rail relationship along the route.

The team will also examine the Line’s Safety Management System, including its emergency evacuation and rescue plans, and deliver training on Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Safety (RAMS) for engineers from both MTR and the core equipment suppliers.

The assessment will be performed by Ricardo Certification’s Beijing office and follows the team’s successful delivery of similar system-wide ISA services for the city’s Yanfang Line, which opened in December 2017.

Ricardo Certification operates as a separate and entirely independent business within the Ricardo group and is accredited by relevant regulatory authorities to provide assurance services to the rail industry.