Research: Congestion Management in Stations and Trains

As passengers continue to return to using metro more frequently post COVID-19, many metros have experienced constraints on train and station capacity. In some cases, this increased congestion can also result in safety issues that can have catastrophic impacts on customers and the reputation of the metros themselves.

This study summarised magnitude and trends in congestion on metro systems, and further looked at the implemented technologies that allow for mitigations to be put in place. It also identified emergency response and congestion management training that is provided to regular station staff and operational staff on trains.

Concerns for congestion on trains

An overview of best practices for managing congestion in stations and on trains is discussed in the report, with a focus on smaller and shorter-term solutions that can be deployed quickly by member metros.

Research: Preparing for Extreme Weather and Climate Change

In the last five years, more than half of COMET metros have been impacted by flooding (74%), high winds/storms (62%) and extreme heat (50%), and many have also been impacted by cold weather and snow (45%), drought (22%) and wildfire (16%). Concerningly, three quarters of metros have noticed an increase in weather events impacting metro operations in recent years. These events pose significant risks to metro infrastructure, operations and the safety of passengers and staff.

Factors Making a Metro Vulnerable to Extreme Weather

The latest COMET study on Preparing for Extreme Weather and Climate Change reviews how member metros prepare for and manage upcoming periods of extreme weather and their plans to adapt infrastructure and operations in the longer term to deal with the impacts of climate change.