Threat detection: a framework for security architects and designers of metropolitan rail systems

Figures & data

Table 1. MRS projects under construction or proposed.

Region/Country	Number of projects under construction or proposed
China	19
India	6
Rest of Asia	25
Africa	3
North and South America	21
Europe	5
Australia and New Zealand	2
Total	81

Source: Metrobits.org.

Table 2. Global statistics of passenger fatalities and injuries between 1960 and 2010.

Number of attacks	Year	833
	1960–2010
	Year	433 (52%)
	2000–2010
Passengers killed	Year	3457
	1960–2010
	Year	1487 (43%)
	2000–2010
Passengers injured	Year	15,887
	1960–2010
	Year	7308 (46%)
	2000–2010
Major tactics used (1960–2010)	Bombing	58%
	Sabotage	23%
	Armed attack on train	6%
	Arson	6%
Leading cause of fatality (1960–2010)	Bombing	70%
Leading cause of injury (1960–2010)	Bombing	77%
Primary location of fatalities (1960–2010)	On train	73%
	On tracks	12%

Table 3. Technical features of ten MRS.

City	Network length (km)	Number of lines	Number of stations	Daily ridership (million)	Ridership per kilometre	Year of ridership data	Configuration
Beijing	442	16	222	6.7	15,200	2012	Underground and overground
Delhi	193	6	138	1.7	8600	2011	Underground and overground
London	402	11	270	3.2	7980	2011	Underground and overground
Moscow	309	12	147	6.6	21,200	2011	Underground and overground
New York	368	27	422	4.5	12,300	2012	Underground and overground
Seoul	327	9	260	6.9	21,100	2012	Underground and overground
Singapore	147	4	89	2.2	14,800	2011	Underground and overground
Taipei	113	8	98	1.8	15,900	2012	Underground and overground
Tokyo	305	13	205	8.5	27,900	2011	Underground and overground

Source: Metrobits.org.

Figure 1. Security procedure at New Delhi MRS.

Table 4. Security features of nine MRS in the world.

City	Primary security drill	Baggage scanning	Passengers patted down	Government or railway operator security	Armed patrols	Canine units	CCTV	Emergency communication device for passengers	Checkpoint evolution
Beijing	Selective checking of bags	Yes (of all bags)	Yes (random pat down of some passengers)	Railway operator	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Delhi	Checking of all bags, and passengers	Yes (of all bags)	Yes (of all passengers)	Government	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
London	Intelligence-led security	No	No	Government	At major stations	At major stations	Yes	Yes	No
Moscow	Checking of all bags, and passengers	Yes (of all bags)	Yes (of all passengers)	Government	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
New York	Intelligence-led checkpoint evolution	Yes (on basis of security alerts)	Yes (on basis of security alerts)	Government	At major stations	At major stations	Yes	Yes	Yes
Seoul	IP-based CCTV system	No	No	Railway operator and police	At major stations	At major stations	Yes	Yes	No
Singapore	Unarmed guards at stations	No	No	Railway operator	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
Taipei	IP-based CCTV system	No	No	Railway operator	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
Tokyo	Staff trained in passenger evacuation	No	No	Railway operator	No	No	Yes	Yes	No

Table 5. Design factors and their impact upon the railway environment.

Variable	Related to
Presence of security checkpoints
Fixed designated checkpoint/Mobile checks	1. Free movement of passengers through the station premises
	2. Formation of queues at station premises
Number of security checkpoints	3. Waiting time of passengers in queues
	4. Number of passengers queuing
	5. Footprint and location of crowds on station premises
Number of personnel at each checkpoint	6. Number of security personnel
	7. Cost of equipment and manpower to railway company
Pat-down of passengers	8. Detection of weapons concealed on the offender’s person
	9. Cost of security officers
	10. Commuting experience of passengers
	11. Ethical issues related to surveillance and inspection
Service time	12. Effectiveness of the physical inspection procedure (false negative, false positive)
	13. Throughput of passengers
Proportion of passengers patted down	14. Crowding on station premises
	15. Waiting time for passengers in security queues
Gender of security officer patting down passengers	16. Passengers acceptability of security checks
	17. Recruitment issue in some countries
Door frame metal detector	18. Detection of weapons concealed on the offender’s person
	19. Cost of equipment
Sensitivity	20. Effectiveness of the detection procedure (false negative, false positive)
Visual inspection of bags	21. Detection of weapons concealed in bags
	22. Cost of security officers
	23. Privacy issues related to surveillance and inspection
Service time	24. Effectiveness of the procedure (false negative, false positive)
	25. Throughput of scanned bags
Proportion of bags inspected	26. Crowding on station premises
	27. Waiting time for passengers in security queues
X-ray scanning of bags	28. Detection of weapons concealed in bags
	29. Cost of specialist operators
	30. Privacy issues related to surveillance and inspection
Service time	31. Effectiveness of the procedure (false negative, false positive)
	32. Throughput of scanned bags
	33. Crowding on station premises
Proportion of bags scanned	34. Waiting time for passengers in security queues
Canine units	35. Detection of explosives concealed on person or in a bag
	36. Cost of specialist units
	37. Provisions to house dogs at stations
Proportion of passengers inspected	38. Effectiveness of the procedure (false negative, false positive)
Proportion of bags inspected
Armed units	39. Effectiveness of the response
	40. Response time to an attack
	41. Cost of specialist units
	42. Provisions for armoury at stations
	43. Passengers acceptability
Checkpoint evolution	44. Increase or decrease in the proportion of passengers patted down
	45. Increase or decrease in the proportion of bags scanned
	46. Time spent by passengers in security queue
	47. Crowding on station premises
	48. Number of passengers able to board the next available train on the network
	49. Train occupancy
	50. Revenue earned by the rail company from train occupancy
Security service provider	51. Cost of operations borne by the rail company
Rail company
State

Table 6. Environmental factors and their impact upon the railway environment.

	Characteristics	Factors
Demand	Safety	5, 14, 26, 33, 47
	Reliability	8, 18, 21, 28, 35, 39, 40
	Performance	6, 13, 25, 32
	Affordability	7, 19, 22, 29, 36, 41, 48, 49, 50, 51
	Attractiveness	1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 23, 27, 30, 33, 34, 46, 47
	Acceptability	11, 16, 23, 43
	Availability	46,48
	Efficiency	5, 6, 14, 26, 33, 47, 48
	Frequency	50, 51
	Profitability	48, 49, 50, 51
	Sustainability	7, 51
Supply	Capacity	48, 49
	Legality	11, 23, 30
Running cost	Efficiency	48, 49, 50
	Integrity	8, 12, 18, 20, 21, 24, 28, 35