Developing appropriate automation for signalling and train control on high speed railways

This paper highlights the need for careful assessment of appropriate automation to ensure that the skills of the human operator are maintained and that safety benefits can be developed effectively in practical applications. The paper includes case studies of high speed railways, including options considered for the development of the new high speed link between London and the Continent - the Channel Tunnel rail link. The authors address key issues of current concerns relating to the safety control of railways through automatic train protection, and compare the UK and French approaches to this. They outline the development of automation in control of railways and give examples of current technology and the associated human factors issues