Protecting Europe’s transport infrastructure

(12/10/2007)

When terrorists killed 191 and wounded a further 2,050 people in the coordinated attacks on the Madrid commuter rail network in March 2004, the attacks presented European lawmakers with a moment of pause and sent shockwaves through the European transport industry. While the terrorist atrocities of three years previously in New York and Washington had prompted much debate over the potential for similar to occur in Europe, at the time of the Madrid bombings additional protective measures existed only in the aviation sector but Europe’s mass transit systems remained wide open to attack.

The London underground and bus bombings of July 2005, the alleged airline bombing plot of August 2006 and the successful airport attack of June 2007, all serve to emphasis the simple fact that answers to how best to protect Europe’s transport infrastructure are much needed and long overdue.

Much has been made of the need to improve intelligence gathering and sharing in the fight against home grown and transnational terrorism, but the events of the past almost four years show clearly that intelligence alone is not the answer when the threats faced are largely covertly planned and executed. While intelligence must inevitably form part of the battle against terrorism, it must be supported by protective technologies effectively deployed to defend transport systems against attack.

In the drive to identify the key issues and determine the solutions, the annual Transec World Expo plays a mission critical role. The event brings key thinkers together in open conference and workshop to debate how best to meet the challenges facing the European transport industries, alongside a major exhibition of latest technological solutions from many of the world’s leading systems developers.

“This is the only independently organised event of its kind in the European theatre,” commented Peter Jones, Executive Director, Transec World Expo. “In devising this event we have striven to ensure that our main conference presents the key issues and encourages active debate. Similarly, our extensive range of workshops is designed to highlight specific concerns and present a range of mitigating measures.”

“The successful terrorist attacks seen in Europe and the near constant scares we have had, emphasis the fact that the European transport system remains firmly in the crosshairs. This was evidenced in the high attendance at Transec World Expo 2007 of delegates representing governments and many of the principle transport operators in the region,” adds Jones. In identifying the principal concerns and carefully directing discussion, Transec World Expo attempts to drive the identification of solutions.

“Many similar events are unfocused and therefore deliver little value to delegates. We differ in so much as delegates and exhibitors alike tell us that our approach actively helps them to focus on the most important issues they are faced with,” he says. Debate in relation to aviation marine, rail and highways security was the prime focus of conference at Transec World Expo 2007.

Supported by the European Commission (EC), International Maritime Organisation (IMO), World Customs Organisation (WCO), North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and others, the event honed in on issues related to passenger and baggage screening, perimeter security, biometric deployment and the handling of unruly passengers in the aviation sector, to the potentially more diverse range of threats in the maritime and supply change sectors including those threats related to the smuggling of nuclear, chemical and biological materials through transportation of narcotics and other contraband to seizure of high value cargo’s on the high seas.

Transec World Expo 2007 highlighted clearly that the European region still has many issues to address and its transport infrastructure remains a high value target for terrorist groups. Some of these issues can be addressed with relative ease while others are far more problematic. Aviation is a closed transport network where high level security solutions can be effectively deployed for instance, but those solutions cannot be transposed to the mass transit arena without bringing heavy rail, light rail and bus networks to a grinding halt. Security in the mass transit world remains a conundrum and requires lateral thinking and innovative solutions to address affectively.

“Our Transec World Expo exhibition is tailored such as to present to delegates a carefully selected range of exhibitors in various disciplines within the security sphere. The exhibition is an ever popular part of the event and offers exhibitors the unique ability to target their activity toward key decision makers,” Jones comments further. Exhibitors not only include the large multinational companies but many smaller organisations with unique solutions to specific problems. “The range of exhibitors attracted to Transec World Expo stands as testament to the leading role this event has in the European theatre,” he stated.

“So many questions remain and answers sought as Europe grapples the threat from terrorism. Transec World Expo has a vital role to play in fostering debate and helping to bring solutions to bear sooner rather than later,” concluded Peter Jones.

Transec World Expo 2008 will move to the new and larger venue of PTA – Amsterdam and is to be held 25 -26 June. Transec World Expo is also to introduce a similar event in Mumbai, India.

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