Five reasons to use platform screen doors

Platform screen doors are used in modern subway stations around the world to restrict passengers’ access to the tracks and tunnels. They have a number of advantages, which include improving safety as well as enhancing the station environment.

Here are five key reasons to consider installing platform screen doors.

1. Prevent falls – Platform screen doors prevent accidental falls from the platform onto the lower track area. They help reduce deaths and injuries on transportation systems. They also prevent suicide attempts and homicides in which one person pushes another onto the tracks. Finally, by reducing the amount of wind caused by the piston effect, in which trains moving through the tunnel create a strong air current, they can also help to prevent falls on the platform.
2. Reduce the risk of accidents – When service trains pass through a station at high speed, there is a risk that people standing too close to the platform edge will be injured or killed. Platform screen doors provide a physical barrier between passengers and trains, reducing the risk of accidents.
3. Improve station environment – By physically isolating the station from the tunnel, platform screen doors allow heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to operate more efficiently. The doors also improve the sound quality of platform announcements by reducing background noise from tunnels and trains.
4. Lower costs – When used in conjunction with Automatic Train Operation, platform screen doors eliminate the need for motormen and conductors. As a result, labor costs are lower. This reduction in ongoing costs can help to recoup the initial investment involved in installing the doors.
5. Reduce litter build-up – Finally, platform screen doors prevent litter build-up on the track, which can be a fire risk in addition to looking untidy. Platform screen doors prevent passengers from dropping litter onto the tracks and also prevent litter on the platform falling from the platform edge. As a result, they make it easier for cleaning staff to pick up litter in the station, therefore helping to keep the environment clean and tidy for everyone.