Experimental Study for Estimating the Passenger Space at Metro Stations with Platform Edge Doors

Abstract

Platform edge doors (PEDs) are used in various metro stations to improve safety, comfort, and ventilation conditions; however, limited research has been done to estimate the passenger space (PS) in the boarding and alighting process when PEDs are installed. The objective of this paper is to estimate the PS needed for alighting at metro stations. For this purpose, laboratory experiments have been performed at University College London’s Pedestrian Accessibility Movement Environmental Laboratory. The experiments consisted of a mock-up of a carriage and the relevant portion of the platform, in which different load scenarios of boarding and alighting were conducted. The scenarios were based on a preliminary analysis observed at Westminster Station (with PEDs) and Green Park Station (without PEDs). To obtain the position of each passenger on the platform a tracking tool was used. The results show that the PS for alighting passengers can be represented as an asymmetrical ellipse, in which the longitudinal and lateral radii change according to the negotiations with other passengers alighting or waiting on the platform to board the train. Therefore, there is a relationship between the PS and the level of interaction, which suggests that passengers adjust their PS to avoid collision. This research can be used in pedestrian models by traffic engineers to estimate the PS of passengers boarding and alighting when PEDs are used. This in turn can help in designing the platform–train interface and platforms at transport infrastructures.