Selectamark Security Systems plc is a finalist in three categories at the UK Rail Industry Awards 2016. The awards in February mark excellence and innovation in the rail industry.
Selectamark has been shortlisted in the Service Innovation, Product Innovation and Outstanding Projects categories for work with security guarding firm LandSherrifs to reduce metal theft on Network Rail lines. Selectamark has been working with Land Sherrifs since 2011 to reduce and deter metal theft on routes owned by Network Rail including the Anglia, Kent and Sussex lines; and on the HS1 route, maintained by Network Rail under contract to HS1 Ltd.
About the product
SelectaDNA is a spray containing UV markers, synthetic DNA and metal particles that can be used to identify the cable as belonging to a particular rail operator and coming from a specific location. It has been deployed at crime hot-spots along the routes to reduce theft of rail equipment such as copper cable, rail track and signal boxes belonging to Network Rail.
Tyler Le May from LandSherrifs said: “Once metal has been marked, its resale value to the criminal plummets. Through our collaborative working with Selectamark, we have found SelectaDNA to be a highly effective way of deterring metal thieves in the first instance. Thieves know that if they are caught with metal marked with SelectaDNA then the police are able to connect them directly to a particular theft and they will almost certainly be convicted.”
There have been no live cable thefts for nearly two years on the HS1 rail route since SelectaDNA has been used to protect the entire line in 2013, pictured.
Chris Gough at Land Sheriffs said: “Having thousands of visible SelectaDNA signs in place has also acted as a deterrent and helped us achieve the low amount of cable crime on the HS1 route. This is as a direct result of using SelectaDNA.”
Over the 12 months from 2012 to 2013, use of SelectaDNA Trace with other security measures, helped reduce cable theft on Network Rail’s Anglia route by 82 per cent and helped cut delays by 86pc.
This has not only seen savings made from not having to purchase and install new cable, but also from the hugely important reductions in delay minutes, which are costly to Network Rail and the industry in general, but also inconvenient for their customers.
