Banedanmark rolls out new ERTMS signalling in Denmark
From 11 April 2023 onwards, trains on the line between Copenhagen and Ringsted via Køge Nord will run on a new ERTMS-based digital signalling system. The system being rolled out by Danish infrastructure manager Banedanmark should result in fewer signal errors and more trains on time.
Banedanmark plans to replace all old analog signals along the entire rail network – some 2,600 kilometres – with new systems by 2030. The upgrade will eliminate the old signals, which are the leading cause of train delays in Denmark, and allow for signals to be sent directly to the driver’s computer screen, improving traffic management and reducing delays. The implementation of a new digital signalling system in Denmark will allow for more efficient train operations and better traffic information.
According to Denmark’s Minister for Transport Thomas Danielsen, the country is currently investing billions in the railways. The roll-out of the new system between Copenhagen and Ringsted is the first on one of the main lines connecting the regions, enabling direct travel from Næstved to Copenhagen via Køge without changing trains. Banedanmark will keep the new system under scrutiny during the running-in period to take action in case of technical errors.
Janus Steen Møller, Director of Signals at Banedanmark, added: “I am proud that we have now for the first time rolled out the new signalling system on a main line. The old interlockings are the single biggest cause of delayed trains. When we put a new system into use, we cannot avoid the fact that there will be teething problems in the beginning, but in the long term, all experience shows that the number of errors decreases and the quality is improved for passengers.”
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