Description

In August 2021, the European Union revealed plans for a Single European Railway Area (SERA) to connect the block and to meet carbone mission goals. The shift to rail transportation has been identified by policymakers as a key element in reaching carbon emission goals (carbon neutrality) by 2050, where about 11% of passengers and goods today are being transported by rail in Europe (e.g., through the elimination of short-haul flights).Increasing the capacity and utilisation of the SERA has a consequence of increasing the exposure of the general public and users of the railway system to risk, emphasising the need to further reduce key contributors to railway operating risk.Space based assets such as Global Navigation Satellites Systems (GNSS), earth observation satellites and satellite telecommunications can be enablers of innovative services and approaches for improving level crossing safety, with the potentialto substantially reduce the cost that accidents, injuries, and fatalities at level crossings have on European railways and society.The purpose of this activity is to assess the feasibility, from both technical and business points of view, of an innovative product / service to improve level crossing safety using one or more space-based assets. It is expected that the study shall be performed in close cooperation with stakeholders and users of this community.