SYSTRA and VISEO engaged to develop a digital planning decision for LXRA

The Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA) is a Victorian Government agency responsible for executing the removal of 75 rail level crossings across the entire Melbourne network currently and up to 2025. A significant number of rail occupations are required during the year to enable these removal works, which has required bus replacement services to be run in lieu of train services.

SYSTRA and VISEO have been engaged by LXRA to develop a digital planning decision platform that will enable the dynamic calculation of the optimal replacement bus services and the associated operational Key Performance Indicators essential to managing rail service disruption plans (e.g. anticipated disrupted passengers flows, real-time adjusted travel times,  and number of buses required).

“Developing this tool with our partner VISEO is very exciting” says Alan Trestour, General Manager Advisory ANZ – SYSTRA Scott Lister Pty Ltd. “Our solution is using a proven GIS based-planning platform developed by SYSTRA and VISEO. It incorporates forecasting, live and historical data (such as the GPS bus locations from in-vehicle tracking devices, the origin-destination travel forecasts, or the estimated Google travel times) to optimise the occupation plans and the bus operations.” explains Alan.

The solution will be accessible via a specially designed user-friendly web-interface and be used ultimately by Metro Trains Melbourne’s (MTM) disruption planning team to support their operations. The product is intended to reduce time and resources for occupation planning, improve disruptions services by bringing together numerous data sets and supporting decision making with real-time data supported by algorithms.

“Running replacement bus services during rail occupations requires collaboration and data. Thanks to the willingness of our client to unite internal stakeholders and bring collaboration to the process, our teams from VISEO and SYSTRA will work together to break barriers, translate large amounts of quality data to design and develop intelligent interfaces to make the decision platform the most efficient user-friendly tool. We look forward to delivering this fantastic product!” says Pierre-Francois VIEAU – Managing Director - VISEO Australia Pty Ltd.