The historic Grade II-listed Tyne Pedestrian Tunnel has connected Jarrow and Howdon under the River Tyne since 1951, heralded as Tyneside’s contribution to the ‘Festival of Britain’ at a total cost of £833,000.
The Challenge
Having been in operation since 1951, the Tyne Pedestrian Tunnel was forced to close in 2013 for what was proposed as a two-year restoration project, but after the discovery of hazardous materials – the project was delayed and has remained closed for the past 6 years.
As part of the planned restoration, security, communications and public safety were also critical, creating the need for a full technology refresh and the introduction of a security platform that would help protect and keep safe the thousands of people who use the tunnel each month.
Joint owners, The Tyne Pedestrian Tunnel and Newcastle City Council approached Advantex to design, implement and manage fast and cost-effective IP cameras, access control and communication systems for both tunnels, ready for its reopening date in August 2019.
The Solution
Utilising Axis CAMERA MODEL IP surveillance cameras site-wide, and the Paxton MODEL access control units at key areas, the tunnel was transformed into a safe and secure environment, enhancing public safety to its maximum.
In addition to public safety, a state-of-the-art Mitel telephony system was installed – keeping the business connected. In addition to staff communications, a digital live signage system from SignageLive was installed to communicate with the public – including advertising, travel times and warning messaging.
The Results
Both tunnels now benefit from the most advanced and state-of-the-art communication and security.
Not only are the 20,000+ people who use the tunnel each month safe and secure thanks to intelligent access control and IP surveillance cameras, pedestrians can also check travel times at the entrance of each side of the tunnel, and in the event of an emergency, the signs will display messaging not to enter – making the tunnel more efficient than ever.