Laser precision has proved to be just the ticket in the redevelopment of Telford’s bus station where the latest Geze technology has reportedly combined efficiency with passenger safety.
The travel hub – part of the Telford Shopping Centre – has undergone a £1.9 million refurbishment and transformed an out-of-date terminus to a ‘light and airy’ atrium geared to improve passenger experience.
The new Telford bus station separates the transport and customer areas with a bank of automatic doors powered by the Geze Slimdrive SL NT operators. Each set of doors is fitted with a Geze laser scanner LZR sensor – a new product devised for use in environments that have specific and demanding requirements.
According to Geze, the movement sensors provide a three-dimensional protection of the monitored area which initiate door openings ‘at the optimum time’. Geze says that this means the automatic doors stay closed – activated only when the bus is parked and in position. This protects passengers from wandering into the area when bus manoeuvres are taking place.
Geze adds that LZR scanners, which are fitted to the doors, are easier to install and are more aesthetically pleasing than sensor loops which need to be embedded into the ground and sealed with bitumen. Sensor loops deteriorate over time and can be expensive and awkward to replace, says Geze.
With a height of just 7cm – Slimdrive SL NT operators are said to be ‘almost invisible’, virtually silent in operation and can move leaf weights of up to 125kg.
Integrated within the shopping centre, the bus station acts as a ‘hub and spoke’ operation for the borough’s transport network and is intended to boost economic growth by encouraging increasing visitor numbers into to the town.
Andy Howland, sales and marketing director for Geze UK, said: “The redevelopment of Telford Bus Station has significantly improved the facilities for commuters using public transport and making it a pleasurable experience.
“We are delighted that Geze technology has helped bring about some of this change and delivered a solution that is effective, efficient and brings real benefits to bus station operations and the people who use such an important transport hub.”
