Milestone IP video software secures Malmo CityTunnel

When the Swedish national railway began major construction of the Malmo CityTunnel Project in 2005, workplace security was of utmost concern. Now the tracks are almost ready, and it is IP video surveillance management software from Milestone Systems that helps make sure everything goes smoothly.

When construction is complete in December 2010, 17 kilometers of new high-tech, double-track electric rails will connect Malmo Central Station in Sweden with the Oresund Bridge to Denmark. Six kilometers of that will run underground in two parallel tunnels through the center of Malmo. The goal of the CityTunnel connection between Malmo and Copenhagen is to greatly reduce the travel time between the two cities – and not least to transform Malmo Central Station into a transit hub that powers the pan-Scandinavian network.

Several thousand people have been involved in this construction, and today around 100 men are working with the last preparations. It is precisely this reduction in personnel that has made the managers of the CityTunnel project sharpen security for the workers with IP video surveillance from Milestone Systems.

“In conjunction with reducing the workforce in this phase, we have increased the security because even though the project will soon be finished, we have to continue to ensure that the work goes smoothly and problem-free and that our employees have safe work conditions. We have therefore chosen IP network video surveillance, and it has already solved a number of issues for us,” says Mikael Lundquist, Manager for Personnel & Work Environment, CityTunnel.

In collaboration with Insupport, a Certified Milestone Partner, the CityTunnel project identified weak points in their security and it was clear that network video surveillance was necessary. The choice was Milestone XProtect™ Enterprise, an IP software solution designed as an open platform that supports the largest options for cameras and integrations with other systems – both existing and future. The video surveillance is installed in three train stations, as well as the tunnels, with about 30 Sony IP cameras, including the rugged stationary dome model SNC DF80 and the panorama model SNC RZ25 with Pan/Tilt/Zoom and day/night functionality.

Strong Nordic Partner

“The decision to use Milestone was easy. We know Milestone really well, and they offer a very strong platform that allows integration with all kinds of software and hardware. Among other things, we can archive the surveillance video in very high quality and quickly export images to other locations, which has huge value for the CityTunnel,” states Pontus Pettersson, VP at Insupport Natverksvideo.

Three security guards patrol the underground stations where the surveillance is installed. When they walk their normal rounds they can also have their colleagues follow with the video monitors at any time. The system has been used primarily for documentation which has already been a big help, for example in the case of two inebriated Danes who got lost in the tunnel in January. With the video images, there was incontrovertible evidence that was immediately given to the police.

“We have been very pleased with the Milestone software, not least because it is easy to use by our security personnel, but of course because it makes our work much safer,” concludes Mikael Lundquist.