The new Siemens trains, which can carry more people in comfort than current designs, automatically measure how many people are in each carriage. They can then signal ahead to sensors at the next station. Automatic lights would then instruct waiting passengers where to stand to board those carriages with spaces.

Currently one in ten people in the UK spend more than two hours commuting each day.

The Desiro City trains, designed specifically for the UK and currently being considered to run on a number of routes around the country including the upgraded Thameslink routes in the South, can also sense when people are getting too hot.

An automatic air conditioning sensor keeps people cool when carriages are busy, but switches the system off if there are no passengers. The intelligent system also uses a ‘free cooling’ mode, using air from outside to help lower the temperature inside, making it more environmentally-friendly than current systems.

Steve Scrimshaw, Managing Director Rolling Stock, Siemens Mobility, said: “Siemens’ belief has always been that rail travel can be efficient, reliable and even enjoyable.

“But for many people the experience is ruined because they end up crammed into a hot carriage, often unaware that there is space available elsewhere on the train.

“The Desiro City is a train that wants to help. If you are on board it will cool you down, and if you are waiting it will tell you where to stand.”

A video of how the new system works can be found here http://www.siemens.co.uk/en/news_press/index/desirocityvideo/evolutioninmotion.htm

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Notes to editors:

About Siemens in the UK

Siemens was established in the United Kingdom 166 years ago and now employs 18,402 people in the UK. Last year’s revenues were £3.7 billion. As a leading global engineering and technology services company, Siemens provides innovative solutions to help tackle the world’s major challenges, across the key sectors of energy, industry and healthcare. Siemens has offices and factories throughout the UK, with its headquarters in Frimley, Surrey. The company’s global headquarters is in Munich, Germany. For more information, visit www.siemens.co.uk

As part of Siemens in the UK, Siemens Mobility employs around 1800 people, providing expertise and technology in rolling stock, rail infrastructure, traffic solutions and infrastructure logistics to the UK transport industry.

In Rolling Stock, Siemens Mobility provides and maintains passenger trains for First TransPennine Express, South West Trains, Heathrow Express, National Express East Anglia, Northern Trains and London Midland. New trains are currently in production for ScotRail.

With proven capability in rail automation, Siemens Mobility has recently delivered a major re-signalling project in the Portsmouth areas, traction power upgrades across the UK and new telecommunications systems in London and the west of England. It is also developing the GSM-R cab radio solution for the entire UK rolling stock fleet. For more information on Siemens Mobility please visit www.siemens.co.uk/mobility.

For more information, contact:

Gary Cleland / Andrew Bentham       

020 3128 8110 / 07525 225903

020 3128 8103

gary.cleland@yourmandate.com / andrew.bentham@yourmandate.com

Laurie Waugh

PR Manager    

Siemens plc         

Tel. +44 (0)1276 696310     

Mob: +44 (0)7921 242074     

laurie.waugh@siemens.com