Development of Risk Assessment Specifications for Analysing Terrorist Attacks Vulnerability on Metro and Light Rail Systems

Abstract

With terrorist security of critical assets becoming a vital aspect of railway systems, this paper reviews the existing international policy frameworks and also risk assessment methodologies. This information fed into development of a risk assessment methodology (RAMPART Methodology) specifically addressing metro and light rail systems (mass transit). The uniqueness lies in differentiating itself using the following nine factors and parameters: qualitative vs quantitative approach; detail (depth of data/information levels disaggregation); scope (e.g. what threats/assets/sector covered?); what is target user group (legislators, management, technocrats, etc); definition of asset criticality; degree of subjectivity in whole RA process; is resilience (countermeasures) included?; are interdependences included; and common taxonomy/terminology.