Croydon Tramlink & Guardian: Advancing Safety, Wellbeing and Operational Excellence
Tram Operations Ltd manages the Croydon Tramlink network, delivering safe, reliable, and sustainable transport across South London. Carrying millions of passengers every year across multiple routes, the organisation maintains a strong commitment to safety, service excellence, and the wellbeing of its drivers and customers. Since first installing Guardian in 2017, Croydon Tramlink has continued to strengthen that commitment, recently upgrading to the latest generation of the technology to further protect drivers and enhance network safety.
A decade on from a tragic fatigue-related incident, Tram Operations continues to treat fatigue as a critical safety priority. And while fatigue remains a persistent risk, distraction has also emerged as a major challenge, especially across street-running sections where e-scooters, cyclists, personal devices, and delivery riders demand rapid situational awareness.
Guardian provides real-time alerts for both these driving risks, giving drivers immediate support and allowing operators to intervene before incidents occur. Since its implementation in 2017, Tram Operations has achieved an 86% reduction in fatigue-related events. Guardian is now a core component of their safety management system and an important contributor to driver wellbeing.
In fact, beyond fatigue and distraction detection, previously undiagnosed medical conditions – including overactive thyroid, sleep apnoea, and diabetes – have been identified early through Guardian’s data insights, potentially preventing life-threatening events. These early interventions have not only improved individual wellbeing but also reinforced confidence in Tram Operations’ safety culture.
With the recent upgrade to Guardian Generation 3, Tram Operations is preparing for the future. Generation 3 provides enhanced accuracy, advanced analytics, and predictive fatigue modelling – key capabilities for an industry facing growing operational complexity and rising public expectations.
“Upgrading to Guardian Generation 3 is more than a technology upgrade, it’s an investment in safety, wellbeing, and confidence” said Ben Groome, Service Delivery Director at Tram Operations Ltd. “It ensures we remain leaders in fatigue management and operational excellence, with Guardian helping us deliver on our promise every day.”
Looking ahead, the organisation sees AI-driven fatigue prediction, advanced analytics, and a proactive wellbeing focus as the future of transport safety. With Guardian Generation 3, they are ready to lead that next decade of innovation.
Learn more in this case study.
