MetroLink Ireland Technical Requirements

Project Overview

MetroLink: High-Level Control & Communications Requirements Development

Employer: AtkinsRealis (for MetroLink / Transport Infrastructure Ireland)
Sector: Rail, Telecoms, Requirements Engineering, Systems Assurance
Location: Dublin / Ireland
Role: Senior Telecoms Requirements Engineer
Period: Sep 2023 –Nov 2023

Executive Summary

Working for AtkinsRealis on behalf of MetroLink / Transport Infrastructure Ireland, I was responsible for interrogating concept and early-stage programme documentation and deriving a high-level client requirements set for the control and communications systems. This work supported the early requirements-setting phase by translating the client’s system vision into a structured baseline that could guide subsequent design development and procurement activity.

The scope covered the full control and communications estate, including copper and fibre networks, CCTV, SCADA, PAVA, telephony, central management and station management systems, radio communications, and DOO-related functions. Requirements were derived using BS EN, ISO, Network Rail, and relevant Irish standards so that the programme had a technically defensible, standards-led starting point for future system development.

Objectives / Challenge

Review the available MetroLink concept and early-stage documentation and convert it into a structured high-level requirements baseline.

Define client requirements across the control and communications systems at the correct level for the project phase.

Ensure the requirements reflected recognised industry standards and good practice from BS EN, ISO, Network Rail, and relevant Irish standards.

Provide a coherent baseline that could support later design, assurance, and procurement activities across a complex multi-system environment.

Approach / Solution

Documentation Interrogation & Requirements Derivation

  • Reviewed the available concept material and early client documentation to understand the intended system architecture, operational vision, and scope boundaries.
  • Interrogated the source material and translated high-level intent into a structured set of client requirements.
  • Produced requirements at the correct level for the phase, ensuring they were clear, defensible, and suitable as a baseline for future work.

Systems Coverage & Technical Definition

  • Developed requirements across the full control and communications scope, including copper and fibre networks, CCTV, SCADA, PAVA, telephony, central management and station management systems, radio communications, and DOO-related requirements.
  • Ensured the requirements captured the expected functional intent of each system while remaining aligned to the wider programme vision.

Standards & Compliance Alignment

  • Derived the requirements using BS EN, ISO, Network Rail, and relevant Irish standards as the governing basis.
  • Embedded standards-led thinking from the outset so that the resulting requirement set reflected recognised good practice and a defensible compliance baseline.

Requirements Baseline Development

  • Converted early-stage programme documentation into a high-level technical requirements set that could be used as the client baseline for subsequent design development.
  • Established a clear and structured foundation for future assurance, procurement, and systems engineering activity.

Outcomes / Results

  • Produced a structured high-level client requirements set for MetroLink’s control and communications systems.
  • Converted early concept documentation into a usable technical baseline for subsequent design and delivery development.
  • Provided AtkinsRealis and MetroLink / Transport Infrastructure Ireland with a standards-led requirements foundation across a broad multi-system telecoms scope.
  • Helped establish a clearer and more consistent basis for future design, assurance, and procurement decisions.

Key Technologies & Methodologies

  • High-level client requirements development
  • Control and communications systems requirements
  • Copper and fibre network systems
  • CCTV, SCADA, PAVA, and telephony
  • Central management and station management systems
  • Radio communications and DOO-related requirements
  • Standards-led requirements derivation
  • BS EN, ISO, Network Rail, and relevant Irish standards
  • Early-stage systems engineering and concept interrogation

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