From this moment forward, the canopy covering the route to the tram platform of Utrecht Central Station is being cleaned by a robot. Utrecht station is the largest combined bus, tram and train station in the Netherlands. More than 170,000 passengers travel to and from Utrecht every day. Robotic technology makes sure that cleaning the exterior is done safely, efficiently and without any nuisance to the commuters.
A lot of work went into it. Director of KITE Robotics, Stefan Spanjer, is happy with the results in Utrecht. “We developed the robot according to the specific wishes and demands of the client and came to a terrific result. We thank the City of Utrecht and Nederlandse Spoorwegen for their confidence. The city sets an example by thinking about efficient and effective cleaning of a complex construction at an early stage in development. The robot cleans buildings under safe conditions, improving everyone’s living and working conditions and saving costs at the same time.”
Utrecht Central Station is the heart of public transport in the Netherlands and acts as the entry hub for the entire city. Commuters transfer to buses, bikes, trams and trains and vice versa. The city thinks it is important for Utrecht to be hospitable and safely accessible. Alexander Schütte of the city explains: “The commuter is central to our philosophy. With this solution they are not hindered by hydraulic platforms or scaffolding and can travel comfortable from point A to point B. We did not just realize a quality connection from the station hall to the tram platform, but can keep it clean as well. We are very pleased with the automatic cleaning robot which provides an excellent solution within the complex environment of the station.”