7. WHAT NEXT?

The members of the NRIL Innovation working group have been delighted to contribute the thoughts and recommendations set out in this White Paper. Having created a productive innovation network in the north, we will continue to develop this community and are committed to supporting TfN in implementing the next steps to transforming rail in the north through innovation.

Following the publication of this paper, we recommend that TfN develop an innovation action plan, taking into account the recommendations made by the NRIL Innovation working group and defining the tangible next steps that will be taken to drive innovation in the north. We encourage TfN to identify individuals or teams within the northern network who can help to take forward the task of embedding an innovation culture within TfN. Examples of tangible next steps under each theme have been suggested by the Innovation working group below. NRIL are ready to support TfN in these next steps.

• Undertake a stakeholder mapping exercise to identify challenge owners across the TfN network and nominate innovation ‘champions’ to support engagement activities. • Hold workshops with a wide range of internal stakeholders to explore and define the TfN challenge statements. • Engage with northern UKRRIN partners and the wider rail innovation ecosystem to understand existing technology roadmaps and their potential relevance to TfN challenges. • Engage with organisations that have created a ring-fenced innovation fund to learn from their experience and establish if this is a suitable approach for TfN. • Identify opportunities for TfN to contribute challenge statements to competitions and other funding streams. • Establish a mentoring scheme that can be accessed across the range of businesses, especially by those outside of the current rail network.

• Establish a TfN-led support framework for high potential

SMEs, focussing on facilitating partnerships between SMEs and Tier 1 suppliers. • Develop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor the number and proportion of SMEs in the supply chain.

Include these KPIs in procurement activities. • Promote recent successes and thank new entrants to the industry. • Engage with organisations that have established a dedicated innovation team to learn from their experience and determine if this is a potential approach for TfN. • Refer to Innovation Standard BS EN ISO 56002 to support the creation of an innovation framework and behaviours. • Build links with groups such as Young Rail Professionals,

Women in Rail, and the Professional Engineering

Institutions to encourage different perspectives within TfN.

• Engage with Tier 1 suppliers to promote the understanding and sharing of innovation risks and benefits with greater tolerance for failure. • Facilitate better engagement between government and Tier 1 procurement and supply chain down to grassroots levels. • Ensure challenge statements are outcome focussed leading to increased inclusion from a wider business field and potential for cross-industry innovation.