Update
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Summer 2021
WILLIAMS-SHAPPS PLAN PUBLISHED On 20 May, the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail was published, Periods will cover both operations and services. Network Rail setting out the Goverment's strategy for restructuring the rail will be absorbed into the new body, with its current Chair Sir sector. Peter Hendy and Chief Executive Andrew Haines continuing in Announcing the plan, the their roles. Prime Minister said he was a "great believer in rail" and that RIA broadly welcomed the the Government will deliver White Paper, in particular the a rail system the country can Government's emphasis for the be "proud of". The Transport role of the private sector and the Secretary Grant Shapps said: ideas for long-term plans for the "It’s now time to kickstart sector. reforms that give the railways RIA Chief Executive Darren solid and stable foundations Caplan said he was "heartened for the future, unleashing the that the new Williams-Shapps competitive, innovative and Plan for Rail is a 30-year strategy, The 'Plan for Rail' sets out the restructure of the industry expert abilities of the private which supports modernisation sector, and ensuring passengers and investment along the lines of come first." the RIA Rail 2050 manifesto we published in November 2019." The headline announcement is that the Government will He added that the supply chain's major ask at this stage, establish a new public body, Great British Railways (GBR), to "is that the restructure of UK rail does not cause any hiatus in be a single guiding mind and manage train and track. GBR will work being done to renew and enhance railway infrastructure integrate the railways, owning the infrastructure, collecting fare or rolling stock". A briefing was circulated to members and an revenue, running and planning the network, and setting most event has been organised with Network Rail CEO Andrew Haines fares and timetables. From 2024, 5-year investment Control to explore what the Plan means for the supply chain.
RailDecarb21 campaign launched RIA has launched a campaign calling for action to decarbonise the rail network ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November. The campaign was launched at EuroRail Hub and has since seen a new report launched, entitled 'Why Rail Electrification?'. The report was published alongside an open letter to the Transport Secretary signed by more than 15 organisations from across the rail industry. Read more on page 4.
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RIA shoots for the stars with Innovation Conference This year's Innovation Conference was held from 28-30 April and saw RIA 'shoot for the stars' with Apollo astronaut Charle Duke attending as a guest speaker. He joined leading industry figures including the Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris MP, Network Rail Chief Executive Andrew Haines OBE and many more. Find out more on page 12.
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PM gets behind rail at SPEED Conference
On 26 February, RIA hosted the rail Project SPEED Conference on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT) and Network Rail. The event - attended by over 2,000 industry colleagues was opened by Prime Minister Boris Johnson MP who thanked those in the rail industry for their work over the pandemic and backed a return to rail as the economy opens up, saying “good efficient mass transit systems are the great social and economic levellers and bringers of hope”. RIA is holding follow up sessions with Network Rail.
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RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
Dear RIA colleagues - Welcome to the June Update 1. The Williams Review Of course, the biggest development since the last Update has to be the publication of the Williams Review, albeit a couple of years after we were first expecting it! Renamed the ‘Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail’, the Review sets out a 30-year strategy, which aims to simplify UK rail, and is positioned as non-ideological between nationalisation and privatisation. There will be a new entity – Great British Railways (GBR) – and a ‘guiding mind’ head leading the restructure, in the shape initially of Network Rail Chief Executive Andrew Haines. On the railway industry side of the Plan, the initial runes seem positive: it supports modernisation and investment, and is very much in line with many of the recommendations RIA and members sought in the RIA Rail 2050 manifesto, published in November 2019 (just before the last General Election) – see here. We of course support the Plans ambition to attract passengers and freight back to the network. However, we are told that much is yet to be consulted on and worked out before the Plan is implemented, although bearing in mind the next General Election could be as early as RIA's Rail 2050 Manifesto asks: 1. Development of a long term, 30-year strategy that promotes private investment. 2. The smoothing of 'boom and bust' in rail infrastructure and rolling stock investment, and improvement to the visibility of upcoming enhancement upgrade projects. 3. A better balance in the train fleet between new and upgraded trains. 4. Decarbonisation of the railway, through a rolling programme of electrification for intensively used lines and by using battery, hydrogen and other technologies. 5. Digitalisation of the railway through deployment of modern digital signalling technology.
Spring 2023 one would expect to see progress on and implementation of at least some of the Plan before then. It is crucial for RIA members, though, that the proposed restructure does not cause a hiatus either now or in the future in the work rail suppliers are doing to renew and enhance railway infrastructure or rolling stock. A quick precis of the RIA ‘asks’ in our RIA Rail 2050 Manifesto can be found on the left.
2. The re-start / the return to rail The Williams Review comes on the cusp of what looks like the most significant re-opening of UK society since the lockdown of March 2020. RIA is very clear that we will continue as a physical trade association that does some virtual, and not the other way round. Indeed, as a transport organisation it would be bizarre for us not to promote the virtues of travelling to see people in-person, whether for work, visiting friends or family, or leisure. RIA’s new premises, in the Kings Buildings, Smith Square, Westminster, have been chosen and fitted out specifically with What's in the Rail Plan? hosting meetings, events, and networking in mind. 1. A commitment to publish a 30-year We look forward to seeing you soon. strategic plan for the rail sector. RIA is optimistic about the return to travel. The evidence of previous pandemics, recessions and other 2. A commitment to long-term investment crises is that they tend not to impact on the medium plans and clear visibility of GBR and and long term rise in transport passenger numbers. Government's ambitions for rail. And if the Government is serious about, what we at RIA call the Four Gs – Growth, Geography (levellingup), Green, and Global (exports-driven) – then rail sits 3. Continued engagement with the supply right at the apex of all this. We should bear in mind chain on rolling stock procurement. that millions of people want to travel to visit people; that the vast majority of jobs still require workers 4. Plans to decarbonise the railways in line to attend work places; and that of the jobs which with trend of greening public transport. can be done from home, it is likely the majority of the time these employees will still be commuting to workplaces. Let’s wait and see a few months what 5. The 30-year strategy will include plans actually happens when society reopens, rather than to manage and develop digital signalling. plan on suppositions and forecasts.
6. Commitment to major rail projects including HS2, TransPennine Route Upgrade, Northern Powerhouse Rail, East West Rail, Midlands Rail Hub and Crossrail 2, amongst others.
6. Highlights commitments to deliver HS2, as well as key projects across the UK which are due to be outlined in the Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands and further electrification.
7. Government to work with the rail industry to set priorities for innovation and collaboration between rail organisations.
7. Highlights importance of innovation from private sector and bodies such as UKRRIN to improve industry performance.
8. Government to consider the role of the rail industry as a key UK exporter, when developing new trade agreements.
8. The Plan says that "Government will continue to support exporters to take advantage of emerging global trade opportunities".
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3. Finally, events again… So on the theme of meeting up, Team RIA colleagues really do look forward to catching up with you in person soon. As a starter, we’re teaming up with the Rail Alliance, RFM and RFG at Rail Live on 17 June to enable suppliers and colleagues around the railway industry to come together informally after almost 18 months apart. There’ll be coffee and nibbles so come and join us in Zone E, GARDEN_01, opposite the RL organisers office between 10am and 2pm. Please contact events@riagb.org.uk for further details. We really look forward to seeing you there! Best wishes, Darren Caplan, Chief Executive ria@riagb.org.uk www.riagb.org.uk
RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
The Midlands' role in building back better, post Coronavirus Midlands Connect Director Maria Machancoses sets out the region's plans for transport as the UK looks to reboot following the Coronavirus pandemic. As I write this I am looking out of my window and my neighbours are talking, in a very socially distanced way, chatting over the fence about how they’ve not visited each other in a year. This made me think of two things: Firstly, the old adage was always ‘A week is a long time in politics’ but the last year has thrown life, as we know it, totally up in the air; and secondly connectivity is important for everyone and will always be so. We are mobile, social and creative beings that thrive on both physical and digital connectivity. The UK right now feels ”in-between”. We are half vaccinated, and halfway to reopening and re-connecting with those that we love and want to be with, personally and professionally. We are simultaneously trying to bring the pandemic to an end and start building back better. As we pause, reflect and remember those we lost it feels a bit like a 1945 moment is about to wash over us all. As we build back better – we have to grasp transport’s role in that and at Midlands Connect that is what we are trying to do. We are trying to tackle the big challenges that we, as a region, face. Midlands Connect published its first transport strategy in 2017, and since then has made excellent progress – researching, developing and progressing schemes that will bring the biggest social, economic and environmental benefits to our region. Despite this success, the world is a very different place now than it was four years ago. To reflect the huge changes we have experienced, including Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and a heightening climate crisis, we are in the process of refreshing our strategy to ensure we overcome these unprecedented
challenges. This updated strategy will be published in late 2021. In advance of this, we have been collaborating with our partners and key stakeholders to gain a wider understanding of how these huge changes and challenges have impacted policy-making at local, regional and national level. We are currently tackling three key
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The aim of our strategy is to set out an investment programme that improves strategic connectivity
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questions; firstly transport’s role in helping the region’s economic recovery from COVID-19 and, beyond this, supporting the jobs, development and regeneration essential to our regional prosperity. Secondly, the funding and prioritisation of key transport projects to improve the life chances of our communities, boosting social mobility, productivity and quality of life. Finally, we are focusing on decarbonising transport by increasing use of public transport, reducing congestion on our roads, and supporting technology and innovation. The aim of our strategy is to set out an investment programme that improves strategic connectivity between the east and west Midlands, better connects us with our neighbouring regions of the North of England and Wales and strengthens existing connectivity to the south of England, our ports and airports. This strategic investment will be complemented by improvements to local
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connectivity made by our local authority partners and regional economic growth plans from the Midlands Engine, that will drive levelling-up both across our region and the country. Combined with the commitment to net-zero, this will make a significant contribution to UK-wide prosperity and a carbon-neutral future. If we get this right we can put transport at the heart of our efforts to build back better from COVID-19. And we can put it at the heart of improving connectivity for all.
About Maria Machancoses
Maria Machancoses is the Director of Midlands Connect - the sub-national Transport Body (STB) for the Midlands. The umbrella group brings together political, civic and business leaders to secure major investment into the region’s transport network. Under her leadership, Midlands Connect has published its first landmark 25-year regional transport strategy for the Midlands and has progressed a number of critical projects including the £3.7bn Midlands Engine Rail. Maria, with over 20-years of transport experience, has held a number of senior positions across a broad range of areas including strategy, planning, environmental and infrastructure. Maria is currently Board member of the Midlands Engine Partnership, the HS2 East Midlands Development Corporation, the University of Birmingham City Region Economic and Development Institute (City REDI) and the Telford Town Deal Board. ria@riagb.org.uk www.riagb.org.uk
RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
Public Affairs & Policy RIA launches Devolved National and Regional Manifestos
RAIL MANIFESTO LONDON & SOUTH EAST Key Regional Stats In London & the South East, rail contributes: •
£20.7bn GVA to the economy;
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305,000 jobs;
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£6.5bn in tax revenue.
RIA’s Key UK Asks 1. Continue to invest in major rail schemes post-Coronavirus and support rail’s role in supporting the economic recovery; 2. Increase visibility of rail schemes, including publishing the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline; Williams Rail Review; Integrated Rail Plan and Transport Decarbonisation Plan; 3. Begin a rolling programme of electrification and orders for low carbon rolling stock, in order to decarbonise the network; 4. Bring forward digital signalling work to ensure the UK is able to meet the backlog in signalling work; and 5. Include rail in future trade deals and support the sector as a significant export in its own right.
As London and the South East recovers from the Coronavirus pandemic, transport, and rail specifically, is well-placed to spur economic growth and provide jobs and investment for communities. The region will also no doubt play a key role in the UK’s wider recovery, especially given its international connectivity and transport links. The London Mayor has considerable authority to determine transport policy and deliver key projects in the city. So, looking to the May 2021 London mayoral, London Assembly and local council elections, transport should be high on the agenda. Ahead of the elections, RIA has set out five recommendations for London and the South East’s future political leaders, complimenting our five national key asks (left). Recommendation 1 To establish long-term, multi-year financial settlements for Transport for London (TfL), in order to provide funding certainty for businesses and investment pipeline. Following the pandemic, the rail supply chain, like many industries, will need certainty from Government about upcoming work. This need is particularly acute in the rail industry given the long-term nature of funding and projects and the technical skills required to complete these projects. Moreover, Transport for London (TfL) has continued to receive short-term emergency funding settlements from the Government, the latest of which will cover only until shortly after May’s election. Rail businesses all over the UK who work on rail schemes in and around the capital will require certainty over what the future looks like. This is why RIA and our members would recommend longer term, multi-year, funding settlements – similar to Network Rail’s five-year Control Period system – to provide TfL with the support it requires to recover from the pandemic, as passengers return to the network.
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RIA published five Manifestos covering London and the South East, the North of England, Wales, Scotland and the Midlands, ahead of the elections in those nations and regions. The Manifestos set out key recommendations for promoting a strong and vibrant rail supply industry, with each highlighting the need for a sustained programme of rail investment, action on decarbonisation and digitalisation, the promotion of skills, diversity and innovation and the need to deliver major schemes.
Brexit: Where Next? In the RIA Survey 2020, Members highlighted uncertainty about life after Brexit as a key concern. In response, RIA has pulled together a cross RIA team – building on the shared expertise of the Exports, Technical and Innovation and Policy teams to focus on Brexit. The key priorities are: opening doors to potential markets inside and outside the EU; developing strong UK/EU ties, and communicating to RIA members key information. We have refreshed our trade asks and defined priorities for 2021 – and shared these with the House of Lords EU Goods Sub-Committee. These can be found at www.riagb.org.uk/TradeAsks We have also collaborated with DfT on a series of briefing events including on Immigration; Rules of Origin; Trade in Services and Qualifications; and Borders, tax and customs with HMRC. RIA have also welcomed the fact UK companies remain eligible to take part in Horizon Futures – with the next bidding rounds likely to take place early next year. Kings Buildings, 16 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HQ +44 (0) 207 201 0777
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The Manifestos were developed over RIA's Devolution Week, from 8 to 12 March, during which a different region and nation was covered each day. Members heard from key speakers and had the chance to feed into the Manifestos through workshops. Now the elections have taken place, RIA will be engaging with the key political leaders in each region and nation. All the Manifestos can be found on our publications page in the Press Office area here.
Rail Enhancement Clock reaches 500 days with no update published The day of the Budget, 3 March 2021, marked 500 days since the publication of the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP) setting out the planned rail upgrades for the network over the current Control Period. RIA highlighted its Rail Enhancements Clock, which counts the number of days since the list was last published
in October 2019, in an announcement ahead of the Budget, with RIA Chief Executive Darren Caplan urging greater certainty for rail businesses. The RNEP is vital for RIA members, many of whom are unable to plan without a clear pipeline of future work, and we hope to see an update as soon as possible.
Consultation Responses: Subsidy Control, Procurement Green Paper and more RIA has submitted a number of where RIA has consultation responses to Government or supported the Parliamentary inquiries. These include: publication of pipelines, ‘whole life value’ and • The Subsidy Control Consultation, delivery model assessments. in which RIA called for the removal harmful subsidies and protections • The Lords Science and Technology such as disproportionate use of ‘buy Committee inquiry on batteries and local’ rules; fuel cells, where RIA highlighted the role these technologies could play in • The Procurement Green Paper, rail.
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RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
RailDecarb21 Campaign: Open letter to Government urges electrification As part of the RailDecarb21 campaign, RIA has published an open letter with 16 other rail bodies to Transport Secretary Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, calling for a rolling programme of rail electrification to begin as soon as possible to meet the Government’s legally binding Net Zero commitments. The letter comes on the back of a report that RIA supported, titled 'Why Rail Electrification?'. The report urges the Government to begin a programme of rail electrification now, in order to meet the UK's Net Zero commitments, explaining why electrification is both a future-proof technology and a good investment.
The letter was signed by organisations including the Campaign for Better Transport, Rail Delivery Group, RSSB, Rail Freight Group, Railfuture, Institution of Mechanical Engineering (IMechE) and Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), amongst others. It is hoped that the report and letter will influence Government policy ahead of the publication of the Integrated Rail Plan and the Transport Decarbonisation Plan, due for publication after the May local elections. Members can find out more about the campaign at www.riagb.org.uk/RailDecarb21
Business Secretary HS2 Minister joins speaks to members Chairman's Lunch HS2 and Major Rail Projects Minister at roundtable Andrew Stephenson MP met with Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng MP joined RIA Members for an exclusive virtual roundtable on 29 March, following his recent appointment to the role in January. The Business Secretary heard from RIA Members on topics including innovation, the role of SMEs, decarbonisation, the Rail Sector Deal, the need for sustainability of work and how the sector can reduce the skills gap. The Business Secretary also answered questions including on the Government's new Plan for Growth document, which seeks to support its 'Build Back Better' agenda.
RIA Members for the first Chairman's Lunch of the year. Stephenson spoke about the progress of the project, decarbonisation and skills in the session for RIA's largest members.
NRIL presents to Parliamentary Groups Northern Rail Industry Leaders (NRIL), the RIA supported group of rail suppliers in the North of England, presented over April and May to the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Rail and APPG for Rail in the North. The speakers highlighted the group's recent reports and publications.
RIA joins CfBT campaign RIA joined the launch of the Campaign for Better Transport's The Way Forward campaign, to get more people onto public transport. Read more on page 7.
Contact our Policy, Public Affairs & PR team Kate Jennings
Policy Director kate.jennings@riagb.org.uk 07771 944135
Max Sugarman Public Affairs & PR Director max.sugarman@riagb.org.uk
07399 042383
Alexis King PR & Comms Executive alexis.king@riagb.org.uk 07399 042385
Isabella Lawson Policy Executive isabella.lawson@riagb.org.uk
07964 263836 Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng MP spoke with RIA Members about the Government priorities on decarbonisation, build back better and innovation Kings Buildings, 16 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HQ +44 (0) 207 201 0777
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RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
Supporting the industry through the Workplace Visibility Charter Keltbray Group CEO and Rail Supply Group (RSG) Sustainability Champion Darren James sets out RSG's new Workplace Visibility Charter The Government wants the UK to “Build Back Better” after the COVID-19 pandemic. That is why the industry has launched a Work Pipeline Visibility Charter, which is asking the UK rail industry to play its part in meeting its Rail Sector Deal commitments by making the development, design, procurement and delivery of rail projects more effective than they have been in the past. One way to achieve this is by providing suppliers a clear picture of their potential future workload. When the Rail Supply Group (RSG) surveyed businesses that supply to the rail sector last year, visibility of the work pipeline came out as an absolute priority, and COVID has only made this more urgent. Better work pipeline visibility enables organisations throughout the supply chain to invest in the people, skills and
technology they need to provide better products and services. The Charter is giving organisatiions at every level the chance to commit to making their work pipeline visible as early and as deep into their supply chain as possible. Without clear visibility of upcoming workload, suppliers use a lot of energy trying to work out for themselves what the pipeline might be, or they decide that it is not worth investing in the marketplace. We need organisations further down the supply chain to invest in manufacturing capability, because that is where the innovative solutions are going to come from that will make the whole industry more effective. Last year, full pipeline visibility was trialled on eight pilot projects that
involved 28 organisations from all levels in the supply chain. All these projects reported benefits with little or no extra cost. If everyone in the industry signs up to the Work Pipeline Visibility Charter, these benefits will be felt on every project in the future and by everyone in the industry – from government, rail clients, Tier 1’s, Tier 2’s and other procurer’s all the way through to the supply chain. You can find out more about the Charter at: https://www. railsupplygroup.org/ work-pipeline-visibility
RIA moves to Westminster! RIA has moved to new premises in Westminster and is now based at Kings Buildings, 16 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HQ. The offices sit between the Houses of Parliament in one direction and the DfT and other Government departments and rail-related stakeholders, in the other. RIA now sits at the heart of Westminster in Smith Square, in the Kings Buildings opposite the old Conservative Central Office and, intriguingly, the current Europe House, which houses the EU Delegation to the UK. As you can see in the pictures, the
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premises have a main office for 20 staff, an informal kitchen/ work area where visitors can mingle, ‘hot-desking’, a hub area, where we can hold events with up to 100 delegates, and flexible space which can convert in to Board rooms and six meeting rooms. Members are welcome to visit us, though at the moment please be aware that we are a Covid-safe office, so you will need to adhere to guidance as set out around the office. Once we are back to more normal times and everyone can freely travel, we will announce an office opening event.
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RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
The Way Forward Is Public Transport In this special article for the Update, Norman Baker, Advisor to the Chief Executive at the Campaign for Better Transport, talks about their new campaign As the country slowly emerges from lockdown, and people start travelling more, the question is this: are they going to return to public transport, or are we going to see a car-heavy recovery? The answer is important, not simply for public transport operators, but for all of us who believe a good, well supported and well used public transport system will deliver economic, environmental and social benefits in a way that over-reliance on private cars and vans never can. The initial signs are not good. Car traffic volumes are roughly back to where they were a year ago, while train and bus use struggles to reach half the level it was at then. If that trend continues, it will mean huge congestion on our roads, more air pollution and carbon emissions, and more isolated people as they find the bus or train they want to use is no longer there. The government has done the right thing by providing a short-term lifeline for public transport over the last year, but there is a limit to the Treasury’s generosity. Already voices inside are grumbling that they are paying big sums for empty trains to run around. And while fuel duty was frozen this year, for the 11th year running, train fares were jacked up. This is where the Campaign for Better Transport comes in. We are the leading transport charity and the only one to cover all modes. Moreover, while the train and bus industries feel constrained in what they can say because they are presently so dependent on government money, no such restrictions apply to us. We are a respected independent voice and we intend to be heard. All this is why we have decided to launch a campaign in support of public transport. The Way Forward campaign went live in mid-May and the lobbying of ministers, civil servants, MPs and peers has already begun. Our campaign includes specially decorated buses, adverts in Westminster tube
station, animated short films for the internet, and much more besides. As I said above, we are an independent body and not for sale, but happily on this occasion our aims and assessments overlap almost exactly with the rail and bus industries, and we are working closely with the Rail Delivery Group
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and the Confederation of Passenger Transport, as well as with individual operators. There is all to play for. There are positive noises coming out of the Department for Transport, but less positive noises coming from the Treasury and the Cabinet Office. The DfT’s National Bus Strategy is good document and incorporates much of what we at the Campaign for Better transport have been pushing for. This includes new flexible season tickets, single leg pricing, a change to the way engineering works are carried out, and for continued big investment in electrification and line reopenings. In other words, we want our campaign to coincide with, or be shortly followed by, a new offer to passengers, and selected investment, for example in infill electrification, to boost rail freight. If you would like more information or would like to help us, please email me: norman.baker@bettertransport.org.uk Thank you.
The key test for rail will be the government response to the Williams Review, and we have been relentless in pressing for the sorts of changes the industry needs to succeed in the postCOVID world.
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About Norman Baker Norman joined Campaign for Better Transport in 2019. Prior to that he was a Liberal Democrat MP for 18 years, during which time he served as Shadow Transport Secretary in opposition from 2007 to 2010, then as Transport Minister for three and a half years. He writes regular columns for transport magazines, as well as undertaking transport consultancy work, and is a published author and singer/ songwriter.
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RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
Exports RIA backs Australian Trade Deal's value to rail, with virtual trade mission held As the UK continues to negotiate free trade agreements with countries across the world, we have been working to ensure rail features in the deal with Australia. RIA has collaborated with the Department for International Trade (DIT) to both highlight Australia as a market for UK rail exports and to help match suppliers with opportunities on rail projects across the country. In March 2021, RIA and the DIT Australia held a virtual trade mission to the country, which welcomed 46 delegates from a broad rang of companies, including large multinationals to UKbased SMEs. The meetings provided the opportunity to meet representatives from the Australian railway industry, including leads on major projects. The main was on suburban rail systems (metro and commuter) in the eastern seaboard growth states of New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria. With DIT research of planned and announced projects estimating a total CAPEX in the range of £100 billion, there is clearly huge opportunities for
UK suppliers. We were pleased to receive great feedback from members on the trade mission. RIA has also worked with DIT to promote the benefits that an FTA with Australia could have Trade Secretary Liz Truss MP for the railway industry and rail was featured prominently and RIA Chief Executive Darren Caplan was quoted in a recent press release from the Department - read the announcement here. International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said: "From our world-famous food and drink industry to our car and train manufacturers, we’re pushing to slash tariffs on iconic British exports."
Virtual rail trade mission to Canada held with DIT RIA held a virtual trade mission to Canada, in partnership with DIT, with a terrific take up from the industry with 52 delegates joining the mission from 41 companies. Additional support for the mission was provided to Welsh companies from the Welsh Government. We cannot thank enough the commitment from the various Canada Rail Stakeholders who presented to the groups thought the daily bite sized weeklong event and then who took part during the second week, in the 1-2-1 preselected meetings with the UK companies. Mission delegates heard from stakeholders who provided wider ranging information such as, overview of doing business in Canada, what help is available and project outlines from Ontario to Alberta and Quebec to British Columbia. The Canadian federal and provincial governments are investing heavily in transportation and infrastructure to meet the demands of a rapidly growing population and Canada’s large ‘infrastructure deficit.’ Through the Investing in Canada Plan, Kings Buildings, 16 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HQ +44 (0) 207 201 0777
RSG Rail Exports Survey
RIA's successful Canadian Virtual Trade Mission
the federal government has committed over C$180 billion to infrastructure projects over the next 12 years and can provide opportunities for UK rail exporters. If you would like more details or to be connected to the market, please contact RIA’s Exports Director Neil Walker contact details on page 9.
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RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
RIA secures representation on Trade Advisory Group RIA is pleased to report that in January, as a result of RIA engagement with the Department for International Trade (DIT), we now have two railway industry representatives on the Transport Services Trade Advisory Group (TAG): RIA Chair, David Tonkin, and RSG Vice Chair, Anna Ince, will represent rail supply on this Group, the purpose of which is to ensure that business priorities are reflected in the live Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
negotiations. RIA also represents Members on a procurement thematic working group and in DfT discussions on transport and international trade. These are important representative slots on the TAG, helping to ensure that your views and the voice of rail, is heard linked to current and future trade and FTA discussions. It’s equally important that you continue to provide related exporting case studies or highlight
RIA Chairman David Tonkin
potential trade barriers to RIA staff so we can ensure Government is aware of your rail successes overseas or frustrations at accessing markets.
Catch the Train webinars
Exports Webinars continue
Department for International Trade (DIT) together with RIA and Santander UK have launched a series of webinars entitled 'CATCH THE TRAIN' and are now on event 3, on Monday 14 June 2021 between 09:30-11:30 BST/10:30 - 12:30 hrs CET. The theme for webinar 3 is Rail Innovations & Research with speakers lined up from Rail Baltica, Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, Portuguese Railway Cluster, BCRRE, Unipart Rail and RIA. Register for the event here.
Those new to RIA or simply not aware, who are working in an export’s capacity should be aware of the various Exporting webinars RIA in partnership with DIT have run since May last year. These webinars feature market opportunity overviews covering 20 different countries and the recordings are available to view in the Members area of the RIA website. Or get in touch with Exports Director Neil - contact details below.
Planning for future Exports activity RIA is planning, subject to travel restrictions opening up and interest, RIA UK Pavilions at the following international rail trade exhibitions. • 21 – 24 September – UK Pavilion at Trako, Gdansk, Poland • 12 – 13 October – UK Pavilion at Middle East Rail, UAE • 9 – 12 November - UK Pavilion Rail Solutions Asia in Kuala Lumpur
• Malaysia (Call for Papers now open) • 30 November – 2 December – UK Pavilion at AusRAIL PLUS 2021, Brisbane, Australia • 20 - 23 September 2022 – InnoTrans, Berlin Germany. Spaces are nearly all taken on both the RIA UK Pavilions, contact RIA to find out what is still available or sponsorship opportunities such as the UK networking reception RIA is planning.
Contact Exports: Neil Walker Exports Director neil.walker@riagb.org.uk
07860 928506 www.riagb.org.uk
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RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
Tackling Modern Slavery: Message from the Department for Transport Tackling modern slavery within the supply chain is high on commercial agendas across Government. It is estimated that around the world over 40 million innocent men, women and children are being exploited after having been forced into various forms of modern slavery and some of those enslaved people are here in the UK. Modern Slavery Statements In 2015, Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act (Transparency in Supply Chains) was created, requiring certain commercial organisations with a turnover above £36 million to publish an annual modern slavery statement. In March 2020, Government published its first Modern Slavery Statement. This included contributions from 25 departments (which included DfT). From September 2021, ministerial government departments will have to publish their own modern slavery statements annually.
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What is DfT doing to address Modern Slavery? DfT is represented on the cross-government Modern Slavery and Procurement Implementation Group, working to tackle modern slavery in government supply chains. We have set up a DfT-wide modern slavery working group which includes representatives from across the Agencies and ALBs. This group meet monthly with the objective of embedding antimodern slavery initiatives into our policies and processes. Paul Rodgers (the DfT Group Commercial Director) is the antislavery advocate and is developing and promoting policies and programmes to address modern slavery in commercial activity. Paul quotes “We must stamp out the vile practise of modern slavery from our supply chains, first and foremost as a moral duty, but also because I want us to reward those suppliers who promote their workers human rights by awarding them our contracts.” DfT are beginning to build modern slavery risk assessments into both new and existing contracts, helping us to better understand the risks of modern slavery in the supply chain Suppliers of contracts identified to be in high-risk categories
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are invited to complete the Modern Slavery Assessment Tool (MSAT). This tool has been designed to target areas of improvement for suppliers. • The changes to the Social Value Act brought in from 1 January 2021 mean that all major DfT procurements above PCR thresholds will now need to attribute a minimum 10% weighting to a social value outcome as part of the tender evaluation criteria. One of the available outcomes contained in the Social Value model concerns modern slavery, where suppliers must demonstrate action to identify and manage risks of modern slavery in the delivery of the contract. • DfT continues to raise awareness of modern slavery amongst its staff and suppliers through presentations, awareness events and supplier meetings.
It is estimated that around the world over 40 million innocent men, women and children are being exploited after having been forced into various forms of modern slavery
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Please contact DfTProcurement@dft.gov.uk should you have any queries. ria@riagb.org.uk www.riagb.org.uk
RIA Annual Conference 2021 4 – 5 November 2021, London Hilton Bankside // 2-day Conference including 25+ national and international speakers // Unique networking opportunities to meet with key industry leaders // Programme combines keynote speeches, panel discussions and interview sessions // Best Conference at the Association Excellence Awards 2019
Click here to pre-register
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RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
Technical & Innovation Light Weight and Low Cost Railway In December 2020, RIA's Unlocking Innovation programme turned its attention to the light rail sector
To close out the year, our final Unlocking Innovation series covered the latest innovations and projects in the Light and Very Light Rail sectors. Across the five days of virtual events, Over the week there were 479 event attendances, comprising of 201 individuals. The first day sought to set the The innovative Coventry Very Light Rail vehicle scene for the week, on the broader innovation picture for light rail. The pioneering project to link Sheffield and session heard from head of UK Tram - the Rotherham - which has seen 1.6milion trade body for light rail - James Hammett journeys since 2018. We also heard who covered the important role it can Coventry City Council's Nicola Small on have supporting cities across the UK. their innovatiove very light rail project Day Two then turned to tram/train in to tackle the "unacceptable pollution schemes in the UK, beginning with levels in the city. Network Rail lead Simon Coulthard on the On Day Three, the Department for
Transport's Amanda Roper covered the new Restoring Your Railway to reopen old Beeching Lines and "reconnect communities and regenerate local economies". Amanda added that the Fund is "a real opportunity to deliver innovative solutions". Day Four gave an overview of the Very Light Rail sector, hearing from the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO) on their new facility. The final day was dedicated to networking and engaging with organisations such as UKRRIN, Network Rail and the BCIMO. See a summary of the sessions on RIA's website here.
Building Back Better
In February 2021, RIA partnered with KTN, Innovate UK and the DfT to hold a joint Rail Innovation Exhibition In a first for the Unlocking Innovation programme, we held a joint Rail Innovation Exhibition with partners Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), Innovate UK and the Department for Transport (DfT). The series included a virtual exhibition
Network Rail Diversity lead Loraine Martins OBE
and a range of sessions led by RIA and other event partners. The event proved to be very popular with over 880 delegates, 106 exhibitors and 49 speakers joining the session throughout the week. Opening the Exhibition, the Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris announced a new £9 million First of the Kind funding challenge - focusing on the themes of increasing customers’ confidence and enhancing their experience; easy to use for all; and low emissions and a greener railway. Our Unlocking Innovation events covered 'Building Back Better' - how the industry can improve passenger experience and accessibility to accelerate the
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post-Coronavirus recovery. The first UI event looked at passenger experience and accessibility, hearing from Network Rail equality lead Loraine Martins OBE. Loraine presented their ' Diversity and Inclusion Strategy’, to ensure diversity is a priority right across the organisation. The events also included a presentation on UKRRIN's new Centres of Excellence and how to engage with the organisation. Both webinar series were recorded and are available to watch on RIA’s youtube channel. here. The Unlocking Innovation series on Whole Systems Innovation, which took place from 10-14 May, will be covered in the next Update. ria@riagb.org.uk www.riagb.org.uk
RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
T&I hosts range of industry workshops RIA has been busy working with key clients and organisations to ensure the supply chain is engaged on various industry projects.
supply chain set science-based claimte targets and embedding social values and environmental targets in its procurement processes.
Network Rail Environment Sustainability Roundtables RIA hosted the first roundtable on 01 Feb which allowed a small cross section of RIA members to meet with Network Rail sustainability leads including Martin Frobisher, Jo Lewington and Roger Maybury. This two-way discussion focussed particularly on decarbonisation and the adoption of Science Based Targets.Some key points included: Network Rail helping the
Rail Interoperability Regulations Workshop Following on from our successful event on ROGs and the impact of Brexit on legislation, we were delighted to run a third joint event with RSSB and RDG, this time on the Railway Interoperability Regulations (RIR) on 19th March. This event sought to help prepare the industry for the upcoming Post Implementation Review of the Railway Interoperability Regulations launched by ORR in April.
Technical Interest Groups - highlights Since the last Update, we have hosted several Technical Interest Groups virtually: • 12 January 2021 – Electrification Technical Interest Group • 26 January 2021 – Traction and Rolling Stock Technical Interest Group • 2 February 2021 – Infrastructure Technical Interest Group • 23 February 2021 – Information Management Group • 16 March 2021 – Safety, Standards and Sustainability Technical Interest Group Some of the highlights include a presentation from Transport for Wales Rail Services Insight & Innovation Manager, Michael Davies on plans for a new fleet
(TRS TIG), and a look at WIESS, the Whole Industry Environment Sustainability Strategy from George Davies, RSSB Director of the Sustainable Development (SSSG). Senior Project Manager of Transport Decarbonisation from the National Grid, Russell Fowler presented on plans for future interfaces with the rail infrastructure and their ongoing decarbonisation workstream (ElecTIG). You can access recordings and presentations from all these groups in Online Communities, on the Members' Area on our website. And all future Technical Interest Group meetings can be found on the Events page of the website or via our Friday Events Mail.
Innovation of the Month launched To highlight the many innovative projects our members are working on, we have launched a new initiative called “Innovation of the Month”. Each month we promote a specific innovation or area on a theme, showcasing the work of the industry and analysing how this will impact the UK’s railways. So far we have covered 'Attracting passengers
back post-Coronavirus', 'Accessibility', 'RIA Innovation Conference' and 'Whole Systems'. This is shared to our membership through a bespoke email as well as on the RIA website and social media channels. To submit content, or if you have any queries, please email alexis. king@riagb.org.uk.
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The workshop saw presentations from high level representatives within the industry on RIR, including from: DfT; ORR; RSSB; Network Rail; Operators (East Midlands Railways); RoSCos (Angel Trains); Rolling Stock OEMs (Alstom). This was followed by a panel discussion and a Q&A session with attendees. Stay tuned to RIA's website for future technical events.
Contact our Technical & Innovation team: David Clarke Technical Director david.clarke@riagb.org.uk 07771 672089
Milda Manomaityte Senior Policy & Technical Manager milda.manomaityte@riagb. org.uk 07825 924581
Karl King Technical & Innovation Manager karl.king@riagb.org.uk 07403 293935
Sam Bemment Technical & Innovation Manager sbemment@riagb.org.uk 07944 629317
Hannah Brown Technical & Operations Executive hannah.brown@riagb.org.uk
07495 043696
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RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
RIA's first ever virtual Innovation Conference 'shoots for the stars'! In a first for RIA, we hosted this year's Innovation Conference virtually, using a truly immersive online platform and featuring one of the strongest line-up of speakers and events in recent years! Despite the challenges of hosting the RIC remotely, we also held daily networking sessions using the Digi-Lounge platform, as well as an immersive Exhibition Hall, enabling attendees to interact almost like an in-person conference. Nasa Astronaut Charlie Duke speaking at the Conference
Day One Highlights The Conference began with an introduction from RIA Chief Executive Darren Caplan and Technical Director David Clarke, with both setting out the need for an innovative, effective, digitalised and green rail industry. Darren Caplan's opening remarks made the case that we should be positive about the prospects for rail in the future, as passenger numbers bounce back post Coronavirus David Clarke then set out the theme of the Conference - 'The Railway of The Future'. Our first keynote was Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris MP, who shared some interesting tidbits. Joking about the Williams Rail Review, Heaton-Harris said that when the review started 'I had hair', but that it had understandably been delayed by a General Election, Brexit, a pandemic and recently the local elections. He said, however that it would be out, along with a number of other key Government reports, in 'the next few weeks'. He also said that the Government had big plans for rail and that upcoming policy decisions would make those at the Conference 'very happy'. To close out the morning, we hosted a panel on the new Rail Technical Strategy, with representatives from Network Rail, UKRRIN, RSSB and HS2. And later in the day, we were joined by
The Conference involved a fireside chat with Andrew Haines Kings Buildings, 16 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HQ +44 (0) 207 201 0777
speakers from GTR, Microsoft, Balfour Beatty and Worldline to discuss 'Data Driven Growth'. A key takeaway from the session came from Worldline's James Bain who said that now is a time 'to be brave and not be nervous' when it comes to sharing data. Following the networking and Exhibition Hall, as well as a break, the evening saw RIA host virtual beer tasting live from the London Beer Lab. Our very own Milda co-hosted the session with Bruno (from the Beer Lab), even adding her own jokes about the right beer to pair with a rolling programme of electrification!
Day Two Highlights Opening the day, West Coast Partnership Development's Caroline Donaldson presented on the work they are doing to encourage innovation in high speed rail in the UK. Caroline issued a clear call to arms to the supply chain, telling businesses to get in touch if there are any of these areas where they can contribute. Following swiftly on, we welcomed Network Rail's Chief Technology Officer Robert Ampomah. Setting the scene, Robert addressed the various challenges that rail will face in the coming years, including around overcrowding, climate change, the need for adaptation and resilience. And to wrap up, we heard Robert's 'Three Cs' for what rail innovation should be: Collaboration; Creativity; and Cost reduction. Rounding out the morning's keynote sessions was Network Rail Chief Executive Andrew Haines OBE, who gave a very open and honest live interview with RIA Technical Director David Clarke. Andrew began by thanking the industry for its "outstanding achievements" and collaboration over the last year. He also added that Network Rail is ahead on renewals for CP6 despite the pandemic.
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RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
On the need for simplicity, Haines observed that the lack of R&D funding and over fragmentation of the industry has acted as barriers to innovation. And on sustainability, he stressed that climate change is today’s problem, not something happening tomorrow. As Carmont showed: "We have water management systems that are not ready for the level of rainfall today." Procurement challenges and workforce diversity were among a broad range of topics addressed during the ‘Innovation for Economic Growth’ session. A six-strong panel tackled the opportunities and obstacles for innovation in the sector as it looks to help the country to ‘build back better’. Elspeth Finch MBE, Chief Executive and Founder of IAND, kicked things off, citing numerous ways that the UK government is seeking to encourage innovation. But government procurement remains complex, she said, and innovation is not easy, nor is ‘scaling up’. Specific issues include the tendency of venture capital to be invested disproportionately in ‘white, middle-class’ entrepreneurs, she said. The challenge of getting passengers back onto trains – and how to make rail people’s preferred mode of transport after the pandemic – was the focus of a keynote address given by Martin Ertl, Vice-President Innovation and Portfolio Management at Knorr-Bremse. “Going forward in rail we must use our technical know-how to develop solutions that are passenger-focused and which drive recovery and growth,” he told the audience. In an out-of-this-world conclusion to the second day of the Conference, NASA astronaut Charlie Duke was interviewed from his native USA about his remarkable life and what the rail industry could learn from space missions. Asked what the rail sector could learn from the Apollo programme, he said that “there’s so much technology out there that you can implement to make it safer”, describing how technology moves forward “leaps and bounds every three or four years”.
Day Three Highlights The UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) ‘Innovation Hub’ in Doncaster and Global Centre of Rail Excellence in South Wales were among the exciting projects discussed during the day's opening session. We kicked off with perspectives from Amanda Mackie, Head
The virtual lobby at the RIA Innovation Conference
of Rail Test & Development at Network Rail, and academic members of UKRRIN, which launched three years ago to drive academia-industry collaboration and accelerate new technologies from research into market applications globally. In the next session, we covered Unipart's Doncaster Innovation Hub which is “already taking calls” from organisations keen to get involved, said Professor Steve Ingleton, Engineering Director of Unipart Rail. “It’s about bringing industry towards academia and academia towards industry,” he explained. “We want to attract all the technology in rail that’s going on to one location – reflecting its name as a hub.” An update on the Welsh project was provided by Arthur Emyr, the Welsh Government’s Major Project Lead for Economy and Infrastructure. The new Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) company is being established and by mid-June should have a ‘fully consented’ site, with major earthworks due to get underway in the summer. Emyr reported strong interest in the project, “UK-wide, Europe-wide and globally”. A keynote on ‘The Human Elements of Innovation’ from Irina Parsina from Microsoft Teams’ Engineering, Customer & Partner Team brought the morning session to a close. Parsina pointed out that change does not always come easily and looking at humans’ natural tendency towards risk-aversion, as well as issues such as sunk-cost bias. The Conference ended on one the most critical issues facing us today - decarbonisation. According to panellists during the ‘Decarbonising for Green Recovery’ session - chaired by David Clarke, RIA Technical Director - the rail industry needs step up the pace in implementing changes and making investments that can reduce its carbon footprint. The panel had a star-studded cast, including from RIA Members Angel Trains, Porterbrook, Hitachi, as well as senior representatives from Network Rail, RSSB and Rail Delivery Group.
Sponsors
Our fantastic host LJ Rich, closing out the Conference in style! Kings Buildings, 16 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HQ +44 (0) 207 201 0777
We'd also like to say thank you to our wonderful sponsors, without whom this Conference would not have been possible! Thank you to Platinum Sponsors: Hitachi Rail and Knorr-Bremse; Gold Sponsors: Capgemini Engineering, Withers&Rogers and Railtex/Infrarail; and Silver Sponsors: Porterbrook, Ricardo Rail and Harmonic Ltd.
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RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
Events & Information RIA joins with MackBrooks to support EuroRailHub For the first time since the exhibitions were launched, Railtex, Infrarail, SIFER, and EXPO Ferroviaria joined forces to bring to life a new digital appointment, catering for the entire European rail industry: EuroRail Hub. Organised by Mack Brook's, it took place from 24-25 March 2021. Key notes included Rail Minister Chris Heaton Harris, the Director General for Infrastructure and Transport from the French Ministry and the Chief Executive of Ferrovial. EuroRail Hub also sought to facilitate new international partnerships, bringing together partners and companies from different national markets. The event hosted a series of interactive digital networking opportunities. RIA Chief Executive Darren Caplan gave a speech at the opening of the event. We also organised two UK insight panels on market opportunities and zero carbon, hearing from speakers including HS1 Chief Executive Dyan Crowther and RIA member companies.
RIA hosting HS2 Meet the Bidder Sessions Taking place over two weeks, RIA will be organising a series of meetings between HS2’s Preferred Bidders, and SMEs wanting to work with them, for the Operational Telecommunications and Security and Tunnel and Lineside M&E Systems packages. Each package contract is worth over £300 million. SMEs were invited to complete their Expression of Interest form by Wednesday 9 June, and RIA is currently organising the meetings between SMEs and Tier Ones. The meetings will take place from 17 to 30 June, supporting the progress of the important HS2 project.
EDI Charter reaches 160 signatories with Working Group launched Since the last Update at the end of 2020, RIA and Women in Rail's joint Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Charter has now reached over 160 signatories from organisations right across the rail industry. In February, we also established an EDI Working Group, to drive this agenda forward. The Group is made up of people representative of a cross-section of the UK rail industry in terms of protected characteristics, companies and roles. Over the coming months the Group will meet and begin to set out a course of action to continue the positive change we have seen and highlight best practice for industry colleagues. RIA has continued to work closely with the team at Women in Rail to communicate with signatory companies and to establish the Working Group. We will also be working with and amplifying a number of other organisations, including: Young Rail Professionals; Muslims in Rail; Black Professionals in Kings Buildings, 16 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HQ +44 (0) 207 201 0777
All EDI Charter signatories
Construction; Archway; and charity Beating Time. To find out more about the Charter and future activity, visit our website here or get in touch here.
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RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
Contact our Operations team:
RIA Annual Conference 2021 - Save the date
Gaynor Pates Operations Director
The 2021 RIA Annual Conference will be held in London from Thursday 4 to Friday Darren Caplan addressing the Conference in 2019 5 November 2021, at the London Hilton Bankside Hotel. delivery and reaching Net Zero. The Conference will hear from leading RIA members are invited to pre-register political and industry leaders - last year we for the Annual Conference. We are also heard from the Rail Minister Chris Heaton- pleased to confirm that Withers&Rodgers Harris, Network Rail Chief Executive will be sponsors for the event. Andrew Haines OBE and Chairman Sir To pre-register please click here. If you Peter Hendy. It also involved a range have any queries or for more information of panel discussions on issues such as on sponsorship opportunities please Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, project contact events@riagb.org.uk.
Rail Innovation Family holding Rail Live Event
Katherine Anchorena Senior Marketing & Events Manager katherine.anchorena@riagb.org.uk
07771 175782
Terry Eastmoond Senior Finance Manager 07399 042381
in association with
Rose Garber Membership Engagement Manager rose.garber@riagb.org.uk
07824 665007
Ann-Marie Esiaka Business Administration Manager AnnMarie.Esiaka@riagb.org.uk
Team RIA off to fast start in 2021
07578 029744
Marketing & Events Manager • Karl King, Technical & Innovation Manager; and • Sam Bemment, Technical & Innovation Manager. Thank you to all of our members who we have worked closely with on a range of projects and events. RIA members can nominate a RIA colleague by contacting Chief Executive Darren Caplan at darren.caplan@riagb. org.uk
Kings Buildings, 16 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HQ +44 (0) 207 201 0777
07799 337475
terry.eastmond@riagb.org.uk
The Rail Innovation Family – UK railway supply trade associations including Rail Alliance, Rail Forum Midlands, Rail Freight Group and the Railway Industry Association – will be holding an informal networking event at Rail Live after almost 18 months apart. The trade associations have joined forces to provide a networking area near the main entrance in Zone E in GARDEN_01, opposite the organisers office, on Thursday 17 June, between 10am and 2pm. To attend, just book your Rail Live ticket and find us on the day - no need to register!
Despite the challenges of the pandemic, work has continued apace for the first quarter of 2021. Team RIA members have risen to the challenge and continue to work for members and partners. To recognise exceptional work from individual team members, RIA has awarded a number of 'Going the Extra Mile' (GEM) awards in the last three months. Congratulations to: • Alexis King, PR & Communications Executive; • Dominika Kokosikova, EA & Operations Executive; • Katherine Anchorena, Senior
gaynor.pates@riagb.org.uk
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Amalia Murray Operations & Exports Executive amalia.murray@riagb.org.uk
07900 921539
Dominika Kokosikova EA & Operations Executive dominika.kokosikova@riagb. org.uk
07927 209765
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RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
Taking Member feedback on board RIA’s November 2020 Member Survey saw the highest satisfaction ratings for RIA since the survey was first conducted. But we’re not resting on our laurels and are working hard to make sure your feedback is acted on. In a special article, Operations Director Gaynor Pates sets out what RIA has been doing with the valued feedback you provide us. Ahead of the AGM last year, RIA conducted its annual Member Pulse Survey. Conducted by the independent Pulse Business, the survey asks members about their experience of RIA, their key priorities and what we can improve to ensure we’re delivering the best service possible. Given the tough year the industry has experienced, we were really pleased to get such great feedback from members, including: • In answer to the question “Overall, how happy are you with your RIA Membership?”, the number answering ‘Very happy’ (the highest category of member satisfaction) has increased from 44% at the start of the year to 52% now. Also, 84% now say they are either ‘Really or quite happy’ with their membership compared to 75% at the start of the year. • This new score means that the satisfaction score ‘Really happy’ highest category, has increased from 34% in 2017 to 52% in 2020. • And, in another part of the survey 88% said they believe RIA is playing a leadership role as the voice of the UK rail supply community; and 85% feel RIA has been performing really or quite well as the ‘go-to’ body for advising on government policy. It’s fantastic to have such positive results, and we’d like to thank all members who answered the survey. But we know that excellent service requires constant appraisal and challenge!
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So, I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some of the anonymised feedback we’ve received and what we’ve been doing to improve.
Thought Leadership for 2021 When asked what the thought leadership priority should be for RIA in 2021, the resounding response was ‘passenger confidence and the value of rail’. We’ve certainly been acting on that advice – at the end of 2020, we published our ’10 Reasons to Continue to Invest in Rail’ document, highlighting why the Government should not take its foot off the pedal when it comes to supporting rail. Throughout our communications, we are bullish about rail’s prospects, highlighting that rail has been through similar economic and health crises in the past and has always bounced back. We’re also working to place the rail industry at the centre of Government’s plans for the economic recovery. This includes working with the Department for Transport and Network Rail on the Rail Project SPEED Conference, where Prime Minister Boris Johnson MP gave the opening remarks, highlighting the need for rail post-pandemic. We’re also supporting the Campaign for Better Transport’s ‘The Way Forward’ campaign, launched recently. And we have much more planned, including renewing our well-received Oxford Economics research, to show the value rail provided the economy before the Coronavirus pandemic. Look out for further information on this soon!
88% said they believe RIA is playing a leadership role as the voice of the UK rail supply community
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Visibility and consistency of workload
The RIA Team at a networking event Kings Buildings, 16 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HQ +44 (0) 207 201 0777
Since the survey, we’ve continued to press for visibility, urging the Government to publish the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline as soon as possible, including through media activity and our ‘Rail Enhancements Clock’, which highlights the number of days since the RNEP was last updated.
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RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
We’ve supported the Construction Playbook and Procurement Green Papers through our consultation work and are continuing to call for consistency in workloads and greater certainty of work for the rail supply chain. We’re continuing to engage both at Ministerial and senior civil servant level with HM Treasury, the Department for Transport and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. We do appreciate that this work takes time to bear fruit, but we do hope members are finding both Government and clients more receptive to the need for visibility of pipelines.
Decarbonisation When asked ‘how do you rate RIA's thought leadership on key technical issues such as safety, decarbonisation and signalling?’ many RIA members said a key issue for the rail supply industry was decarbonisation, and that they’d like to see RIA doing more. Since the start of the year, we’ve increased our work on the decarbonisation agenda, launching our RailDecarb21 campaign, which is calling on the Government to begin a rolling programme of electrification and support low carbon, self-powered rolling stock ahead of COP26. As part of the campaign, we’ve published our ‘Why Rail Electrification?’ report and secured the signatures of over 17 industry bodies in a letter to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, calling for further electrification work. RIA is also working with industry partners, like RDG, RSSB and Network Rail, to ensure rail has a presence at COP26 and are supporting industry initiatives like RSSB’s Sustainable Rail Executive. Decarbonisation will be a key theme at our upcoming Unlocking Innovation event in October. We also asked ‘how do you rate RIA's thought leadership on key policy issues such as pipeline, supply chain capability and major projects?’. The general response was that RIA had delivered some good work in this area, but needed to keep pressing Network Rail and Government for visibility and certainty.
Exports and Brexit We were pleased to see that members had found our updates in the run up to Brexit useful, and hope that they continued to be as a trade deal was announced with the EU (which took place after the survey results came in). Some members highlighted the need to do more in increasing rail exports, including raising UK rail up the agenda with the Department for International Trade. We’ve been working hard to raise the profile of rail to Government, and have had some positive progress – our Chairman David Tonkin now sits on the DIT’s Expert Trade Advisory Group for Transport Services, we’ve been supporting the RSG Exports Pillar, including through the publication of the Exports Survey last year. And we are regularly hosting our highly popular outreach webinars, exploring overseas rail markets across the world. We’ve also organised two virtual trade missions, to Australia and Canada, both of which were very successful. Kings Buildings, 16 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HQ +44 (0) 207 201 0777
RIA Members catching up at the RIA Innovation Conference in 2019 - we hope to hold physical events as restrictions ease
On Brexit, we are continuing to work closely with DfT and partners like UK Transport in Europe and Rail Delivery Group to ensure we continue to support members. We’ve fed into the Government’s Subsidy Control Consultation and since January have hosted a number of workshops looking at the implications of the trade agreement with the EU. Of course, the more we hear from members, the more tailored and useful our activity can be, so please do keep your feedback coming in.
Events and Networking A few members highlighted how they were missing the networking opportunities RIA would usually provide. We couldn’t agree more – continuing to support members whilst not being able to meet in person has been one of the biggest challenges many trade bodies have faced this year. And whilst we know nothing will replace meeting face-to-face, we do hope that the online networking opportunities we have provided have compensated in some way for the lack of physical events. We now have networking opportunities at the end of most of our special and technical interest groups and are using new technologies like DigiLounge at our upcoming Innovation Conference to bring RIA members together. As restrictions ease, we do hope we can soon begin face-toface and hybrid meetings once again. In the meantime, please do join in with the range of networking activities we have planned – the more you put in, the more you get out.
Your Feedback Thanks again to all members who responded to the Pulse survey and gave their feedback. Of course, we don’t only seek your feedback once a year – the RIA Team are always keen to find out what we’re doing well, what we could be doing better and how we can provide the best service possible to members. So if you do have feedback, whatever the topic or issue, please do get in touch – you can email me at Gaynor.Pates@ riagb.org.uk
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RIA Update 113 Summer 2021
Welcome to New Members
Interested in Membership? Find out about the benefits of becoming a RIA Member by contacting Membership Engagement Manager Rose Garber at: rose.garber@riagb.org.uk All RIA members can be found at www.riagb.org.uk © 2021 Railway Industry Association Produced by: Railway Industry Association Please let us know if you have any comments or suggestions on this Update. Please circulate to your colleagues. Kings Buildings, 16 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HQ +44 (0) 207 201 0777
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