Rail Professional February 2023

EDITORIAL EDITOR

Sam

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Jamie Tregarthen sales@railpro.co.uk

EDITOR’S NOTE

Cherie

The last we spoke I greeted the end of the year with a sigh of exhaustion at all the upheaval we had faced in the preceding few months. Now, as we start off 2023, it all feels very calm and the steady drive towards modernising our railways continues. Last Summer The Department for Transport announced that the budget for the Transpennine Route Upgrade had more than tripled from £2.9 billion in 2018 to a potential £9 billion to £11.5 billion. At the start of the year Neil Holm was announced as Managing Director for the Transpennine Route Upgrade ahead of what will be a pivotal year for the programme. My interviewee this month remarked on this saying that: ‘Programmes like HS2 and East West Rail show that it's not just about fixing the old Victorian railway it is also about contributing to these modern initiatives to build new railways.’

I spoke to Kelvin Davies, Head of Innovation at GCRE on secondment from InnovateUK and Klara Ludinova, Innovation Lead – Rail at InnovateUK about the First of a Kind (FOAK) competition and the innovation climate in the UK.

We have a piece on innovation from Monica Wick, CEO and founder at RedCabin who shares the results of a survey on that subject. We also hear from Jeremy Revell and Richard Wheldon (Frazer-Nash Consultancy), and Luke Allen (eviFile) on their digital solution to disruption.

Our features this month are Tram and Light Rail and Depots, with stories from Pre Metro Operations Ltd and Transport for the West Midlands as well as Greater Anglia and Spencer Group. Alongside that we have opinion pieces from Darren Fodey and Paul Thwaite of law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP, Natalie Maye of Shoosmiths, Ruth Duston of London Heritage Quarter and a whole host of others as well as our regular columnists.

Finally, our Supply Chain Directory for 2023 is available now – you can order a copy here: https://www.railpro.co.uk/product/9th-edition This edition documents the railways in their current state, with all the various train operating companies, holding companies and regulatory bodies alongside articles covering every element of the railways as well as comprehensive listings of all the companies involved in the industry.

SAM SHERWOOD-HALE EDITOR

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In this issue

All the latest from Network Rail, HS2, Balfour Beatty VINCI, Alstom, Railway Industry Association and more

VIEWPOINT

31 THE CHEEK OF IT

Recovery in passenger numbers continues but season ticket sales still down by two-thirds

35 LAYING DOWN THE LAW

Getting to grips with subsidy control

37 WOMEN IN RAIL

Breaking down bias and challenging prejudice, one mentoring pair at a time

38 DELIVERING THE GOODS

Alexandra Herdman, Senior Policy Manager, Logistics UK looks back at 2022 and what the year ahead might hold for freight

41 Jamie Adkin, VP of EMEA at Adder Technology on improving situational awareness in rail transport control rooms

43 Phil Worms, CEO of Frog provides guidance to employers on how to spot warning signs that their staff may be struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and offers pointers on how they might help

20 INTERVIEW

Sam Sherwood-Hale spoke to Kelvin Davies, Head of Innovation at GCRE on secondment from InnovateUK and Klara Ludinova, Innovation Lead – Rail at InnovateUK about the First of a Kind (FOAK) competition and the innovation climate in the UK

45 The Three Integral Components Driving the Future of Transport Connectivity

47 Ruth Duston, CEO of London Heritage Quarter and MD of Primera Corp explains why the opening of Bond Street is another step in an ongoing renaissance that ensures London will continue to be the destination of choice for workers, visitors and residents

49 The post-Covid era is presenting the rail sector with a number of challenges around staffing and changing travelling patterns, Edward Morley, rail expert at PA Consulting dives into the data

51 Natalie Maye, Legal Director and specialist construction lawyer at Shoosmiths looks at the rail network’s ambition to transition to net zero

Jeremy Revell and Richard Wheldon (FrazerNash Consultancy), and Luke Allen (eviFile) on their digital solution to disruption

53 Darren Fodey and Paul Thwaite of law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP, look at what you should consider when challenging a regulatory decision

57 Mark Fielding-Smith, National and Digital Services Director at Atkins, describes how rail’s new annual charity challenge is bringing our industry together for good

FEATURES

60 INNOVATION

Monica Wick, CEO and founder at RedCabin explores the myriad of challenges facing the rail industry

65 TRAM AND LIGHT RAIL

Pre Metro’s Charlie Merrell argues the case for Very Light Rail is the correct solution for March and Wisbech

67 TRAM AND LIGHT RAIL

The ground-breaking Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR) transport system

71 TRAM AND LIGHT RAIL

Light Rail Safety and Standards Board

72 DEPOTS

A look at how the humble site cabin has changed over time, what’s possible now, and what the future might hold

74 DEPOTS

C&S Equipment introduces High Vacuum Dust and Fume extraction equipment which complement and connect to their personnel lift platforms

77 DEPOTS

Work at Greater Anglia’s Colchester depot to install equipment for new trains is nearing completion

79 DEPOTS

HS2 has revealed the design for the new high speed railway’s state-of-the-art maintenance hub, which will bring around 180 jobs to Calvert in Buckinghamshire

81 DEPOTS

Choosing the right equipment for a modern rail depot is no walk in the park. There are so many variables to consider. So, where do you turn for advice?

82 DEPOTS

New Lease of Life for Depot

84 DEPOTS

The OPC shares news of a recent project reviewing and redesigning a depot driver recruitment process to help standardise processes and safety competence for a national train operating and maintenance company

89 FREIGHT

Interconnectivity and modal shift have been key phrases that many of us across the rail industry have heard in recent years

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New Bespoke Bridges for Henley Gate Project

Leading bridge designer, manufacturer and installer Beaver Bridges Ltd have completed the installation of a new 34-metre x four-metre pedestrian bridge and ramps and 45-metre x 13-metre vehicle bridge over the East Suffolk rail line during a full Christmas blockade for Crest Nicholson Group, as part of a major housing development.

The bridges are seen as a vital part of the 3,500 home Ipswich Garden Suburb project and will eventually link the Henley Gate and Fonnereau elements of the scheme. Their construction was a condition of the planning permission to build the Henley Gate development which includes a new country park & business area, they will also provide free access to the Westerfield Railway Station.

Henry Beaver, Chief Executive of Beaver Bridges said: ‘We were

delighted to have supported Crest Nicholson with the full turnkey design, construction, manufacture, delivery and installation of these bridges which will leave a legacy on the Ipswich development for many years to come.

Many said that it was not possible to obtain planning, technical approval, fabrication, and installation over the railway in twelve months. Beaver Bridges acted as Principal Designer & Principal Contractor on this scheme and managed the interface with Network Rail fully on behalf of the client and were very pleased to hand back the track two hours ahead of programme.’

A spokesman for Network Rail said: ‘The work had all gone according to plan and trains were running as normal again on the East Suffolk line from Ipswich to Lowestoft and Felixstowe.’

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Alstom Achieves Global Top Employer Certification

Alstom has received the Global Top Employer 2023 certification for the first time, with certificates in 22 countries compared to 14 countries in 2022. This is the third year in a row the company has been awarded Top Employer in the United Kingdom, and the fourth consecutive year that the Alstom Group has received this distinction in Europe, the third year for the Asia-Pacific and North America region and the first year for the Middle East.

Due to the ecological transition, Alstom must respond to a growing international

demand for more modern and sustainable mobility solutions. With an order book of €85.9 billion, the Group maintains an excellent recruitment dynamic and is specifically targeting young talent to contribute to the challenges of smart and sustainable mobility.

Alstom is currently recruiting for 520 positions in the United Kingdom in 2023, 120 of which are focused on apprentices and graduates. In Alstom's recruitment strategy, young graduates are particularly targeted. The objective is to recruit more than 30

Balfour Beatty VINCI Begins New Partnership with STEM Returners

Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) has launched a new partnership with STEM Returners to help STEM professionals return to work after a career break. BBV, a joint venture between Balfour Beatty and VINCI is HS2’s construction partner for the West Midlands. As part of their continued drive to enhance inclusion and invest in people, the organisation will offer a STEM Returners programme for a CAD Technician, Performance Reporting Manager, Site Engineer, and other roles to work on the West Midlands section of HS2’s Phase One route. This section spans around 90 kilometres from Long Itchington in Warwickshire to the centre of Birmingham and on to Handsacre in Staffordshire.

STEM Returners will source candidates for the programme, which aims to return or transfer STEM professionals back into industry following a career break. The fully paid placements act as a ‘returnship’, allowing candidates to be re-integrated into an inclusive environment upon their return to STEM.

Natalie Desty, Director of STEM Returners, which is based in Hampshire, said: ‘Vacancies in the construction sector remain high as demand for workers continues to outstrip supply. But there is a hidden workforce that are overlooked because they have a gap on their CV. We are very proud to be entering this new partnership with BBV, to return highly

skilled people back into the industry they love. Only by partnering with industry leaders like BBV, will we make vital changes in STEM recruitment practices, to help those who are finding it challenging to return to the sector and improve diversity and inclusion.’

The STEM Returners programme is BBV’s latest drive to enhance equality and diversity across their sites. BBV has recently achieved Gold standard for ED&I (equality, diversity and inclusion) from Clear Assured, a global inclusion standard.

Balfour Beatty VINCI Internal EDI Partner, Chloe Chand, said: ‘We value each employee and the individual experiences they bring to create an inclusive culture. We are proud to be working with STEM

per cent of young graduates, International Internship Program for Europeans, doctoral students, dual studies and apprentices. This is already a reality in some countries such as France.

To ensure the integration and development of its young recruits, the company can count on a strong internal learning culture. On average, 21 hours of training are given to each employee worldwide per year, using state-ofthe-art technology. With a very broad catalogue, this training is notably digital and accessible anywhere, at any time from any type of equipment (computer, tablet or smartphone). Alstom University offers immersive virtual reality experiences through its regional campuses but also through the metaverse, immersive interaction platforms using avatars and 3D models accessible from personal computers or using virtual reality headsets.

Returners to run a programme which will see those who have taken a career break be welcomed into BBV to apply their knowledge and experiences across our project.

‘We recognise that the development of skills can be obtained beyond the workplace and transferred to provide diversity of thought so that our employees can continue to improve, grow and evolve in their roles.’

Annual research from STEM Returners (The STEM Returners Index) has revealed the challenges people who have had career break face, when trying to return – recruitment bias being the main barrier to entry. Sixty-six percent of STEM professionals on a career break said they are finding the process of attempting to return to work either difficult or very difficult and that nearly half (46 per cent) of participants said they felt bias because of a lack of recent experience.

STEM Returners’ programme aims to eliminate these barriers, by giving candidates real work experience and mentoring during their placement and helping them to seamlessly adjust to life back in work.

Whilst the scheme helps solve the challenge of sourcing talent in sectors that need it, it also has the added benefit of increasing diversity in a host organisation. STEM Returners’ population of experienced professionals who are attempting to return to work are 46 per cent female and 44 per cent from ethnic minority groups, compared to 14 per cent female and nine per cent from ethnic minority groups working in industry.

Since STEM Returners first launched in 2017, more than 310 STEM Returners candidates have joined programmes across the UK. To view STEM Returners opportunities, visit https://www. stemreturners.com/placements/.

Millions Awarded to Transform Transport Links in the South West

Two schemes in the South West have been awarded nearly £65 million as part of the Government’s Levelling Up Fund. Following the success of the reopening of the Dartmoor Line in November 2021, more than £13 million has been granted for a new station, a West Devon Transport Hub at Okehampton in Devon; and nearly £50 million for a Mid Cornwall Metro scheme.

The West Devon Transport hub, to be known as Okehampton Parkway, will be a new station on the edge of Okehampton adjacent to the A30 to act as a parkway for North Cornwall and West Devon, addressing limited parking at Okehampton and extending the benefits of the railway further west.

The Mid Cornwall Metro will create a sustainable transport corridor through Cornwall. The new direct train service will link four of Cornwall’s largest urban areas: Newquay, St Austell, Truro and Falmouth/Penryn, so residents will be able to better connect to employment, education (including higher education and university), and key services. It will reduce journey times and ease road congestion for people living along the route.

GWR Head of Strategic Service Development Matthew Barnes said: ‘This really is super news for rail and wider sustainable transport choices across the South West. A new station at Okehampton will build on the massive success that the reopening of the Dartmoor Line has already had. And the improvement to Newquay that the Mid Cornwall Metro will bring will really enhance services, better connecting people with jobs, students with education services, and leisure opportunities for all – providing valuable support for the community and local economies.’

Louis Gardner, Cornwall Council’s cabinet portfolio holder for the economy, said: ‘This is great news for residents and businesses in Cornwall. This project will make a real difference to the everyday lives of people and create so many opportunities by connecting communities to jobs, services, education and each other, as well as providing economic benefits in allowing quicker, easier access for commuters and visitors coming into the area.

‘This is just the beginning, with further LUF bids to come as well as the £132 million Shared Prosperity Fund we are already beginning

to distribute to projects that drive good growth.’

West Devon Borough Council’s Leader, Cllr Neil Jory, said: ‘This is a huge achievement for West Devon and we’re absolutely delighted! It’s fantastic news for Okehampton, as well as for the Borough as a whole. Okehampton has so much to offer and this transport hub, which follows on the success of the Dartmoor Line, will make travelling to the town even easier.

‘The new integrated travel links include a new station, specifically designed for the town. A car park with EV charging points and cycling facilities, which are essential for this town with the hugely popular Granite Way cycling nearby, and walking route on its doorstep, along with the northern edge of Dartmoor and all its walks.

‘This is really wonderful news and I’d like to thank Devon County Council, GWR, and Mel Stride MP for all of their support with this project.’

Nationally, more than 100 projects have been awarded a share of £2.1 billion from round two of the Government’s fund to create jobs and boost the economy.

the railway. The step-free station will provide a new link to one of the busiest shopping directs in the UK and relieve congestion at Oxford Circus station. Two brand new ticket halls at street level, with an abundance of natural light, one at Davies Street, the other at Hanover Square - will lead passengers to the Elizabeth line platforms. In addition to station improvements, Crossrail has worked alongside Westminster Council on improvements to the urban realm surrounding the station.

HS2 launches Fast-track Employment Scheme

HS2’s construction partner, Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall (EKFB), is launching an employment scheme to help local people who are out of work develop new skills and progress into paid employment.

The first training programme aims to upskill candidates ready for work on Britain’s new railway in just two weeks, and there are 20 places available for Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire residents. Those who successfully complete the course and the assessment day will

be offered an 18-month apprenticeship, allowing them to gain nationally recognised qualifications so they can progress their career in the construction sector.

The fast-track programme is supported by the Department for Work and Pensions, who can support eligible candidates who are claiming state benefits to participate in the course.

The programme offers progression onto a Level 2 Groundworker Apprenticeship, combining both practical and theory training and allowing candidates to

play a hands-on role supporting HS2’s construction in the local area, which stretches across four counties: Bucks, Northants, Oxon and South Warks. The training element of both the fast-track employment programme and the two-year apprenticeship will be delivered by The Skills Centre, one of the UK’s most successful construction training providers. All training costs will be covered by EKFB and the Adult Education Budget (AEB) and the training will be delivered on-site in Brackley.

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Unlocking Innovation 2023 Programme Launched

The Railway Industry Association (RIA) has launched Unlocking Innovation 2023, with a packed programme including a range of topical events and activities set to take place throughout the year.

The programme is supported by Network Rail's R&D Portfolio and the UK Rail Research & Innovation Network (UKRRIN), of which RIA is a founding member. It will kick off with an Unlocking Innovation – Rail Freight event, taking place in Doncaster on 22 February.

Central to its rail innovation programme, the award-winning RIA Innovation Conference (RIC) returns to Nottingham on 28-29 March, with the theme ‘Delivering the Benefits of Innovation’. The conference will include a range of new features, such as ‘Exhibitor Spotlight’ and ‘Student Challenge’ sessions.

RIA will also launch the third Innovation Perception Survey in early 2023, which will give a better understanding of the state of play when it comes to railway innovation –the results of this will be shared at the RIC.

The 2023 Unlocking Innovation programme will see RIA once again partnering with leading industry organisations to promote the innovation agenda. To help navigate the programme, RIA has produced the handy graphic below, highlighting the networking opportunities at both RIA's events and those of its partners too.

RIA will also launch a ‘Data & Digital Capabilities for Rail’ report later this year, looking at gaps in railway policy around data and digital, and opportunities for the supply chain, and it will establish RIA lobbying ‘asks’ in this area.

First Brand New Transport for Wales Trains Unveiled

The new trains entered into passenger service on the Conwy Valley line at the end of 2022 and were unveiled at a ceremony at Llandudno railway station.

The Deputy Minister for Climate Change with responsibility for Transport, Lee Waters said: ‘This is great news. Funded by our £800 million investment in a new fleet of trains, the Class 197s play an important part in our plans to transform rail services in Wales. Having travelled on the Class 197s, I can vouch for the greater comfort, speed and capacity offered by these new trains that will not only be used by Welsh passengers but were also made in Wales.’

Milda Manomaityte, RIA Innovation Director, said: ‘2023 is going to be a significant year for UK rail, with travel and freight movements continuing to recover strongly since the pandemic, the industry preparing for the Control Period 7 (CP7), and Rail Reform looming.

‘With such a busy backdrop, we must not lose sight of the importance of innovation, and this year we have designed a programme that will highlight the benefits of continuous investment in research, development and innovation.

‘We would like to invite all innovators, whether they already work with railway clients or are considering exploring the potential of rail, to engage with RIA's Unlocking Innovation programme. And we look forward to working with them closely in the weeks and months ahead!’

James Price, Transport for Wales CEO, said: ‘The official launch of the Class 197s is a landmark day in the history of Transport for Wales and the Welsh rail industry, with the unveiling of the first brand new trains in Wales in a generation.

‘The construction of our new trains has been four years in the making, and we’re incredibly proud and excited to formally welcome passengers onto them. The trains will be an important part of the transformation of the Wales and Borders network and will enable us to run more services and carry more customers in comfort.

‘It’s also important to recognise that these trains have been made in Wales at the CAF factory in Newport and the building of them has provided jobs and supported the local economy.’

The first of Transport for Wales’ (TfW) brand new £800 million fleet of trains was officially launched by Lesley Griffiths MS at a ceremony in North Wales on 26 January. Built in Wales by leading train manufacturer CAF, the 77 (51 two-car and 26 threecar) new Class 197 trains will become the backbone of TfW’s services across the length and breadth of the Wales and Borders network in the coming years.

Offering leather seats, modern air conditioning systems, wider doors and customer information screens, the brandnew trains will play a key role in TfW’s plans to transform the customer experience on its services.

Minister for North Wales, Lesley Griffiths said: ‘I was very pleased to officially launch Transport for Wales’ impressive new trains in Llandudno today. This made-in-Wales fleet signals an important improvement to rail services and I’m sure passengers will enjoy travelling across North Wales lines on the Class 197s.’

Providing an increase in capacity and enhanced comfort onboard, the new trains will allow TfW to run faster and more frequent services to destinations such as Holyhead, Fishguard and Liverpool.

The 77 trains being built by CAF have also been fitted with electronic charging points and disability features for those with limited mobility.

CAF UK Director Richard Garner commented: ‘This is a memorable day for CAF. We are extremely proud to play a key role in delivering TfW's commitment to transform rail travel for passengers, ensuring a high quality, reliable and comfortable journey.

‘Our trains are being built in Wales to serve the Welsh communities, supporting highly skilled jobs and bringing local employment opportunities whilst focusing on sustainability issues and addressing the needs of the Welsh economy.’

The Class 197s will sit alongside the 71 brand new trains and tram-trains being built for the South Wales Metro, the first of which has recently entered into passenger service. A total of 148 brand new trains will deliver faster, more frequent and greener services.

Network Rail Completely Rebuilds Power Substation in Sunderland

Metro passengers can once again travel between Park Lane and South Hylton after Network Rail engineers have completely rebuilt a power substation in Pallion, Sunderland.

The entire facility needed to be rebuilt after it was significantly damaged by flooding when heavy rainfall hit the North East in the middle of November 2022. The mix of water and electricity sparked a fire and meant that the substation – which takes energy from the National Grid and transforms it into lower voltage power for the overhead electric wires – was no longer safe to use.

Since then, Network Rail engineers have been working to remove the damaged equipment and completely rebuild Pallion substation. This involved a major rewiring of the equipment that critically monitors the train-powering electric wires, as well as a rigorous programme of testing.

There was significant water damage to the substation at Pallion, which has been completely rebuilt on schedule by Network Rail in what was a complex project. The restoration of the power supply at Pallion substation will also enable us to resume a twelve-minute Metro service frequency on the entire Sunderland line.’

Otford Life Saving Incident

Around mid-morning on Thursday 3 November 2022, Mick Ware accompanied by Joe Hainie (B&M McHugh) Richard Kashoro (Network Rail) and Anthony Buckley arrived at Otford station in Kent to undertake an inspection of completed works with the intention of handing the site back to Network Rail.

On arrival they were alerted to a call from a member of the public that a man had fallen down the stairs outside the station. In response, they ran out of the station where they saw an elderly gentleman laying at the top of the stairs on his back. They approached the man with caution to discover he was unconscious. Calmly, Mick and Joe gently shook him and spoke with him to which he responded. The gentleman was keen to sit up and was assisted in doing so.

Mick and Joe both asked him questions i.e. his name, did he know what happened, was he ok? The gentleman said his name was Phillip and he was felling unwell, and advised them he suffered with high blood pressure which had probably caused him to faint. The Emergency Services were immediately called, and Philip was gently placed in the recovery position under the instruction and guidance of the emergency operator.

Alarmingly, it then became clear Philip was slipping out of consciousness and it was noticeable his breathing had stopped. His pulse was checked and could not be found. Quick thinking from Mick and Joe then kicked in; they laid him on his back and commenced CPR (the emergency operator had told them to commence this procedure).

One of the team then ran into the station returning with a defibrillator. The box was opened and instructions were calmly followed. Mick and Joe administered three shocks to Philips chest with the defibrillator

and continued with chest compressions until the emergency services arrived.

On arrival, the paramedics took over ensuring a further two shocks with their own equipment. Air ambulance and additional medical teams then arrived on site and continued with treatment for Philip.

The team remained on site until the police arrived and provided a full statement of what had happened. When they eventually left site, Philip was conscious and breathing without support.

B&M McHugh’s Operations Director thanking Mick Ware and Joe Hainie for taking the life saving action.

New Assessment Tool to Help Measure Leadership Potential

manager role, or a signaller into either a signalling supervisor or local operations manager job.

However, some front-line employees will have the aptitude to progress into a supervisor’s role, and will demonstrate some key management competencies that can help them excel in a leadership position. But how can we judge whether someone has the relevant competencies to become a manager?

• Thinking skills such as effective decision making, problem solving and planning.

• Strong customer focus with both external and internal customers.

• Driving performance in themselves and others.

• Leading others to deliver results.

Undertaking a front-line role can be very different to moving into a supervisory position managing others. Sometimes it can be a real ‘leap of faith’ promoting an employee or candidate into a leadership role requiring the oversight and organisation of a team’s work as well as their own self-management. For example, when considering moving a train driver to a driver

OPC Assessment is pleased to launch its latest, new assessment tool – the Leadership Potential Indicator (LPI) that can help to solve this problem.

OPC Assessment believes there are five key managerial competencies that can help to assess leadership potential in a front-line employee.

These include:

• Being interpersonally skilled when interacting with others.

Emily Wong, Business Psychologist at OPC Assessment said: ‘For some time, many rail clients have shared the dilemma about whether a front-line employee is capable of being a great manager, or not. With the launch of our new Leadership Potential Indicator (LPI) we’ve helped take the ‘guesswork’ out of the decision. It’s an un-timed, situational judgement test, specifically designed to help measure leadership potential and an employee’s aptitude for key management competencies. The LPI can also be used as a development tool with existing supervisors and managers to help them identify their strengths or areas that need development.’

Get in touch with the friendly team at OPC Assessment if you think the new Leadership Potential Indicator (LPI) could help you identify your future leaders on +44 (0)1923 234646, via email at admin@theopc. co.uk or visit the website at www.theopc.co.uk.

MTMS Signs up to the Real Living Wage Pledge

UK rail maintenance company MTMS has underlined its commitment to helping its staff through the current cost-of-living crisis by becoming an accredited real living wage employer.

The company, based in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, has been recognised by the Living Wage Foundation after pledging to pay its 31 staff more than the Government national living wage and enough for them to meet their everyday needs.

It has joined more than 12,000 other UK employers to have voluntarily agreed to make a difference to staff by agreeing to pay the Foundation’s recommended hourly rate, which is independently

calculated and was set at £10.90 an hour last September.

This is more than £1 an hour higher than the Government’s required national living wage of £9.50 an hour for people aged 23 and above and living outside London, which is due to rise to £10.42 in April.

MTMS has joined a wide of major employers to have agreed to pay the higher rate, including Ikea, BrewDog, Aviva and the Nationwide Building society, as well as leading names in the rail industry such as East Midlands Trains, MTR Elizabeth Line and Scotrail.

Work starts on £43 Million West Midlands Metro

Work is now underway on the expansion of the West Midlands Metro depot at Wednesbury to accommodate the increased fleet of trams. New extensions to the line in Birmingham and Wolverhampton city centres and a new line to Dudley town centre – currently under construction – means that more trams are required to operate on the

growing network and more capacity needed to store and maintain them.

So regional transport bosses have launched a £43 million redevelopment of the Metro depot site in Potters Lane.

The on-site capacity will be more than doubled to accommodate the growing fleet of state-of-the-art Metro vehicles and allow

them to manoeuvre around the yard.

The development also includes extended and updated workshop and maintenance facilities, a tram wash, a new operations centre and staff facilities to accommodate a growing workforce. An estimated 150 new jobs will be created as a result of the expansion of the network and depot.

Kelvin Davies & Klara Ludinova

Klara Ludinova is Innovation Lead – Rail at InnovateUK Innovate UK is the UK’s national innovation agency. It supports business-led innovation in all sectors, technologies and UK regions. It helps businesses grow through the development and commercialisation of new products, processes, and services, supported by an outstanding innovation ecosystem that is agile, inclusive, and easy to navigate. Kelvin Davies, Head of Innovation at The Global Centre of Rail Excellence. The GCRE is a major new rail innovation centre due to open in 2025. GCRE was established in 2021 with an initial commitment of £50 million from the Welsh Government. The UK Government is supporting the project with funding for research and development along with capital funding of £20 million. GCRE recently launched a major public procurement to attract private funding for the project. Spanning the former Nant Helen opencast site and Onllwyn Washery in South Wales, GCRE will be the UK’s first net zero railway. The facility will include two 25KV electrified test loops, one a 6.9 kilometre high speed rolling stock track and the other a four kilometre, 60 kph infrastructure test track.

Sam Sherwood-Hale spoke to Kelvin Davies, Head of Innovation at GCRE on secondment from InnovateUK and Klara Ludinova, Innovation Lead – Rail at InnovateUK about the First of a Kind (FOAK) competition and the innovation climate in the UK

SSH: Klara, you joined InnovateUK in August last year – how have these first six months been?

Klara:

I am a chartered structural engineer and worked for rail contractors as a designer in engineering consultancies prior to my role at Innovate UK. I knew that my role as Innovation Lead will be slightly different and the first six months have been exciting. As Innovation Lead for Rail I manage the First

of a Kind programme, which enables me to have a bigger impact as the FOAK winners work towards delivering their innovations to the whole rail network.

SSH: What is the process for the First of a Kind (FOAK) competition like?

Klara: After organisations apply for the competition, their applications go through an assessment process where a number

of external assessors with broad industry knowledge will review the applications, ensuring that teams are addressing industry priorities, and that the proposals are highly original and innovative.

The current FOAK competition has three themes, and one of them is lowering carbon emissions which is split into two phases. In phase one applicants will deliver a feasibility study where they will look at their proposed innovation in more details and provide a clear plan for establishing technical and

commercial feasibility. To enter into the phase two, the applicants have to fill out a similar application as per phase one, submit their feasibility report and then go through the assessment process again. We currently have seven projects in phase one and up to two projects will continue into the phase 2 when the main focus will be on development of a working prototype, demonstration of the prototype and evaluation activity. Once project has been approved for funding, it is usually monitored on a quarterly basis. These quarterly meetings are led by a monitoring officer who monitors the overall progress of the project and approves financial claims.

SSH: How did the FOAK competition begin?

Kelvin: We’re run FOAK rail innovation competitions since 2017 and it evolved from within itself and from a previous stream of competitions which was called the Accelerating Innovation in Rail. The main evolution was in terms of the deliverables and the requirement for a demonstration. We’re in our sixth year now and each competition has learned from the previous one. The key difference has been developing the demonstration on the live railway network, by which I mean putting something on as close as possible as we can to the operational railway and the testing of that with real customers and the people who actually engage with the railway – rather than doing it in a lab, it’s fundamental to FOAK that we do it all on the railway.

The R&D activities that are developed through other programs (such as through RSSB) may be at a lower maturity level before they come to us with a FOAK project and we put it onto the railway and take it to that next stage. This is a natural pipeline as great ideas progress from concepts, to demonstrators and to products.

Teams do not have to have come through the RSSB program though. Other teams may develop concepts themselves and in all cases what we’re looking for is high maturity technology that just needs that extra push to get it in a position where it can be commercialised and put on to the railways.

SSH: What were the themes for this year’s competition?

Klara:

This year the themes are rail freight, lower emissions and a greener railway and cost

efficiency and performance priorities for a reliable railway. We had over 90 applications. All applications are very different from each other. The challenges on railway are complex – and even though two organisations may be addressing a similar problem, their solutions vary, for example this year we have two projects bringing two very unique approaches to the maintenance of the overhead wires.

Kelvin: What we do is we fund proactive teams who will already have their own plans and their own ambitions and it is up to those teams how they deliver their demonstrations to their best commercial advantage and the railway industry's best commercial advantage. In the FOAK2022 competition we’re at the stage now where teams are developing their technologies and planning their demonstrations to be delivered later in 2023. Critical at this stage is a letter of support from a railway industry company that all teams must possess before applying into the competition, confirming that the innovation is a high priority for them and for the railway industry. It is always interesting to see how teams plan their final demonstrations. This is timed to their best tactical advantage and located in a setting where the innovation can be best demonstrated. Depending on the innovation, some choose to demonstrate on board services, in main-line stations, in freight yards, depots or by the lineside. We always fund teams that are engaged and have a strong commercial appetite, we are not always there to support teams and we want to engage the right teams who are able to drive the projects themselves. There are 24 live projects right now and all of those projects are only three to six months into their development, some of them will run for up to 2 years. In the past there have been great demonstrations including at Euston station, on live services with Transport for Wales and GWR, at Transport for Scotland and Govia Thameslink. We've seen live demonstrations on the network with real customers, often with apps to provide an enhanced customer service, or on-board entertainment – one example is this team that provided an onboard historical commentary of sights seen during the journey. And of course we see demonstrations with locomotives and units in the depot or occasionally on the rail network. It is a requirement that helps to de-risk future uptake of the innovation that demonstrations are not in a laboratory or a meeting room – they must all be on the real railway.

In relation to the contracts we require teams to sign, each mandates that they have to demonstrate on the real railway. If you know space history, in 1968 when the Americans got to the second crewed Apollo flight, it was originally planned to remain in earth orbit but late in the day NASA decided that they were ready to travel to the moon and that’s what they did. This

led to the successful moon landing in 1969 and meeting the President’s objective of achieving moon landing in the 1960s. In a similar vein, we're are keen to push teams that little bit further because we know that they will learn a great deal more and it also helps to remove one of the blockers to innovation on the railway network which is getting that approval and permissions and maximising customer engagement.

SSH: How do we create an innovation ecosystem in the UK?

Kelvin:

We only want to fund teams that have that appetite to make things happen on the real railway. Once we’ve identified those teams, we push them onto the live rail environment which generates a reciprocal relationship with the rail industry which is expecting teams to arrive with innovations. We work closely with RSSB, the Innovation Leadership Group and the Technology Leadership Group to understand what the blockers are and how we can deliver a small component to overcome those blockers.

SSH: What is the nature of the partnership with the Department of Transport?

Kelvin:

We meet regularly with representatives from across the railway industry who engage with innovation, RDG, DfT, RSSB, Network Rail and the industry’s technology and innovation bodies which include the Technology Leadership Group and The Innovation Leadership Group.

Klara:

The Department for Transport is the funder of FOAK. For every FOAK round we convene a steering committee group where we bring experts from the industry, with TOCs and ROSCOs along with Network Rail and others. During this workshop we brainstorm what the industry needs and outline the potential FOAK themes which are in line with the Rail Technical Strategy. DfT makes the final decision afterwards.

Kelvin:

In defining the focus of a competition, we bring three things to the table. These are an outline of the DfT’s priorities, the Rail Technical Strategy (a paper document outlining the industry’s future technical requirements), and a dedicated steering committee which supports a brainstorming session and a workshop. From these sources we put together a document which prioritises the priority themes for each competition. When DfT have reviewed this, and only after many months of work, are we in a position to outline the priorities for a competition, and to publish this to industry. You’ll notice that decarbonisation has been a theme for a number of years and that's a reflection of the continuing high level of importance placed on this priority by a

‘It’s fundamental to FOAK (First of a Kind competition) that we do it all on the railway.’

Kelvin Davies, Head of Innovation at GCRE

number of bodies in the railway industry. However, after a number of years focusing on decarbonisation and low-emissions for passenger services the focus has shifted this year to decarbonisation and low emissions for freight operators.

Trying to find that sweet spot between the overlapping interests of different stakeholders is always interesting. What we are seeking are challenges that are of relevance to the maximum number of teams, but we also need to ensure that we don’t deliver the same competition every year. We try to move around the industry as much as we can and to seek different opinions. With most rail operators in the UK focusing on passenger services, it is vitally important that we do not neglect freight, simply because most of the voices in the room are passenger operators. A balanced judgement is important, based on the common interests in the room.

InnovateUK also promotes a number of national level priorities and works closely with government and our parent department which is the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

InnovateUK delivers funding opportunities in a variety of formats, and across an incredibly wide range of topics. The bulk of the activity sees the organisation BEIS to grow the UK economy and to make UK industry even more competitive. The FOAK programme is a managed programme and sees InnovateUK’s capabilities applied in directly supporting the Department for Transport. The program is fully-funded by the Department for Transport and delivers via the SBRI competition format, just one of a number of competition formats and a very appropriate approach given what we are delivering for the railway industry.

SSH: How long after the competition is over and the funding has been awarded do you stay in touch with the projects?

Kelvin:

Keeping aware of past projects is a high priority for Innovate UK and we have some new structures in place to support that.

The Impact and Evaluation framework collects data on a regular basis to see how commercially successful each project has been, how the funded organisation has benefitted, and what the impact of the innovation was. Although some innovations proceed to the market immediately, for others the challenge is that it may take time, so when a project is funded, it may not be the case that they then achieve instant multinational success – we have to track them over months and years. The first FOAK finished in 2018 and we have a number of standout successes from that programme that we’re still tracking.

Klara:

My main focus is on the current FOAK competition and driving it forward and developing relationships with the current FOAK project teams. Good way to stay in touch with our current as well past winners is through industry events, such as InnoTrans, Rail Live or RailTex.

SSH: What makes this such an exciting time for innovation in the rail sector?

Klara:

What excites me is when the project teams focus their innovation on the end users and when teams are proactive in collecting data on how their product will be beneficial to the rail staff or rail customers. As an engineer I attended regular visits to rail sites and could see how difficult and complex some of the rail work can be, such as maintenance of station, bridges, culverts, embankment, and anything which can make the maintenance of railway more efficient and improve the lives of people carrying out the work is exciting for me.

I look forward to live demonstrations of our FOAK projects when the teams will be able to prove their innovations work in the live rail environment.

Kelvin:

This is the other benefit of the live demonstration, it exposes the product to the customer and what the customer actually wants and what they will actually buy. One thing we don't track is how many successful relationships develop from unsuccessful applications. We had nearly 100 applications for the last round and we funded 24 projects so we can only fund about one quarter of the projects, even though we’d like to fund many more great innovations.

SSH: Kelvin, you’re currently working as Head of Innovation at the Global Centre of Rail Excellence – how did the collaboration with GCRE and InnovateUK come about?

Kelvin:

The team there were keen to draw on the experience we've had delivering the Department for Transport’s programme and what we've been describing actually ties in really well because part of the challenge

for any innovative team is in finding a demonstration site that is representative of the railway. It is a complicated process, identifying a suitable site, negotiating access and permissions, and then installing equipment to deliver the demonstration. Network Rail has some excellent facilities, Porterbrook operates the Long Marston test facility, and The Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation has a new test facility focusing primarily on light rail at present. Each brings its own capabilities, but what we lack in the country is a dedicated high-speed, fully integrated modern railway test track for the testing of both rolling stock and infrastructure. That is what makes GCRE different and a valuable step forward. The experience we’ve developed through working with DfT on rail innovation programmes will be invaluable to GCRE because we have the experience of running five years of innovation programmes looking across the whole railway system, so that’s rolling stock, customers, depots, decarbonisation, infrastructure – GCRE will bring new opportunities for testing both rolling stock infrastructure, and that is a real game-changer for the UK.

SSH: How has the experience of working with GCRE been for you?

Kelvin:

It’s been a really interesting opportunity to do something with high agility as it all has to happen very quickly, it has a global footprint and it’s making a statement that we really need to focus on the infrastructure side of railway innovation. The statistic that we quote is that ratio between the spend on infrastructure and rolling stock is 10:1 so we’ve spent ten times as much on infrastructure as we do on rolling stock, but we have no way to test new and innovative ways of building infrastructure in the UK. With major programmes like HS2 there is the chance to make substantial cost savings if we can innovate in the way we build railways.

SSH: So that's why this is a very exciting time for this particular type of site, do you feel there's more funding available now than there was in previous years because of these big projects?

Kelvin:

It's more true to say that the funding has been maintained over the years. In the innovation and research and development space I feel the funding is at a consistent level. The importance of innovation funding may be growing because of programmes like HS2 and East West Rail which show that it's not just about maintaining and developing the old railway network from the 1800s, it is also about contributing to these exciting modern initiatives to build new railways and to apply 21st century innovations to these critical elements of the UK’s infrastructure.

‘This is the other benefit of the live demonstration, it exposes the product to the customer and what the customer actually wants and what they will actually buy.’

Kelvin Davies, Head of Innovation at GCRE

First of a Kind 2022

Top innovators and inventers have won prize money to bring their innovations to life, as part of the First of a Kind 2022 competition

This year’s competition, in partnership with Innovate UK, focused on new concepts that will transform rail travel for passengers and decarbonising the network.

First of a Kind 2022 saw 24 innovators receive a share of more than £5 million with grants of up to £400,000 each. From technology making our railways greener than ever before by removing harmful emissions from train exhausts to research into powering our railways with renewable energy, this year’s successful bidders will revolutionise the future of train travel for generations to come.

This year’s winners include Varamis who, working closely with DHL and Fedex, are revolutionising parcel delivery in the UK by repurposing former passenger carriages and putting rail right at the heart of the online shopping boom to create high-speed, nonletter delivery services.

Echion Technologies, another successful bidder, is developing batteries that will charge from overhead wires and use that charge to 'leapfrog’ across unelectrified section of track and, effectively, create selfcharging trains – truly, ‘the first of a kind’.

Supported by Transport Design International, Horiba Mira and DB Cargo, Echion Technologies aims to demonstrate its XNO battery chemistry for certain classes of battery electric trains. Specifically, it aims to demonstrate its suitability for passenger trains that can be powered by the AC overhead electrification and charge a battery from the overhead wire (or another form of ‘standard’ trackside power, e.g. third rail), to then run in battery-only mode on unelectrified sections of a route.

Thales Ground Transportation Systems have developed new sensors which will detect people approaching tracks, pin down their location, and give an early warning

to staff – lifesaving technology that will reduce disruption and could act as suicide intervention or even stop protestors getting on the tracks.

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper said: ‘The UK has a long history of leading the way in railway innovation and the First of a Kind competition is getting the great brains of today to create the trains of tomorrow. Through millions of pounds worth of Government funding, we are breathing life into ideas that will revolutionise our railways and make them greener than ever before.

‘This is just the beginning and, as Transport Secretary, I am determined to support British innovation and create a cutting edge, green rail industry that

charge up from overhead wires and then operate on unelectrified section of track and in my constituency of Bexhill and Battle in East Sussex,

still have stretches of track where diesel trains still operate – so these self-charging trains could help get us away from that.’

delivers even more benefits for passengers and freight.’

The First of a Kind competition has already helped launch over 100 projects that are having a transformative effect across the entire industry. Previous winners have included Riding Sunbeams, which power railways with sunlight, and 4Silence’s sound bending walls which cancel out noise pollution from the railway.

‘I’m so proud to be able to step into this position and immediately have this opportunity to promote the positive stories that have come out of this competition. One of our winners is developing batteries that can

we

Huw Merriman MP, Rail Minister

‘Companies from all over the UK have demonstrated the quality of their innovations in previous rounds of this scheme. Now we will support even more innovations to help deliver a greener railway that benefits passengers, employees and customers for rail freight.’

Mike Biddle, Executive Director for Net Zero at Innovate UK

Delivering Through AI

Jeremy Revell and Richard Wheldon (Frazer-Nash Consultancy), and Luke Allen (eviFile) on their digital solution to disruption

As the UK’s railway system grows and provides enhanced and further services, the potential for disruption on the lines also increases. Frazer-Nash and eviFile have worked in partnership to produce a digital solution to overcome this.

One of the main challenges facing the railway industry today is the complex process of possession management –whereby trains are unable to run on sections of track whilst they undergo maintenance work.

The logistics of diverting, blocking, or closing sections of track can have implications across the network – with delays on main lines likely to cause disruptions, as well as the obvious financial implications of delayed engineering works.

Is this really a difficult or large problem?

There are thousands of engineering operations in any given year. Taking Network Rail as an example, in 2020/21, the company spent £1.6 billion on enhancements, £1.9 billion on maintenance, and £3.2 billion on renewals across the rail network (Office of Rail and Road, 2021).

Possessions can span long distances, with many tens of miles being the norm, and usually involve multiple worksites with many contractors working in parallel. It also

goes without saying that these works require safe, traffic-free sites for maintenance activities to be carried out competently.

Whilst possessions are planned carefully in advance, ultimately, their successful delivery relies on plans working in practice. Disruption can occur due to machine faults, access issues, staff planning, or incorrect engineering arrangements – all demonstrating the complexity of planning possessions.

The timely organisation of deploying staff and equipment to worksites and minimising travelling distances are critical efficiency requirements. Barriers such as mutual road and rail access points, staff numbers, and equipment types can hinder these works. Consequently, issues in both timetabling and ensuring that engineering trains reach worksites at the correct time, and in the correct formation, can often arise.

How is this managed at present?

Modern project management practices can help with possession management to some degree, but traditionally, solutions have been underpinned by paper-based processes. Such processes, especially those involving numerous worksites over a large area, do not help those in charge of work readily understand the optimisation of such projects.

The Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI)

Recently, Frazer-Nash and eviFile bid for, and won, a Small Business Research

‘Possession management and planning remains one of the biggest challenges faced by rail. At Frazer-Nash, we believe in delivering innovations through data science to help the rail industry and our clients meet their challenges and make changes that matter. Working alongside our colleagues at eviFile, we are excited to use this opportunity to apply novel AI techniques to the important problem of delivering possessions on time, helping transform the industry standard towards better data-informed decision making.’

Jeremy Revell, Consultant, Frazer-Nash

Initiative (SBRI) competition funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) in an attempt to solve this problem. Part of a larger ‘first of a kind’ initiative, the competition aimed to accelerate innovation in the UK rail sector by enabling technologies to be readily and efficiently integrated into the railway system.

Using artificial intelligence, the team developed a tool to help optimise the work undertaken in possessions to increase efficiency and reliability, with the ultimate goal of empowering the industry to deliver robust infrastructure, on-budget works, less disruption to rail users, and value for money.

The partnership

One of the fundamental challenges when undergoing possession management projects is the collection of key data from track. High quality, accurate information must be taken from both Network Rail PICOPS (Person(s) in Charge of Possession) and engineers on the ground to deliver efficiencies that can be applied across any major possession, and can make a real difference for the industry.

Implementing a real time possession management solution for Network Rail, eviFile and Frazer-Nash worked in partnership to deliver on the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition.

Frazer Nash’s machine learning and data science principles, along with eviFile’s deep insight and field data engine expertise, provided a unique platform to collate, manage, and provide recommendations to possession planners.

By combing enterprise field data, the project team have been able to remove paper-based systems and build a longterm data set for effective analytics to aid improved planning and decision making around possessions. This removes the reliance on individuals’ knowledge of location-dependent rules and actions, as well as enabling a more data-driven approach

to be applied to risk management and programming.

Utilising a data set of more than 50 possessions across multiple UK locations, and building a stakeholder group of Network Rail, tier 1 contractors, and internal stakeholders, the FOAK project aimed to ensure that data science and the needs of the users on the ground were combined to deliver a solution with a true impact.

It is our hope that by creating a standardised approach to data management, capture, and reporting, we will have a material impact on how possessions are managed, delivered and optimised upon successful completion of this SBRI programme.

The solution

To deliver innovation to the rail possession management industry, Frazer-Nash applied their experience in advanced data analytics to enhancing eviFile’s possession management solution, already being used by TRU Alliance (Transpennine Route Upgrade), Alstom and VolkerRail.

Under the SBRI ‘first of a kind’ grant, Frazer-Nash is producing a stand-alone module that will work with eviFile’s platform to enable contractors, PICOPs, and possession stakeholders to make better informed management decisions.

Following stakeholder engagement, the team identified a shared need amongst stakeholders for greater confidence in the ability to complete essential possession works on time. The time available for possession works, (the ‘possession window’), is crucial, as small delays can often lead to the cancellation or descoping of major activities. Capitalising upon eviFile’s historic possession management data, Frazer-Nash is developing predictive AI algorithms to forecast the likelihood of a possession overrunning, given the available time window.

The developed module utilises Bayesian networks to build a digital twin and view of scheduled possession works, allowing real-time analytics and confidence metrics relating to the progress of possession works to be reported on. Bayesian networks are a graphical approach that allow the possession management problem to be treated probabilistically, in which the duration of works can be uncertain. Furthermore, the underlying probability distributions can be incrementally updated as more possession data is collated over time.

The predictions work by effectively matching possession characteristics to historic works, for example: worksite complexity, activity types, expected durations, seasonal trends, and time of day. The tool will present results through an intuitive UI using Power BI dashboards, allowing PICOPs and contractors to form a data-driven consensus. The developed algorithms will also allow contractors to test mitigation strategies (for example, through descoping tasks/intelligent resource reallocation) to reduce their risk of overrunning, with a view to supporting the rapid planning and replanning of complex possessions in real-time.

By transitioning to a data-driven approach, eviFile will be transformed from a descriptive and diagnostic platform to a predictive and prescriptive toolset. The outcomes of our project will allow contractors to operate to tight schedules and deadlines with greater confidence, identify bottlenecked activities at the earliest opportunity, inform, and test remedial plans of action when works are behind schedule.

Contact us

If you have a problem that needs solving, get in touch with the experts at Frazer-Nash or eviFile to discuss your requirements, at rail@fnc.co.uk

When it begins operation in 2025, GCRE will be a facility that enables world class research, testing and certification of rolling stock, infrastructure and innovative new rail technologies, right here in the UK. It will be a ‘one stop shop’ for the industry, providing an innovation space quite unlike any other in Europe, filling a critical gap in rail that can help lower costs and support decarbonisation.

Backed by both the Welsh and UK Government, GCRE will be the UKs first ever Net Zero railway and is already attracting significant interest from across the industry and suppliers.

GCRE is now taking the next step in its journey and offering partners in the private sector the chance to invest in this exciting project. To find out more about how GCRE can support your business, get in touch.

W: E:

by Chris Cheek

Passenger Numbers Recover

Recovery in passenger numbers continues but season ticket sales still down by two-thirds

Britain's railways continued to regain passenger numbers but season ticket sales continued to be down by two-thirds during the summer of 2022, according to the latest published figures. The recovery from the depths of the Covid lockdowns continued between June and September, with passenger numbers more than 45 per cent higher than the same quarter in 2021, reaching their highest level since the imposition of the first lockdown in March 2020.

Overall, demand came to within 80.2 per cent of pre-Covid levels, according to National Rail Trends statistics, published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).

The provisional figures cover the second quarter of fiscal year 2022/23, finishing at the end of September: across the network, 359.4 million passenger journeys were made during the twelve-week period, up from 247.9 million in 2021. Between them, they covered 13.7 billion passenger kilometres, 31.8 per cent up, and paid a total of £2.2 billion in fares, 43.5 per cent more than in 2021.

Looking at demand by ticket type, advance tickets were up by 137.5 per cent, whilst anytime peak and off-peak fares were up by 103.3 per cent and 97.8 per cent respectively. Season ticket holders made 48.6 per cent more journeys.

Comparing these figures with the same quarter in 2019, there has been wide divergence in the performance of different ticket types. The growth in advance purchase tickets means that sales were 9.4 per cent higher than in the same quarter in 2019. Season tickets, though, were still only at

one-third of 2019 levels. Sales of anytime peak tickets were 16.2 per cent down, whilst off-peak fares were 6.1 per cent lower.

Services in London and South East saw the strongest growth in the over last summer. Between them, the operators carried 252.3m passengers in 2022, up 52.4 per cent on 2021, remaining 17.7 per cent below 2019. Strongest quarterly growth came at West Midlands (44.6 per cent) and GTR (41.5 per cent). Weakest were c2c (20.5 per cent) and Southeastern (21.8 per cent).

The long distance InterCity operations saw more modest growth during the quarter, being 30.4 per cent up on 2021, but 17.9 per cent per cent down on 2019. Looking at individual InterCity operators, EMR fared the best, growing its traffic by 46.6 per cent and recovering to within one per cent of 2019 levels.

Next came Great Western, 41.6 per cent up on the quarter but still 24.9 per cent below 2019. Cross Country was up by 31.7 per cent but stayed 31.8 per cent short of 2019. LNER saw growth of just 18 per cent during the quarter, but this took the business to almost six per cent above pre-Covid traffic. Avanti West Coast, hit by driver shortages after a fall-out with drivers over overtime working, saw a modest 12.2 per cent increase, remaining 35.5 per cent short of pre-Covid patronage.

Amongst the regional franchises, total patronage was 28.2 per cent up on 2021, but remained 26.7 per cent below 2019 levels. Amongst individual TOCs, ScotRail saw the strongest recovery, with patronage up 37.2 per cent from 2021, though still 33 per cent below its 2019 figures. TfW saw growth of 27.8 per cent, whilst TransPennine saw the

UNDERGROUND OFFERS HIGHSPEED MOBILE COVERAGE

A further six London Underground stations now offer high-speed mobile coverage to customers, as the next stage of Transport for London (TfL) and BAI Communications' (BAI) project to bring coverage to the Tube network gathers speed.

Since the end of last year, passengers travelling between Holland Park and Queensway on the Central line and Kentish Town and Archway on the Northern line experienced 4G and 5G-ready mobile coverage. Coverage will be in ticket halls and platforms, as well as in tunnels between those

2000 KILOMETRES OF CABLING

stations. Once fully delivered, more than 2,000 kilometres of cabling as well as thousands of radios are expected to be installed within tunnels and stations, all of which will be fitted outside of operational hours. Around 500 people are working overnight across the Tube network to install mobile equipment, with all works needed to be tidied away before the network opens for customers every morning.

HULL TRAINS TO CONTINUE RUGBY LEAGUE PARTNERSHIPS FOR 2023

Hull Trains has kicked off its 2023 support for community activities by renewing its partnerships with Hull FC and Hull KR. The local operator has a wide range of sponsorships lined up for this year as it continues to play a role at the heart of the community. It has now announced the first of these ventures by getting behind both of the city’s Super League clubs for a second successive season.

lowest growth in the quarter, 16 per cent, leaving it 36.2 per cent below 2019 levels –not the highest shortfall in the sector, which belongs to Merseyrail, still 37.2 per cent down despite achieving growth of 24.1 per cent during the quarter.

Rolling year figures

The national totals for the twelve months ended 30 September show that, compared with the last pre-Covid year of 2018/19, the number of passenger journeys was 29.7 per cent lower at 1.25 billion. Passenger kilometres travelled were 29.4 per cent lower at 48.1 billion, whilst passenger revenue saw a shortfall of 27.9 per cent at £7.6 billion.

As in previous quarters, performance varied between the sectors. Passenger journeys were still over 30 per cent below 2019 levels in London and South East and on the regional networks but moved to within 23.6 per cent on the InterCity routes.

Comment

Sunshine and tears may be the two words which sum up the quarter, as the country basked in near-record temperatures for several weeks, but then mourned the loss of their Queen in early September, prompting a flood of people travelling to the capital for the ceremonies associated with the death, including the lying in state and the state funeral. The comparative quarter in 2021 had been relatively calm, characterised by falling Covid infection rates.

Thus, the percentage growth figures we are seeing are rather less spectacular than in the Spring quarter, but nevertheless do mark some solid progress on the road to recovery. The variations in performance between different TOCs that we have remarked on before are still there. Including the open access operators, there were three operators who exceeded their 2019 patronage figure during the quarter: Grand Central was 7.9 per cent ahead, LNER was on 5.4 per cent and Hull Trains stood at two per cent. A fourth, East Midlands Trains, came within a whisker, being just 0.08 per cent short of its pre-Covid figure. The next nearest was London Overground but this remained over 17 per cent short of its previous levels.

This is such a sharp contrast, though, with the nine operators whose patronage was still more than thirty per cent short of full recovery during the quarter. Merseyrail had the most ground to make up, being on 37.8 per cent; next came TransPennine (36.2), Avanti West Coast (35.5), Southeastern (34.4), South Western (33.6), Scotrail (33.0), Chiltern (31.9), CrossCountry (31.8) and Heathrow Express (30.1).

Once again, it is clear that a fall in commuting is the main problem, and this is amply reinforced by looking at season ticket sales. The number of journeys made on these tickets is recovering – up by 30.7 per cent in the quarter, and 48.6 per cent during the rolling year. But the numbers remain over two-thirds below the levels seen in 2019.

This contrasts sharply with leisure-based fares – advance tickets were 9.4 per cent ahead of 2019 levels during the quarter, whilst journeys made on off-peak tickets were 4.6 per cent up.

As we have noted before in these articles, one consequence of this shift in the market is that the railway earns a lower amount of money for each passenger kilometre travelled (what I term ‘the yield’). After allowing for inflation, the national figure during the quarter was 9.3 per cent below

the 2019 figure, at 16.08p. However, the loss rises to a whopping 13.5 per cent on the InterCity operations – reflecting a fall in business travel and first class income.

More recent trends on patronage levels are still available from the Department for Transport, through its continuing publication of transport demand estimates for every week since the lockdown began in March 2020. At the start of the summer quarter, weekly demand was averaging above 80 per cent, and exceeding 90 per cent in mid-August before slipping back.

The number went to over 90 per cent of 2019 levels again in the first week in September and stayed there. There were three weeks in October when demand topped the 100 per cent mark. It slipped back slightly but remained at 98 or 99 per cent throughout November and into December – despite the much-publicised problems over driver shortages and industrial action.

These numbers would seem to promise further recovery when the next set of quarterly figures come out in the spring – but there is much to be endured in the meantime.

PASSENGER TRANSPORT MONITOR

BIG PICTURE IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT FIND A FRESH ANGLE

‘Overall, demand came to within 80.2 per cent of pre-Covid levels, according to National Rail Trends statistics, published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).’

‘Once again, it is clear that a fall in commuting is the main problem, and this is amply reinforced by looking at season ticket sales.’

Insulators

Safety Equipment

Bonding Connectors

Catenary Clamps

Droppers

Large ballast bays with walls constructed from our Legato interlocking blocks

Workforce safety refuges built from Elite Duo blocks

LAYING DOWN THE LAW

by Martin Fleetwood

Getting to Grips with Subsidy Control

Following Brexit and the transition rules established under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the UK Government has been introducing new rules for subsidy control to replace those which applied while the UK was in the EU

Part of the Subsidy Control Act 2022 (the Act) was activated in April 2022, but 4 January 2023 saw the full set of new domestic subsidy rules finally come into force in the UK.

The full Act has introduced some important changes into the way subsidies are awarded.

These are to introduce:

• The Subsidy Advice Unit (SAU), a new body to review certain subsidies and monitor the effectiveness of the operation of the Act and its impact on competition and investment within the UK.

• An additional principle, requiring subsidies to be designed to achieve the relevant public authority's specific policy objective (i.e. A clearly targeted subsidy) while minimising any negative effects on competition or investment within the UK.

• A reduction in the timeframes to three months for uploading details of most subsidies to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) transparency database.

• A reduction to one month for the time within which to challenge a proposed subsidy award from the date that the subsidy information is uploaded to the transparency database.

The changes to the timeframes are important, not just for those giving or receiving subsidies, but also for those organisations who are not benefitting from the relevant subsidy and believe that it creates an unfair advantage in the relevant market.

New regime

If a proposed subsidy payment meets the four requirements set out in the Act, namely it:

• Is given from public resources by a public authority.

• Confers an economic advantage.

• Is specific, benefiting one or more enterprises over one or more other enterprises.

• May affect competition, investment or trade within the united kingdom or between the UK and another country.

The parties will need to consider if that subsidy payment is compliant with the Act. This generally occurs where:

• An exemption applies – the subsidy is below £315,000 or below £725,000 where supporting a service of public economic interest.

• The subsidy is compliant with the seven subsidy control principles set out in Schedule 1 of the Act (see Box).

In most cases, where the granting authority is satisfied that the subsidy is compliant with the Act, it simply uploads details of the relevant subsidy to the transparency database within three months of it being awarded. However, if the subsidy meets the definition of a ‘subsidy of particular interest’ the proposed subsidy must be referred to the SAU before it can be awarded. A subsidy of particular interest is a subsidy that is:

• Not related to a sensitive sector but will total over £10 million.

• Related to a sensitive sector and will total over £5 million.

Martin Fleetwood is a Consultant at Addleshaw Goddard’s Transport practice. The Rail Team has over 30 lawyers who advise clients in both the private and public sectors across a wide range of legal areas. As well as contractual issues, the team advises on operational matters, franchises, concessions, finance, regulatory, property, employment, environmental and procurement issues.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is recommended that specific professional advice is sought before acting on any of the information given.

THE SEVEN SUBSIDY PRINCIPLES

A compliant subsidy should show the following:

• Common interest.

• Proportionate and necessary.

• Designed to change economic behaviour of beneficiary.

• Costs that would be funded anyway.

• Least distortive means of achieving policy objective.

• Competition and investment within the United Kingdom.

• Beneficial effects to outweigh negative effects.

• A restructuring subsidy i.e. provided to restructure an ailing or insolvent enterprise.

Note that related subsidies paid to the beneficiary are also included when calculating these totals. BEIS holds the list of sensitive sectors, the identity of which are subject to a periodic review. The eight sectors presently covered are not specifically related to rail, but there are indirect links, such as covering manufacturers of basic iron, steel and ferro-alloys, the manufacture of motor vehicles and the production of electricity. Any party in the rail sector which plans to take advantage of a subsidy in the future should check the sensitive sector list to ensure that it has not been expanded to cover the purpose of that subsidy.

There is a set timetable from the point that the granting authority officially refers

the proposed subsidy to the SAU. Under it:

• The SAU has five working days to confirm whether it has all the information it needs (referral complete) or if further information is needed.

• The SAU must issue a report within 30 working days (subject to extensions); after confirming that the referral is complete.

• A five day ‘cooling off period’ must elapse from the date of the report before the subsidy can be granted.

The SAU report includes an evaluation of the public authority's Assessment of Compliance and may include comments on the authority's compliance with the Act. However, the SAU's role is only advisory and it does not approve or block the subsidy. The public authority decides the basis on which to grant the subsidy and can depart from the SAU's advice. However, in departing from the SAU report and advice the public authority is likely to weaken its position against an application for a judicial review by a third party against the public authority's decision to award the grant. While not fatal, departure from the report casts doubt on the authority's decision-making activities.

Once a submission is made, a third party can engage with the SAU on its

review. However, given the short statutory timescale, third parties will typically need to provide their views within ten working days of the initial referral to be factored into the SAU's evaluation. If information from the third party gives the SAU cause for concern, it can stop the statutory clock and ask the public body for additional information before completing the review.

Early engagement

With the Act requiring public authorities and recipients of larger subsidies to engage with the SAU in a more formal and structured process before any subsidy is granted, it is advisable for the parties to pull together the information required for the report to the SAU as soon as practicable. The 30-workingday review period only begins once the SAU is satisfied that all relevant information has been included in the submission.

The SAU is available for pre-referral discussions with a public authority intending to offer a relevant subsidy. While the SAU will not provide any advice on the subsidy itself during this pre-referral phase it will help the public authority to identify the information it needs to support its referral.

Streamlining applications

The Act permits the Government to specify certain categories of subsidy schemes which have streamlined routes and only need to comply with a set of limited terms and conditions (including those relating to eligible costs, subsidy ratios and maximum award amounts), similar to the previous EU General Block Exemptions. The three streamline services published to date relate to:

1. Research, development and innovation –including subsides for feasibility studies, experimental development projects and SME innovation support.

2. Energy usage – allowing subsidies for energy demand reduction projects, green heat network projects and related green skills training.

3. Local growth – focussed on SME subsidies for business development projects, employment of workers with disabilities and disadvantaged workers.

These routes are intended to reduce the burden on both local authorities and subsidy recipients, permitting and enhancing the provision of such grants. Within the rail sector all three schemes could have an application, although the fact that each scheme has a maximum award value for participants may restrict their benefit.

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The Women in Rail Mentoring Programme

Breaking down bias and challenging prejudice, one mentoring pair at a time

2022 marked the ten-year anniversary of Women in Rail. The organisation looked back at one of its achievements over the last decade – the WR Mentoring Programme and its future aspirations. Since its inception, the charity has become a movement with an ever increasing following and presence. Women in Rail has achieved its core aim of promoting greater diversity and inclusion across the rail sector, with a key focus on the development and progression of females within a predominantly male industry.

Rajinder Pryor MBE, Network Rail Telecoms and Women in Rail board trustee, spoke about her experience of mentoring and the huge impact it had on her: ‘It was back in 2015, I was stuck in my career. I was stuck within myself, and I couldn’t see how to move forward. Mentoring was the magic ingredient added to everything else which got me where I am today.’

Launched in 2014, the programme was initially created with a commitment towards matching female mentees with mentors from different organisations within the rail industry as a nine-month development programme.

The programme has since grown from just twelve mentoring pairs in its first year to 270 pairs in 2018, and in 2019 Women in Rail made the decision to partner with Moving Ahead to take the programme to the next level. This new partnership brought with it a new perspective. Although the programme’s ethos remains centred around promoting and retaining diverse women across the industry, in 2020 the participant criteria was extended to include both female and male mentees.

Whilst women’s development and career progression remain a priority, the

programme has manoeuvred itself to establish mentoring as a way for fostering more inclusive workplace cultures through working closely with male allies – both as mentors and mentees.

Women in Rail and the programme is founded on ideals of diversity, equality, and inclusion. In bringing onboard male allies the endeavours for change have had an even wider reach within the industry as with it comes the realisation that men need to be part of the journey alongside women.

Jon Witt of the Rail Delivery Group participated in 2021 and was recognised as Mentor of the Year. Reflecting on his experiences, Jon said: ‘From the very first introductory meeting with my mentee, I immediately felt a strong connection with her – which is testament to the brilliant matching process. As well as sharing some of my own experiences and thoughts, I also learnt a huge amount from the programme. My primary consideration was to always provide some value through our conversations – sometimes this was through a general catch up, but other conversations were more focussed on specific themes such as building confidence, raising one’s profile and exploring new areas of professional interest. The relationship was really collaborative and two-way, and the highest compliment I can pay to my mentee and the programme was that we built a great friendship beyond the end of the programme.’

It comes as no surprise that the programme took its scope even further following the successful addition of male mentees, and as part of its repowered programme has created a charitable ProBono Fund. The purpose of this is to enable women associated with the industry to take part in the programme as a mentee free of

For more information about WR visit https://womeninrail.org/.

charge, opening up spaces to job seekers, women in transition, on care leave, or women from organisations not able to take part in the programme.

The programme continues to attract interest, with seven of the 22 organisations participating in 2022 programme being new. With more organisations coming onboard, it is clear that Women in Rail’s influence is ever expanding, and its shared desire for change is spreading.

The incredible feedback from participants every year is true testament to the success of the programme. Many new organisations have signed up after participants have moved on to different organisations and continued to advocate for the programme.

One such example is Jenny Dempsey from Diamond Rail, who recalled her experience: ‘Having benefited hugely from the Women in Rail programme at the start of my rail career five years ago as a mentee, it was an easy decision to bring my business to the table this year. My mentor introduced me to self-development literature that truly changed my mindset, and I am looking forward to giving back and becoming a mentor myself this year’.

Looking back the achievement of the programme has been incredible. As it continues to develop year on year, and with inspirational speakers including Squiggly Careers co-founder, Helen Tupper, author and disability rights activist, Dr Amit Patel (amongst many more) it is clear that the Women in Rail Mentoring Programme has blossomed.

A great way to mark ten years of Women in Rail and pay tribute to how it’s founder Adeline Ginn has created a sought-after opportunity to help drive change within the rail industry. A special thanks to all the organisations who have and continue to support Women in Rail and its work.

If you’d like to know more about the mentoring programme and how to get involved email WRMentoringTeam@movingahead.org or wr@womeninrail.org.

WOMEN IN RAIL Rajinder Pryor

by Alexandra Herdman

The Year that was and the Year Ahead

Alexandra Herdman, Senior Policy Manager, Logistics UK looks back at 2022 and what the year ahead might hold for freight

2022 has been a slow and sometimes challenging year for rail with countless train strikes due to disagreements over job security, pay and conditions for workers. However, there have also been many encouraging developments throughout the past twelve months.

Approximately 1.6 billion tonnes of goods are transported into and around the UK each year with the freight sector adding £127 billion annually to the economy. In June 2022, government recognised the importance of freight when it published The Future of Freight Plan; the first-ever crossmodal and cross-government plan for the UK freight transport sector that highlighted the need for a national freight network. The overall vision of the plan is a freight and logistics sector that is cost-efficient, reliable, resilient, environmentally sustainable and valued by society. An encouraging step forward for the sector, it will also improve understanding of the domestic freight network to support better decision-making in government and industry and maximise opportunities for modal shift. Moving forwards, it is imperative that this plan is implemented in the correct way to ensure that a multimodal approach to transport is taken. To do this, it is essential that government communicates efficiently with the freight sector, and Logistics UK looks forward to continuing with these discussions in 2023.

Much progress has also been made across the HS2 project throughout the past twelve months, including completion of the first section of the UK’s longest viaduct. The

largest infrastructure project in Europe, when completed it will link Manchester, Birmingham and London via a high-speed rail network. Despite some concerns from politicians regarding public funding following the latest Autumn Budget and current economic crisis, this is a crucial project for the levelling up agenda. As of October 2022, the project supports over 29,000 jobs and early works in London delivered £115 million of social value to local communities. Additionally, 61 per cent of contracts are with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), equating to over 1,800 SMEs in the HS2 supply chain.

As well as progress, 2022 has also seen some challenges. In May 2021, the WilliamShapps Plan for Rail was published and included the decision to establish Great British Railways (GBR). Unfortunately, due to a lack of parliamentary time, the Transport Bill – which formally included the creation of GBR – has now been delayed, with former Transport Secretary, AnneMarie Trevelyan, explaining the Department for Transport (DfT) has lost the opportunity to bring it forward in this session of Parliament.

Despite this, in following Parliamentary questions, government has confirmed that much the work of GBR can still be advanced without legislation and in the view of Logistics UK, GBR must continue on its trajectory in 2023 and become a fully established office.

It is imperative freight remains high on the political agenda in the coming year and does not become the forgotten relative of passenger rail. One key challenge is

Logistics UK is one of the UK’s leading business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With COVID-19, Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. Logistics UK supports, shapes and stands up for safe and efficient logistics, and is the only business group which represents the whole industry, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods. For more information about the organisation and its work, including its ground-breaking research into the impacts of Covid-19 on the whole supply chain, please visit logistics.org.uk.

timetable capacity – even with reduced passenger numbers, securing timetable slots for freight is difficult – as well as operational considerations at passenger stations. In due course, new legislation must ensure this protection for rail freight. This is key for two reasons: to supporting environmental and congestion goals and to unlock the economic benefits that partnership with private sector investors in rail freight can deliver.

Also vital across the next twelve months are much needed infrastructure improvements, such as the proposal to upgrade the railway in the Ely area to address significant bottlenecks on the important route from the Port of Felixstowe to the Midlands and beyond. Track electrification must be a key consideration of infrastructure improvements. While rail only produces 1.5 per cent of all transport emissions each year, only 38 per cent of GB’s rail network is electrified. Whilst it is unlikely the whole network will be electrified before 2050, further innovations in battery electric and hydrogen fuel cells show promise for decarbonising rail.

Looking ahead, 2023 must be the year for ambitious rail freight growth to be cemented in legislation. With rail freight stagnating over recent years, the sector needs certainty; changing government priorities and postponed policies must not delay this. Logistics UK is looking forward to working with members and government in the coming year to ensure rail freight is at the top of the agenda.

Interface Compatibility

Control, Command and Signalling

Data, Systems and Telematics

Rail Industry Standards Infrastructure

Rolling Stock

Traffic Operation and Management Plant

AC Electrification Energy

Setting a common system of specifications

Standards play a vital role in making our railways safer, more efficient and more sustainable.

As Great Britain’s independent rail body, the Rail Safety and Standards Board has been developing and maintaining industry agreed standards over the past 20 years. Our standards ensure compatibility and harmonisation across the UK railway industry.

And in our latest standards updates we have introduced changes for AC electrification that deliver benefits of at least £27 million to the industry over the next 5 years. The changes will reduce costs associated with new electrification schemes and provide confidence that trains and the electrification infrastructure are compatible.

For more information visit:

www.rssb.co.uk/ac-electrification-standards

We’re with you every step of the way

Mind the Digital Gap

Rail is a vital service to the function of society and is the backbone of sustainable mobility. Every year, billions of passengers and freight travel by rail and everyday millions of journeys take place, making it one of the world’s most critical infrastructures. Passengers expect to enjoy seamless journeys in a comfortable, safe, and secure environment, and freight needs to arrive at its destination, on time and intact.

To do this, rail providers must use the technologies available to them to optimise the network and deliver on customer expectations.

Behind the complex rail networks we use every day are teams of people in control rooms constantly monitoring and analysing the infrastructure. From junctions, interchanges and terminals, to power cables, signals and dwell time, and anything else that must be tracked and monitored to ensure the smooth running of a railway, you can guarantee there’s a highly sophisticated control room and team of operators responding, reacting and predicting rail movements and potential issues. To do this effectively they need computers and network infrastructure that delivers accurate and realtime video and data directly to the desktop from potentially thousands of data sources.

One of the key components of that infrastructure in the control room is the connectivity technology that enables operators to access and switch between those computers. This technology must transit the source information without delay to the desktop or videowall in the control room in pixel perfect clarity and in real-time. It is mission critical they can see potential congestion in advance of it happening or even the potential of a collision given the sheer volume of trains using the same lines. With all that computing power required for the control room to function these

environments can quickly become noisy environments. Not only that but the heat generated by so many computers can become unbearable for operators as they try to remain focussed on their work. As rail networks become busier and busier, operators must maintain exceptionally high levels of situational awareness and mental concentration to avoid any delays or blockages on the network.

To address the challenges outlined above, combined with the ever-evolving technology they use, from increasing monitor resolutions combined with larger sized and increased number of monitors in use, control room designers and installers turn to KVM technology.

Installed by the world’s leading rail networks, high performance KVM extenders enable computers to be moved away from the desktop environment, and to be stored in secure, environmentally controlled server rooms, thus removing the heat sources and associated noise. And for those that opt for IP KVM they can create a matrix-based solution enabling them to access any of those computers from any location in the control room. This provides ultimate flexibility and control, no matter what today’s rush hour rail traffic is in front of them.

Operators in rail control rooms need to visualise an entire section of the rail network for maximum situational awareness. To achieve this, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software applications make use of multidisplay graphics cards, displaying the rail network across multiple monitors. This poses a challenge for KVM manufacturers. Implementing standard approaches for these demanding applications can lead to a proliferation of hardware, cabling and power supplies. Instead, rail operators need to be supported with purpose-built products that provide what is known as a multi-head KVM connectivity.

Bandwidth limitations cause safety issues

Modern railway services are required to deliver good quality services which is becoming increasingly reliant on the technology they implement. To deliver this service safely and securely demands a control room uses SCADA software to visualise pixel-perfect digital video with real-time control, so nothing is missed when monitoring the railway network.

To support these needs, KVM technology needs to provide connectivity that is free of harmful visual artifacts and does not reduce data visibility. For example, Railway operators must be able to tell the difference between important signals on the track, and read key pieces of text about the trains and moving cargo.

By using uncompressed video extension technology, control room operators can be sure no visible artefacts or latency are introduced, allowing them to be certain of quality and control. But there are also innovative ways of transporting digital video that deliver high performance video with greater levels of flexibility that improve the lives of control room managers, operators and engineering teams.

Avoid a one-track mind with situational awareness

To improve safety, minimise downtime and maintain efficient service, control room operators must be able to access and analyse realms of real-time information, from different sources, without overcrowding the control room and affecting cognitive ergonomics.

Whilst a large videowall displays the complete rail network to the entire team, each operator needs to receive vital information to their workstations. With IP KVM infrastructure, these workstations can adapt to the operators needs and preferences, giving access to multiple computers through multiple displays, but controlled with just one keyboard and mouse.

A great example of IP KVM in action in the rail sector would be the Toluca-Mexico City commuter railway. Implementing an Adder high performance IP KVM matrix solution to manage all I/O devices across 24 separate workstations in the control room. Each location is dedicated to a different function such as traffic control, tunnel and station management, security coordination and crisis management. By installing an IP KVM matrix, operators have full control over the number of active screens, the resolution of displays, and the input sources that are available via a single keyboard and mouse. A large multi-channel videowall comprising 28 screens gives operators the ability to easily cast and share a set of source images, in any situation.

The 3 C’s: Cost, customisation, and configuration

Faced with rising costs, shrinking budgets

Jamie Adkin, VP of EMEA at Adder Technology on improving situational awareness in rail transport control rooms

Jamie Adkin is VP of EMEA at Adder Technology

NEWS IN BRIEF

£1 MILLION SCHEME TO ENHANCE CHIPPENHAM STATION

Work has started on a £1 million scheme to make Chippenham station fully accessible from both sides of the railway, delivered by Great Western Railway on behalf of Wiltshire Council. The work will bring a third lift into use on the north side of the station – making the station fully accessible with step-free access to platforms from both sides of the railway – along with additional disabled car parking spaces, and more cycle parking facilities.

Part of the scheme will involve turning the staircase on the northern side of the footbridge, which also acts as a public right of way.

and the drive to do more with less, it’s clear to see why these three C’s are considered the holy grail when designing a control room.

IP KVM is much more cost effective and more accessible when compared with direct-connect alternatives. Leveraging existing network infrastructure requires less cabling and negates the need for scheduled downtime for upgrades and maintenance. In addition, it provides operators the opportunity to scale the system up over many years without major investment, drastically reducing the total cost of ownership. It’s easy to see how costs are reduced and return on investment is boosted.

In terms of customisation, there is no limit to the number of connected operators or computers as the number of devices can scale up or down, as required. It can be used in control rooms that are small or large, and even connect control rooms to extended disaster recovery sites. In this way it is designed to suit developing needs; adapting and growing as the business operations change and grow.

The flexibility IP KVM provides is hugely beneficial; and moving towards IP adds huge possibilities to improve an operator’s workflow and infrastructure setup. For

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instance, the configuration for each individual operator and device, handled by centralised software, means that computers can be made available for sharing and collaboration or limited to only be accessed securely by specific operators.

Getting onboard with IP KVM

The smooth running of rail networks has become increasingly reliant on behindthe-scenes technologies like IP KVM. From no longer needing to physically change desktop positions and disrupt the work of other control room operators, to completely removing physical computers improving ergonomics by creating more space and removing excess heat and fan noise; IP KVM has helped to provide a working environment conducive to making time critical decisions.

After all, when a technology solution is designed in a way that maximises ergonomic layout and operational efficiency, operators can focus on the work that matters – the efficiency of the rail network for freight and ensuring passenger safety and reliability of trains.

Why We’re All in This Together

mental ill health effects, as millions of people experience the stress of tightened budgets, growing household debt and rationing of essential items, including food and clothing.

There is a risk that these accumulating pressures will elevate the cost-of-living crisis into a full-blown mental health crisis.

Money worries can cause stress and impact on people’s decision making, limiting their social contact, leading to overwork, and causing them to make less healthy choices for themselves and their families. And there are fears that young people could be adversely affected by this too.

Those with insomnia, stress, anxiety, and depression are more likely to live in rented and poor-quality housing than the general population, which can aggravate existing issues. Those suffering fuel poverty, are also less likely to have access to transport and are more likely to miss appointments.

Research during the Covid pandemic found that almost half of UK adults who had mental health problems (44 per cent) and fell behind on bills, either considered or attempted suicide.

Amid the ceaseless barrage of media noise over the cost-ofliving crisis, crippling home energy prices and the conflict in Ukraine, it’s easy to forget that, at the centre of it all, is the health and wellbeing of millions of people.

We may feel blessed that we’re not fighting daily for our lives in the middle of a warzone, and that our enemy this winter are social and economic slings and arrows, rather than rockets and bombs.

But that does not mean people in this country will not suffer in the months ahead because of factors outside of their control. Nor that lives and livelihoods will be badly damaged by lack of money and support.

Despite the political rhetoric of ‘bumps in the road’ and ‘challenges ahead’ – and amid platitudinous reassurances that ‘we’re all in this together’ – for millions of our fellow citizens, it doesn’t feel like that.

The harsh reality is that people are struggling with their heating and finances and, as a result, they are suffering physically and mentally, while feeling isolated and abandoned. This is not simply a financial crisis, but a humanitarian one. Nor is it just a short-term problem that is going to be fixed easily.

With talk of difficult months ahead, a long-term effort is required to help people cope with what’s happening and everyone has a part to play in ensuring we come through it, collectively, with as little suffering as possible.

The Government has responded to an anticipated, near-trebling of household energy bills with a fiscal package that

included a £2,500 price cap until the Spring and a £400 energy bill rebate under the Energy Bills Support Scheme.

As individuals, we can help by donating and lending our support in kind and labour to charities who are doing what they can to support and ease the financial burdens on our communities.

Just as the Third Sector was quick to respond to the challenges placed on disadvantaged groups by the Covid pandemic, it is also preparing to face this next, perhaps, graver, test head on.

Employers too have a responsibility to support staff with mental health issues, both in understanding their triggers and taking reasonable measures to ensure they are not exacerbated at work.

They cannot treat the financial pressures employees are likely to face in isolation. They should offer support and information that covers all aspects of employee wellbeing, including finances.

So, what are the potential signs that employers could look out for, that their staff members may not be coping?

When prices shot up last year, one in four adults in the UK was already cutting back on the amount and quality of food they ate, with one in ten eating cold food to save on energy costs. Nine out of ten people have admitted delaying switching their heating on in order to save money.

The impact of such actions could be serious. Colder homes can lead to additional physical and mental health problems, as well as aggravating existing health conditions. As well as the physical impacts of cold and poverty, there are potentially harmful,

A survey of its members by the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP), found that 61 per cent of therapists said their clients were anxious about affording household bills, while some 52 per cent said their clients were losing sleep and 49 per cent said clients were cutting back on meaningful activities, such going to the gym. What can employers do to support their staff through the cost-ofliving crisis?

The first rule for supporting employees, regardless of an organisation’s size, is not to make promises that can’t be kept. In this time of insecurity, a balanced approach is needed – one that will provide employees with help now, while building their financial resilience for the future.

There are two principle things that an employer can do to help employees tackle the financial aspect of the cost-of-living crisis: increase pay or help reduce their costs.

The first option, whilst appearing the simplest to action, is not viable for many organisations feeling the impact of financial pressures too. For the second option to work effectively, the employer must understand what the employee needs, as these will differ according to the individual.

A ‘one size fits all’ approach will not work. The rail industry has a hugely diverse workforce, from train drivers to network maintenance staff to office-based staff. While a salary sacrifice scheme can provide employees with quick access to things like childcare and transport support, others might need more support for mental health issues such as stress and anxiety – someone who is not mentally fit could be a risk to themselves and others.

It is assumed that every employee has a good grasp of budgeting and managing their personal finances, however this is not always the case, and it is this area that presents a

Phil Worms, CEO of Frog Systems, provides guidance to employers on how to spot warning signs that their staff may be struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and offers pointers on how they might help

Phil Worms is Chief Executive of Frog Systems, which provides digital employee wellbeing support for companies and organisations.

NEWS IN BRIEF

NEW BIKE RACK AT ELY

Greater Anglia has replaced a bike rack at Ely station with a brand-new cycle rack. Amongst the cycle parking facilities already available at the station, which include 144 spaces for

144 SPACES FOR BICYCLES

bicycles, one of the racks is becoming life-expired and, as spare parts are increasingly hard to acquire, it has been replaced with a better, more modern rack. Cycle racks at Bury St Edmunds, Kelvedon, Rochford and Thurston stations are also planned to be renewed in the coming months.

real opportunity for an employer to offer support.

Financial education and guidance through coaching or signposting, to help employees understand their finances, including proper budgeting and managing debt, can be a low cost but extremely impactful benefit.

Only about half of those with poor mental health and personal struggles ever talk to their employer about what they are going through. Employers have a responsibility to support staff with mental health issues, both in understanding the triggers and taking reasonable measures to ensure they are not exacerbated at work.

In 2021, 149.3 million working days were lost to illness, with 19 million of those due to poor mental health. Making reasonable adjustments to support employees with mental health issues is more likely to lead to higher productivity and lower staff turnover.

Workplaces with elevated levels of mental wellbeing are more productive, by as much as twelve per cent. The Health and Safety Executive says there is a legal duty to protect employees from stress at work by doing a risk assessment and acting on it. Recognising triggers to stress allows employers to identify underlying stress-

related reasons for staff absences.

Employers who fail to deal appropriately with work-related stress, can face personal injury, discrimination or unfair or constructive dismissal claims from employees.

They will also incur the costs of stressrelated lost productivity and absence. ACAS has developed a framework for positive mental health at work. It states that management of positive health is a shared responsibility with employers, line managers and individuals collectively having a role to play.

With the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) stating that British families have suffered the biggest hit to incomes of the world’s richest nations, we can’t underestimate the domestic battle ahead of us. In the main, employers stepped up to the plate during the Covid pandemic, and they must do so again if we are to come through the costof-living crisis. Not only does it make real business sense to have a strong, resilient and well workforce but it is simply the right thing to do.

The Three Integral Components Driving the Future of Transport Connectivity

Thanks to technological advancements and the transition to the Internet of Things, we communicate through robust virtual channels, work remotely in newer ways, and can even receive healthcare at a distance thanks to A.I

Real-time data can benefit the public sector and transport industry overall, as well as travellers and maintenance. For example, it can improve road-usage planning, which can help with emissions reductions, and cost savings.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning can also play a significant role in achieving advanced traffic management. As a prime example of connectivity, traffic signals can be adjusted based on real-time traffic data. This data can then be sent to vehicles in traffic, enabling interconnected data sharing and feeding into public transport platforms. That way, cities can manage their mobility ecosystem more efficiently.

Not only that, but machine learning and real-time data collection can aid planning simulations by creating digital twins. Real-time digital counterparts of physical objects can significantly improve traffic management systems.

Advanced rail connectivity

The resulting intelligent connection between data, processes, and people is at the core of our mobility as a society and is bound to shape the future of transport. Such connectivity can improve the customer experience, optimise transportation, impact education and create new opportunities for economic growth.

Nomad-Digital – the leading transportation IP provider in the UK, explores the various trends and innovations that will revolutionise the future of transport connectivity and ensure the provision of a seamless door-to-door experience:

Connected vehicles

Connected vehicles aren’t a new technological innovation. From 2017 to 2022, the estimated stock of connected cars in the UK was expected to increase from 4.86 million to 16.65 million, a 242 per cent increase.

What characterises connected vehicles is their connection to an external network, such as a phone, Bluetooth, GPS, or an internal SIM, and, most commonly, the internet – usually through an internal SIM card. That allows you to be connected with your car and communicate with it when you’re not in it, usually through an app on your smartphone. This will enable you to perform several functions, such as connecting to your car’s radio, using in-car assistants such as Amazon Alexa, receiving traffic updates, and even starting your car remotely.

But with technological advancements, the future of connected vehicles is looking brighter than ever. With a 5G-enabled connection, cars will become integrated, entirely related hubs. Vehicle-to-vehicle (V-2-V) connected technology also enables the communication between vehicles to

share vital journey information, such as road conditions, traffic, and speed limits.

5G-connected vehicles offer various benefits, including an enhanced consumer experience, improved road safety, maximised fuel economy, and reduced emissions.

Connected vehicle technology is also helping advance public transport. Through fleet management, detailed operational information for both bus and rail can optimise performance and operations, improve traffic, and offer more sustainable mobility.

Real-time data collection

According to the UK’s Future of Transport programme, real-time data collection and analysis is ‘driving the development of new modes of travel and new ways to do business’. It is also an integral part of improved transport connectivity, showing UK Transport Vision 2050, an in-depth study mapping out the future of the UK transport system.

Based on the UK Transport Vision 2050, the UK has mapped out a pathway to improving transport connectivity, and rail connectivity plans look promising and might even have implications for the construction sector.

By 2025, the European Train Control System (ETCS) level 2 is expected to commence; by 2049, 95 per cent of networks should be connected to the system. ETCS is the central signalling and train control component of the European Rail Traffic Management System. Its purpose is to calculate a safe minimum speed for each train. ETCS level 2 is a radio-based system that monitors signalling and moving authorities in the cab.

By 2030, all trains are expected to have Wi-Fi connectivity and fully developed trackside infrastructure, which will take rail connectivity even further.

Technology is changing the world at the speed of light, and we’re witnessing the evolution of connectivity. The future of transport connectivity is beyond bright, bolstered by real-time data collection, robust transport infrastructure, and advanced transport management systems.

Ruth Duston, CEO of London Heritage Quarter and MD of Primera Corp explains why the opening of Bond Street is another step in an ongoing renaissance that ensures London will continue to be the destination of choice for workers, visitors and residents

The Elizabeth Line: a Landmark Step in London’s Journey

Ruth Duston, CEO of London Heritage Quarter and MD of Primera Corp explains why the opening of Bond Street is another step in an ongoing renaissance that ensures London will continue to be the destination of choice for workers, visitors and residents

that investment in London is what helps the capital keep its competitive edge across Europe.

But this must be underpinned by a modern and well-connected transport system. The opening of the Elizabeth Line is a landmark step in its ongoing renaissance that ensures London will continue to be the destination of choice for workers, visitors and residents.

London’s rich and vibrant culture is testament to its high-quality infrastructure. We are lucky to be part of the city’s development and see projects like the opening of Battersea Power Station bring new life to London and the surrounding areas. Similarly, the Strand Aldwych has undergone a £22 million regeneration and pedestrianisation project that opened to the public in December. Designed to provide a modern space for locals and tourists that champions local culture, it has become a new world-class destination for London. It is testament to a successful cross-sector collaboration, and is an indication of a new era characterised by public-private partnerships. We need to continue on this path in the future, working together with public sector partners to find new funding models and create new partnerships to drive investment towards the city’s infrastructure.

In its inaugural months, the Elizabeth Line has already become a lifeline for commuters across London with total journeys surpassing 60 million since its opening in May of last year. With estimates predicting the line will serve up to 200 million people every year, we have witnessed a landmark moment in the future of London’s transport network.

Few cities in the world can match London’s rich and vibrant culture. Full of bustling communities, and creative arts, food and drink scenes, London is home to some of the world’s greatest hotspots and becomes a global hub for entertainment and nightlife after hours.

The benefits to commuters across Greater London and tourists visiting the Capital are unmistakeable. But the understated benefits come to those who arguably need it most: local businesses.

London has historically been the epicentre of business in the UK. From supporting a flourishing network of startups and independent retailers through to the City of London that competes on a global scale with some of the most advanced and robust financial districts in the world. Both ends of the spectrum greatly rely on the city’s sophisticated rail network to bring in valued tourism and commuters.

It’s these businesses that will be able to reap the benefits of increased international and domestic tourism. The opening of the

Elizabeth Line comes at a crucial time for local businesses as attempt to navigate the compounding effects of rising inflation and increasing costs – not least as they attempt to repair long-term damage from the pandemic and fallout of Brexit.

With the festive period ripe for tourism, businesses are desperate to take advantage of the increased footfall the opening brings.

Early indications already show a bright future for London thanks to the opening. The West End alone is expected to see boosted revenues by £7 billion over the next decade, and a seven per cent boost in annual performance by 2031. It is now expected that the line will become the main mode of transport for 13 per cent of visitors into the West End by next year.

We must not underestimate the impact on London in its entirety over the coming years. Thanks to better connectivity and a fluid transport option for domestic and international tourism, we will witness a positive ripple effect across the Capital.

What the future holds

Not only is the Elizabeth Line a valuable addition to London’s underground network, with its sleek and state-of-the-art design flooded with natural light and coffered ceilings that sets it apart from other underground lines, it’s a nod to what the future has in store for London’s transport system. In fact, it serves as a reminder

Investment in London isn’t only important for the communities within – and we cannot shy away from the vital role it plays as our capital city across the UK. It is the positive trickle-down effect of a strong and prosperous capital that supports the surrounding economies and livelihood of our cities. It is now time for a new narrative and a new national discourse about the economic opportunities of cities: celebrating success, spreading prosperity and supporting growth.

A sustainable future

It is projects like Crossrail that futureproof London and ensure it continues to be designed around the changing needs and desires of locals, businesses and tourists alike.

That’s why together with our partners, we are focusing on projects that reflect the growing importance of London as a destination. The number of people living in the capital is set to reach ten million by 2030 and London still ranks highly in the Global Cities Index, claiming the third spot in the list of the most popular global cities for tourists. It is vital that our transport system supports continued growth and mobility. Thanks to investment, a continued development pipeline and a growing, diverse leisure offer, Victoria is now one of the most important business districts in London. But we must not rest on our laurels. The Future Victoria project, which is bringing together public and private sector partners, will seek to transform the mainline railway station and the wider area, benefitting commuters, residents and visitors.

The Elizabeth Line is a model example

NEWS IN BRIEF

SCOTRAIL RECOGNISED AS ONE OF UK'S TOP EMPLOYERS

ScotRail has been recognised as a Top Employer in the United Kingdom for 2023 for the fourth year running, following an announcement today by a global employers organisation. To be a Top Employer, organisations must provide the very best working environment for employees through their ‘people-first’ HR practices, and ScotRail has been recognised as an employer of choice. The Top Employers Institute programme certifies organisations based on the participation and results of their HR Best Practices Survey. This survey covers six HR domains consisting of 20 topics such as People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Well-being, and Diversity & Inclusion and more.

of one of the ways in which our cities need to develop to accelerate progression towards net-zero commitments. We need to collectively come together to support further investment in and support for greener travel solutions across London. It’s mutually beneficial both to reducing car traffic above ground, and developing streamlined, energyefficient solutions below the surface.

Reinstate London’s vibrancy

Times have been tough for businesses across the UK. Beyond attempting to recover from the stalling effects of the pandemic, they have since been hit with rising costs and falling disposable income on the customers they rely on. The same can be said for London’s economy in its entirety.

Consequently, it means London’s culture and vibrancy has also taken a huge blow. From hybrid working to rising prices impacting how often people come into the city, the way people interact and engage with London has changed.

But businesses have shown huge resolve in spite of these challenges, and London continues to prosper on its road to recovery. The opening of the Elizabeth Line comes at a crucial time for local businesses as they navigate the compounding effects of rising

inflation and increasing costs – and against a backdrop of the pandemic recovery and ongoing fallout from Brexit.

Cities need to be underpinned by an innovative and forward-looking transport network if they are to reach their full potential. We urge leaders across the country to come together and take the future of sustainable travel seriously and encourage further advancements like Crossrail to transform our cities.

Asset maintenanceintegrity

• Extremely robust and simple to use

• Multi-measuring modes for accurate through-coat measurements

– even for heavily corroded metals

• Live A-Scan and B-Scan for visual verification

• Advanced data logging for easy reporting and analysis

‘Not only is the Elizabeth Line a valuable addition to London’s underground network ... it’s a nod to what the future has in store for London’s transport system.’

Edward Morley leads PA Consulting’s strategic asset management capability in the transport sector, and is a driven and proven business leader with a history of successful strategy development and capability change. Edward has worked in the rail and road sectors, helping organisations transform their performance and drive improved delivery through simple business processes, better use of information and a powerful narrative.

Traditional Rail Timetables No Longer Work

The post-Covid era is presenting the rail sector with a number of challenges around staffing and changing travelling patterns, Edward Morley, rail expert at PA Consulting dives into the data

HOW THE ANALYSIS WAS CARRIED OUT

Five years of data – 2017-19 pre covid, 2029-21 includes Covid, 2021-22 the transitioning world. Analysis sought to consider the biggest positive movers since Covid.

To find the biggest movers filters to the data were applied.

1. remove largest station occupancy to take out cities.

2. remove smallest footfall for risk of data anomalies.

3. require the 2021-22 entry / exit station numbers to be greater than in both 2018-19 and 2019-20. No considered ‘selection’ of commuter stations was considered, rather the author looked for a suite of London commuting towns to act as comparator. The locations of the 47 stations chosen – 17 commuter stations, 28 ‘largest movers’ and two identified as outliers.

It is having to deal with a fragile labour market for drivers and other staff meaning that for some train operators there is simply not currently the level of driver supply to meet demand. That is caused both by some people leaving the sector and by historical commercial choices on how drivers were trained and entered the profession.

But perhaps more interesting, are the emerging indications that patterns of travel have changed permanently. There have been demonstrable changes in the Friday to Monday long distance services that are seeing more leisure traffic and are full, and a changing dynamic in the urban / commuter services that are (relatively) empty on Fridays and Mondays with an upturn in mid-week use when these trains are too full for the carriages provided.

Explaining the outliers first, Hanwell in West London met the definition for ‘largest mover’ but is also a station on the Queen Elizabeth Line that opened in May 2022, therefore increases in 202122 cannot be cleanly differentiated from this with the limited data available. Secondly, Stewartby in Bedfordshire on the Marston Vale line saw an increase in 2021-22, but also a far smaller than average footfall reduction in the core 2020-21 Covid than other stations.

This curiosity is explained by the significant use of this service by school children into the nearby Bedford stations and therefore its high usage through Covid. It is removed from the sample as another station where this overlay cannot be explained with the simple data.

With little available weekday data in the public domain, we have undertaken a creative analysis of the annual data from the Office of Rail and Road’s ‘Station Entry’ 2600 station dataset to illustrate what is happening.

The data in the map (using data compiled by ORR) shows how a sample of the station data can, when grouped together, highlight some of the new trends.

The dataset uses average pre-pandemic growth and is consistent across the data sample. The early pandemic impacts were seen more quickly in commuter stations with slower growth 2018-19 into 2019-20 than at other stations, reflecting the early 2020 lockdown measures.

Commuter stations saw an 80 per cent reduction in footfall, and this recovered to

only 56 per cent of the pre-Covid baseline in 2021-22. In comparison there were stations that saw post-Covid recovery to 63 per cent of previous footfall in the year 2020-21 which then increased to 120 per cent of the pre-Covid baseline in 2021-22.

What does this change in commuter numbers tell us? And where are these largest movers? To consider this, we identified the non-commuter stations in the sample (already known to have recovered best) as ‘Holidays’, ‘Some new commuters’, and ‘New commuters’.

The results were:

• Two locations saw no growth in season ticket holders, but more journeys, suggesting increased holiday travel.

• A further eleven have not increased traffic to pre-Covid numbers but perform better than the baseline ‘commuter’ stations, suggesting some kind of new season ticket traffic.

• And for 15 locations there is a clear increase in season tickets, suggesting that, for this relatively small number of stations, commuter travel has increased.

Traditional commuter stations have seen a drop in the number of season tickets as a share of the total whilst the ‘New commuter

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stations’ group are the only ones who have seen an increase in full fare tickets. Both have seen more travel in the week, but not on all days. Those in the ‘Some new commuters’ group have seen a mixed picture of the extent of the reduction in season ticket share.

There are, however, some clear overall messages to be drawn. The first is that there has not yet been a return to the preCovid levels of rail travel. In areas where commuting was the norm and which had a high proportion of season ticket use, traffic remains lower. Yet there are locations where the entry-exit data shows traffic has increased, suggesting the emergence of both new commuter traffic and greater leisure travel, particularly given that these stations are in coastal or National Park areas.

Train operators and the government who fund (and specify) the length of train units, now need to resolve this mismatch between demand and supply. That will require a more dynamic approach both in the timetabling and the configuration of trains.

Whilst we do not yet have a fully digital railway to enable a dynamic timetable, that opportunity is coming. In the meantime, a simpler flow control dynamic of differential pricing should be considered to smooth

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out demand on commuter services as this is more feasible than on longer distance travel. This is already starting to be seen with staggered peak time pricing on some commuter routes, and that could quickly evolve to additional price variances by day of the week. This can both generate new custom and maximise the necessary revenues from those who continue to travel by train.

Finally, the sector should actively recognise this as the new norm and start activities with longer lead times to enable the diversification of train paths and drivers. This should include changing the timetable for different days of the week to reflect the fact that the current seven-day timetable of five and two no longer works.

More significantly there will need to be movement of drivers between operators (enabled by the transition to more government control rail system through rail reform) to meet the new mix of driver demand on the network as a result of long term changes in short and long distance travel.

These are challenging times for the rail sector but there are potentially exciting opportunities for operators to innovate to meet this new, more dynamic demand profile.

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Constructing a Rail Network that isn’t Reliant on Diesel Power

rolling stock can continue operating at its best, while procurement of electrification packages takes place and other sustainability initiatives are considered.

One of the industry’s biggest hurdles is reliability, with Britain’s trains having their least reliable year since records began – in the 12 months to 23 July 2022 - according to data from the Office of Rail and Road.

Renewals and maintenance are key to addressing current issues around reliability, improving the passenger experience across the network, and must continue to be prioritised while the industry and government commit to more ambitious projects.

Network Rail is currently issuing tenders for its Control Period 7 (CP7), which will entail national framework agreements covering this work. This poses further opportunities for the construction sector to work closely with Network Rail to support renewals and maintenance of the railways. Understanding the scope of works and risk profile under these agreements is key to ensuring the effective delivery of these schemes on time and within budget.

The rail network contributes only 1.4 per cent of the UK’s total transport emissions. This makes it the most sustainable public transport service in the UK, with every mile a passenger travels on a train producing just a third of the emissions of the average petrol car.

Despite sustainability being one of the industry’s biggest strengths, the vast majority – over 60 per cent – of the UK’s rail network is still diesel powered. The network’s continued reliance on fossil fuels is holding back its transition to net zero and raises concerns over the government’s aim to remove all diesel-only trains from the network by 2040. It is also limiting its efficiency, with passengers not able to benefit from the improved speeds that are made possible through electrification.

The importance of decarbonising the rail network cannot be overstated and it continues to be a reoccurring theme in government policy.

In the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail the government announced, ‘a comprehensive environment plan for the rail network will be published in 2022’. Its Integrated Rail Plan also outlined new electrification and lines that could help decarbonise Britain's main trunk routes.

The government’s Autumn Statement saw it recommit to Northern Powerhouse Rail and HS2. If delivered fully, these projects can boost economic growth and play a pivotal role in meeting the government’s target of

cutting emissions by 68 per cent by 2030.

Scrapping or further scaling back these developments would have dealt a major blow to the industry’s efforts to become more sustainable. It would also harm connectivity and network reliability – two areas already under pressure, especially in Northern England.

It is clear that a balance does need to be found, however, with the government shining a stark light on the state of public finances and likely impact of a recession.

So, from a construction perspective, where does this leave the delivery of rail infrastructure projects and what steps must be taken now to maintain viability and ensure the industry remains on the right track to moving away from diesel power completely by 2040?

Focusing on the existing network

There needs to be a degree of realism with regard to the current landscape and the challenges that the rail industry has endured during recent years as a result of the pandemic.

It is critical that the focus for those in the rail industry is on the factors that they can control. Renewals and maintenance of the existing network must remain a priority.

This does not mean ditching electrification and other sustainability initiatives, far from it. Rather, and considering budgetary restraints, this approach is an important first step in ensuring existing infrastructure, track and

One of the main considerations when carrying out this due diligence is the construction programme; checking any planned works are capable of being carried out in line with the agreed possessions. While clear and regular communication between contractors, Network Rail and operators is integral at every stage of a project, it is crucial at the outset that this is agreed, understood and worked out.

Getting these basics right and maintaining a safe, efficient and reliable network is the first stop on the journey to building a more sustainable railway.

Streamline approach

Though the government has committed to ‘rail reform and modernising the industry’, the future of Great British Railways (GBR) is hanging in the balance following the decision to delay the Transport Bill until May 2023 at the earliest.

Whether the move to GBR will prove effective is open to debate. Some reform is needed, however, to enable the rail industry to adapt and shift away from diesel power.

The industry’s structure can be fragmented and difficult to navigate, especially for those in the construction sector. This is evidenced in some of challenges the network is facing.

A more streamlined approach is, therefore, critical in progressing the shortterm maintenance and renewals required to keep our railways running, as well as viably delivering the large infrastructure projects that will help decarbonise the network.

We should also not be afraid of playing to our strengths and focusing on certain methods that are well established and already supporting the rail industry’s net zero ambitions.

Electrification is a good example of this. Network Rail has confirmed that electric

Natalie Maye, Legal Director and specialist construction lawyer at Shoosmiths looks at the rail network’s ambition to transition to net zero

Natalie Maye is a Legal Director and specialist construction lawyer at Shoosmiths

NEWS IN BRIEF

CRAWLEY STATION’S £6 MILLION FACELIFT

Crawley’s 1960s station has been given a £6 million makeover, with a brighter look to the concourse, a new plaza, and more wide ticket gates to give passengers a much better experience as they travel to the town.

Over the past year, Network Rail has been working with Southern, Crawley Borough Council and Arora Group to improve the station facilities and revamp the 1960s design to bring it up to modern standards.

Part of the work included extending the concourse, re-glazing the ticket hall, improving signage to make it easier for passengers making their way around the station and installing additional ticket gates that have been widened to improve accessibility.

Work also involved creating a new plaza at the front of the station which added a more vibrant and eye-catching feel to the station and local community.

train journeys generate 20-30 per cent less carbon per mile than those by diesel train. The technology also has financial advantages, with studies suggesting that there could be savings of £2 million to £3 million per passenger vehicle over its lifetime.

While research and development into new innovative power solutions like hydrogen fuel cells must continue, measures such as electrification offer a way for the rail industry to immediately deliver on its sustainability objectives in a way that is also economically feasible.

Engine room

As developments like Crossrail have demonstrated, revolutionary railway projects take time.

They also require significant resources, investment and, most importantly, a steady pipeline of talent and expertise. The apprentices and graduates now working on High Speed 2 may be in their late twenties or thirties when phase one completes, let alone phase two.

A 2021 report from the City & Guilds and the National Skills Academy for Rail estimated that the rail industry will need between 7,000 and 12,000 additional

workers each year for the next five to ten years, with nearly 15,000 rail industry employees expected to retire by 2025.

This shortage is also being felt acutely in the construction sector where it is estimated that over 200,000 workers will be needed by 2025 just to meet demand.

The government’s aim of removing all diesel-only trains from the rail network by 2040 hinges on being able to attract more skilled people into the rail and construction industries. Without this, electrification and the development of major infrastructure projects are at risk of stalling.

Decisive action from the government and private sector is needed to address this issue. There are examples of businesses already doing this, with firms taking steps to increase accessibility and encourage people of all ages and backgrounds into both sectors. We must learn from this –redoubling efforts to attract new talent and also cultivate it.

Decarbonising the rail network will benefit passengers and the environment; it is also a unique opportunity to drive economic growth and improve living standards. This is a win-win situation and one that must be capitalised on as the UK strives for net zero.

Darren Fodey is a Partner in the rail team, and Paul Thwaite is a Partner in the commercial litigation team, at law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP

On c-ORR-ecting Regulatory Mistakes

Darren Fodey and Paul Thwaite of law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP, look at what you should consider when challenging a regulatory decision

Who watches the watchers? In a regulated industry, the regulator has significant legal powers. Decisions can be made which have the potential to dramatically change how a rail business is operated, or the finances of that business. Inevitably, decisions may be made that a rail business disagrees with, for whatever reason. Who can hold the ORR to account if a wrong decision is made?

How can a decision be challenged?

Regulators are public bodies and their decisions are subject to judicial review by the courts. This is the case in the rail industry as well. An adverse ORR decision will usually only be challengeable by asking a court to review the decision-making process. This is an important point: a court recognises that a regulator will have specific expertise in their sector and will have a degree of deference to that specialist expertise. A judicial review is not about asking the court to assess the merits of the decision made or substitute its own view. It is about assessing whether the decision was properly made in accordance with the law. There are three main grounds for challenging a decision of the ORR as a public body:

1. Illegality – The ORR has acted outside the scope of its statutory powers or has misinterpreted or misapplied the law in reaching its decision. Effectively, the ORR has got the law wrong and the court steps in to correct the error.

2. Irrationality – The ORR has reached a decision that no reasonable regulator could have reached based on the evidence

that was before it. This is a high threshold and is not simply that the court may disagree with the original decision that has been reached by the ORR. The court has to be persuaded that no reasonable person in the shoes of the ORR could have come to the same decision.

3. Procedural impropriety – The ORR has not followed a proper process to reach its decision or has breached a legitimately held expectation which it has created. For example, if the ORR has said it will follow a particular process or policy but does not actually do so, this could be a ground for challenge.

What to consider

There are a number of factors to consider, both when putting forward your position to the ORR in the first place and when considering the potential for a challenge:

• What is the legal framework? – What

NEWS IN BRIEF

CAIRNGORM MOUNTAIN RAILWAY OPENS FOR SNOWSPORTS SEASON

Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Ltd (CMSL) has welcomed the return of Scotland’s mountain railway to full operation. Following significant engineering works and testing, the UK Department of Transport has issued safety certificates, enabling CMSL to bring Scotland’s only funicular railway back into service during the 2023 snowsports season.

Weather conditions permitting, the two kilometre funicular railway will now run a regular service taking snowsports enthusiasts to the top of the slopes in around five minutes. The Cairngorm Mountain Railway is Scotland’s only funicular railway and is the highest in the UK reaching the Ptarmigan building at over 1,065 metres. The reinstatement works have involved a complex engineering project to strengthen the viaduct and install a new control system, all within the strict environmental requirements of a unique mountain environment.

ZONEGREEN IMPROVES POINTS SAFETY AT SOUTHSEA

Technology created by Sheffieldbased rail safety specialist, Zonegreen, is protecting workers at an historic Portsmouth depot from the potential risks posed by manual points. South Western Railway’s Southsea facility is the latest to benefit from Zonegreen’s Points Converter system, which automates the levers traditionally used to alter the direction of tracks.

Working with contractors, Balfour Beatty, Zonegreen has installed a converter on Southsea’s HP01 point, to control vehicle movements in and out of its siding roads. It is now operated remotely from a post-mounted key switch panel located on a walkway around 100m away, removing the need for staff to traverse uneven terrain, alongside the third rail, to operate the point.

‘The best outcome for rail businesses is to do everything they can to get the ORR to make the preferred decision in the first place and avoid the need for a challenge.’

NEWS IN BRIEF

PIONEERING FEMALE TRAIN DRIVER TO BE CELEBRATED

An 8 x 5 metre mural celebrating the woman who led the charge for female train drivers has been created as part of new campaign by Avanti West Coast to encourage more women to follow in her footsteps.

The artwork to be displayed at Euston Station features trailblazer Karen Harrison, who in 1979 overcame prejudice to be one of the first female train drivers in the UK. Not only did she pave the way for other women by fighting against sustained harassment, she also campaigned for minorities in the rail industry.

EXPERIENCE THE TUBE’S 160 YEARS OF HISTORY

Experience the 160 years of London Underground’s history by exploring the secret and ‘forgotten’ locations where it all took place with London Transport Museum’s award-winning Hidden London tours.

Tickets are now available for the February and March 2023 dates, giving ticketholders an exclusive chance to step behind-the-scenes of history. Hidden London guided tours are the only ones in the city that grant guests access to these locations on the Underground network, which are usually off limits to the public.

CRAWLEY STATION’S £6 MILLION FACELIFT

Crawley’s 1960s station has been given a £6 million makeover, with a brighter look to the concourse, a new plaza, and more wide ticket gates to give passengers a much better experience as they travel to the town.

Over the past year, Network Rail has been working with Southern, Crawley Borough Council and Arora Group to improve the station facilities and revamp the 1960s design to bring it up to modern standards.

Part of the work included extending the concourse, re-glazing the ticket hall, improving signage to make it easier for passengers making their way around the station and installing additional ticket gates that have been widened to improve accessibility.

powers and rights does the ORR have? For example, there are various statutory duties and considerations under the Railways Act which it must take into account when exercising its functions. In the context of the particular decision being made, there may be other relevant law: Acts, regulations and case law. For example, this might apply in the context of charging for access to the railway, stations and depots.

• Is there relevant guidance published by the regulator? – Whilst each situation will have its own facts, the regulator may have published guidance about how it will approach making a particular decision and what it will take into account. It is important to align submissions to the regulator with this guidance to make sure points are expressed in a way that is relevant to the decision to be made.

• Are there any relevant previous decisions of the ORR? – Transparency usually means that regulatory decisions are publicly available on the ORR's website. Consistent regulation is also considered to be desirable. Considering how the ORR has approached previous decisions in the same area may be helpful. They can offer insight into the most important factors relevant to the decision, approach to the legal framework and guidance and can be used to focus representations on what are likely to be the most material points.

What are the consequences of a successful challenge?

A successful day in court may not mean the rail company ultimately wins. The typical remedy awarded by the court is that the original decision is quashed and the decision-maker is required to take the decision again – it is as if the decision was never taken in the first place. Taking the decision again might be with the guidance of the court on how the law should be applied if the original decision was made illegally, or being required to follow a proper process if this wasn't done the first time around. Since mid-2022, the court now has the power to declare that the original decision is only quashed from the date of the court order and allows the court to suspend the quashing of a decision, giving the decisionmaker time to implement an alternative. It remains to be seen how these new powers will be used in practice.

Effectively, the ORR has to have another go at making the decision – and it's entirely possible that the same decision may be reached. This will of course depend on the decision in question, the basis on which the original decision was challenged and the information and evidence available.

The best outcome for rail businesses is to do everything they can to get the ORR to make the preferred decision in the first place and avoid the need for a challenge. This may involve some investment upfront to make sure the best arguments and evidence are before the ORR as the decision is made.

Top tips

Here are our top tips:

• Put forward the best case upfront. It is always easier if the ORR makes the ‘right’ decision in the first place, rather than having to challenge a ‘wrong’ decision as the grounds for doing so are limited. It may be helpful to seek legal assistance to help make sure you are presenting your arguments in the most persuasive way and to anticipate and avoid any potential pitfalls.

• Make sure you provide all relevant information helpful to your position. Put simply, if the information isn't in front of the ORR when it makes its decision, you can't complain later on. Trying to get new arguments or information in front of the ORR by way of a challenge to its decision is not likely to get you far.

• Make sure you provide supporting evidence to back up the points you are making. Assertions are rarely given any weight unless there is evidence to back them up.

• Depending on the subject matter, it may be helpful to engage internal or external support, such as economists, to provide supporting evidence and analysis. However, expert opinion that isn't presented to the ORR at the time of the decision is unlikely to be admitted by the court at a later date.

• Do not rely on assertions from the other side that ‘it will be ok’ or ‘we will sort it out later’. If you don't agree, put it in writing and explain why as this is material that the ORR – and ultimately a court – would take into account. There may not be an opportunity down the line to ‘sort it out’ – for example, if the ORR cannot be persuaded that a different approach is needed.

• Make sure a written record is kept of key discussions – including detailed meeting notes where appropriate.

• Witness statements will be needed to support any challenge. So make sure to keep contemporaneous notes of what is happening, thinking and decision-making processes. This will help jog your memory when preparing a witness statement.

• Timescales are tight for challenging a regulatory decision. If an adverse decision is expected or is made, speak with your legal team immediately as the clock will tick down quickly. A judicial review application can take time to prepare and must be made within three months of the decision.

Whilst wrong regulatory decisions are relatively rare, they can have significant financial and operational impacts on railway businesses. It is important to be prepared, make the best case to start with and respond quickly if the decision does not go your way.

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Mark Fielding-Smith is the National and Digital Services Director at Atkins. He has led multiple teams delivering digital transformation in Rail for over 25 years including digital signalling programmes in the UK and Europe. Mark brings perspective and experience from working with railway operators, systems integrators and signalling suppliers to help bring people together in delivering the national rollout of ETCS.

Ride the Route

Mark Fielding-Smith, National and Digital Services Director at Atkins, describes how rail’s new annual charity challenge is bringing our industry together for good

Riding 365 kilometres, with volunteers from eight organisations, over three days, with one vital goal: to help protect some of the most vulnerable children in the world.

September 2022 saw the successful completion of the first of a new annual charity challenge. Ride the Route plans, organises, rides and supports a three-day

bike ride as a cross industry collective following the line of routes deploying the new European Train Control System (ETCS) signalling.

Cycling from York to London following the East Coast Mainline route (ECML) was never going to be easy. The route crosses some notably hilly terrain, and British Septembers are hardly known for their dry spells of prolonged sunshine. But

after six months of planning and training as an industry team, combining many organisations working on the East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP), we were highly motivated and well prepared. It was a chance to bring the industry together in service of doing even greater good.

Our industry as a collective supports the Railway Children in many ways. Inspired by the fantastic support the rail industry gives through the annual Three Peaks by Rail, as well as hosting the Railway Ball (the sector’s biggest fundraiser), we set out to create a new annual endurance event to epitomise the industry’s collaboration and tenacity.

Since 2020, I’ve led the ECDP Rail Systems Integration Partner, working within an amazing and unprecedented industry collaboration on the ECDP Programme. I wondered if we could harness the amazing

spirit of the ECDP Family to do even more good outside of the Programme. I proposed Ride the Route as an idea to the ECDP board: not just as a one-off but as an annual undertaking that brings our industry together in a new way. We all agreed it exemplified what we are doing together as an industry and it gained full board support.

Planning and participating in the ride revealed just how powerful group bonding can be in our industry. Each organisation added an important element in addition to actually riding the route. Network Rail provided offices and support; LNER got us to the start line and took us home when we finished; Atkins, Siemens, PwC, Ramboll all sponsored and donated generously, which combined with personal sponsorship for the riders, raised a total of £60,000.

The ECDP programme requires a new way of working to develop and implement the next generation of railway operations, enabled by ETCS signalling. Its success relies on forming and maintaining close partnerships and trusted relationships between a wide range of people from over 30 organisations who operate today’s railway.

Ride the Route helps by bringing our industry closer together outside of work, living the ECDP values of Pioneering, Inclusive, Tenacious and Caring – whilst also having fun. Starting with a small set of hard-working cross industry volunteers, supported magnificently by Katie Mason from the Railway Children, we used digital tools to plan the logistics, devise and simulate the route.

We used Strava to motivate each other through training, produced event safety planning documents, used GPS trackers on pelotons to ensure safety and alignment with the support vans who provided sustenance and mechanical rescue. And we also gathered data and feedback throughout the process, to work out how to do it even better in 2023.

But it was the cycling itself that really brought us together. It was challenging, fun, and with some downright hilarious moments both moving and resting. We rode, feasted, caffeinated and relaxed together for three days – adapting to changing situations and working together as a family, with each other’s safety at the forefront throughout. Our support teams were exceptional.

If you want to build relationships and strengthen bonds across railway organisations, like the Three Peaks Challenge does so well, we have found that cycling hundreds of miles through hills and valleys in the wind and the rain is a great way to do it.

Not only do you rely deeply on one another, you also make the best of difficult situations through shared experiences and humour. From high speed, carb focussed food shopping forays for scores of bananas, flapjacks, and other sugary fuels, to the exhausting and rather wet ‘Mountain Stage’ of the second day, humour was the

ever-present elixir that pulled us through together.

For me, there were so many amazing points, especially raising so much charity funding together as an industry, but some of the most meaningful moments were the small ones. Bantering in ‘haunted’ hotels at night toasting the queen, relieved grinning at the refreshments van, huddling together over a cup of coffee, tired but happy, sharing our reminiscences of a hard day’s ride - the feeling of satisfaction throughout was immense, and we all knew what good we were doing for the Railway Children’s mission.

As we were sent off from York Station by Railway Children Chairman Malcolm Brown, Industry Partnership for Digital Railway Director Toufic Machnouk and ECDP Programme Sponsor Ed Akers, I think everyone knew that this was the start of something really meaningful for our industry. A new, collective mission that unites us in improving the world.

So yes, the numbers were daunting. But bringing the industry together in a new way, all to help the most vulnerable children? You can’t put a number on that.

Join us in making a difference

We are now planning a Ride the Route Gala dinner for Spring 2023 to raise money while celebrating the success of the first event and bringing the industry together to support the 2023 York to Edinburgh ride planned for September.

If you would like to buy tickets for the gala dinner, volunteer as a planner, rider or support crew, or would like to explore corporate sponsorship, please email Mark Fielding-Smith at mark.fielding-smith@ atkinsglobal.com with the message title ‘Ride the Route 2023’.

‘I think everyone knew that this was the start of something really meaningful for our industry. A new, collective mission that unites us in improving the world.’

Back on Track

Monica Wick, CEO and founder at RedCabin explores the myriad of challenges facing the rail industry

The UK’s rail industry is at a crossroads. Three years since the coronavirus outbreak and passenger numbers have steadily been increasing, with the latest data from the Department for Transport estimating they reached 80.3 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. Following months of industrial action, these figures have dropped again but there is hope that 2023 can mark the dawn of a new era for rail travel. But what will that era look like when it comes to rolling stock interiors?

Flexibility is the focus

The latest Future of Rail Interiors Report – compiled at the RedCabin Railway Interior Innovation Summit – surveyed train operators, manufacturers, industry suppliers, and design houses from across the UK and Europe to analyse the major issues facing the industry and explore ways to effectively reimagine the next generation of rolling stock carriages.

The major trend to emerge was the desire for greater flexibility when it comes to passenger seating. Almost two thirds (58

per cent) of respondents marked passenger seating as the area requiring the most innovation, while more than 30 per cent stated flexible seating that enables operators to tailor interiors to passenger numbers and routes would have the biggest positive impact on the onboard experience.

Other innovations that would enhance the passenger experience include dedicated interior modules for work, socialising, and relaxation (18 per cent); enhanced onboard internet connectivity and power options (16 per cent); increased use of sustainable

materials (twelve per cent); privacy dividers or doors fitted on seats/seat shrouds (eleven per cent); new seat designs specifically for passengers with reduced mobility (seven per cent); and greater use of AR/VR and digital technologies (six per cent).

Making accessibility accessible

Importantly, the survey also explored changing attitudes to accessibility onboard, with 81 per cent of respondents saying accessibility on both short and long-haul trains will improve in the next two to five years as new interior products are rolled out on networks across the UK and Europe.

Here in the UK, Southwestern Railways has been trialling the myEyes app that empowers customers with sight loss to navigate train stations with greater ease. Using Near Field Technology to provide audio directions, passengers are guided from the station entrance to the SWR Assisted Boarding Points on platforms. At these dedicated platforms, customers can get assistance whilst boarding the train with as little as ten minutes’ notice.

Greater Anglia’s fleet of Stadler bi-mode trains are the first in the UK to have both a low floor and a retractable step, which automatically bridges the gap between the

train and the platform when at a station and makes boarding and disembarking a safer and smoother process for disabled passengers. This level of collaboration between operator and manufacturer is a prime example of how the passenger experience can be enhanced when there is greater transparency across the supply chain.

The Future of Rail Interiors Report asked which interior innovation would result in the most improved experience for passengers with reduced mobility. Wider entrance access and aisles (46 per cent) coming out on top, followed by more integrated disabled seating/seating areas (38 per cent). Other elements highlighted included revamped bathrooms with wider

doors and increased handrail support (five per cent), as well as greater use of AI and display technologies to enhance audio and visual announcements (eight per cent).

Spotlight on sustainability

One of the biggest challenges facing many operators is how to make interiors more sustainable. Rail travel already has a significantly lower carbon footprint when compared to other modes of transport, but more can be done to deliver ‘greener’ materials and products for the interior.

While 78 per cent of respondents believe that sustainability will improve significantly by 2027 as new manufacturing approaches kick in, the survey showcased a lack of industry consensus on what area

of innovation would enhance sustainability onboard the most:

• 35 per cent believe the focus should be on increased use of recycled materials and end-of-life recycling.

• 23 per cent said greater use of lightweight materials.

• 21 per cent stated an increased use of natural materials and fibres in the interior design.

Increased cross-industry collaboration on ‘green’ partnerships (13 per cent) and using technology to track and measure the environmental impact of interior parts across their lifecycle (seven per cent) were also highlighted as effective ways to enhance sustainability.

Despite the lack of agreement, new concepts have been released in recent months with the aim of kickstarting a fresh generation of sustainable rail interiors.

Priestmangoode unveiled Green Carriage, a new design vision for rolling stock interiors that promotes reductive, modular, and circular approaches to interior design. The concept uses super-light and skeletal seating components and a modular approach to construction to offer passengers greater flexibility in the carriage, from a simple stool to an enclosed, high-comfort booth. The seats are built using waste materials that can be recycled infinitely and lightweight mesh fabrics derived from recycled materials.

There is also a sleeve cover that uses undyed natural textiles for added comfort. Each element of the interior is tagged to ensure traceability and that recycling information is available when parts reach the end of their life – supporting the creation of circular economy.

Collaborate on challenges

There are several significant challenges facing the industry in 2023 and beyond. The majority of those surveyed (55 per cent) believe the biggest barriers to innovation in rail interiors are currently budget restraints

post-pandemic and complex or restrictive regulations, followed by an over-reliance on existing interior layouts and designs (14.5 per cent) and a lack of collaboration by decision makers across the industry (13 per cent).

By coming together to share challenges, expertise and new ideas, the rail industry can work collaboratively to make the next generation of interiors more accessible, sustainable, and affordable – bringing

the innovation needed to drive increased revenue for operators and offer a transformative onboard experience that makes passengers fall back in love with rail travel.

That is exactly what will be happening at the next Railway Interior Innovation Summit taking place from 18-20 April 2023 in Salt Lake City, USA – hosted by Stadler. Discover more at railway-interior-innovationusa.redcabin.de/

Monica Wick is CEO and founder at RedCabin

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Restoring the Bramley Line

Pre Metro’s Charlie Merrell argues the case for Very Light Rail is the correct solution for March and Wisbech

We believe that the introduction of a bidirectional light rail route between Wisbech and March is an exciting and necessary solution for Fenwick’s transport needs, with the utilisation of Very Light Rail (VLR) to provide passenger services being one of the most feasible railway restoration projects currently under consideration. VLR will be able to serve both communities, decrease congestion, and allow greater accessibility to Cambridge.

Wisbech is one of the largest market towns in Fenwick with more commuters travelling into the town than out, despite being amongst the 20 largest towns in England not to have a train station. This proposed route would seek to change this by restoring the 8-mile Bramley Branch Line between Wisbech and March. This route would also connect the 30,000 people living in Wisbech with the railway network and simply introducing a new station in the town would generate patronage demands, with 9,000 people living within one kilometre of the station.

Mott MacDonald’s ‘March to Wisbech Transport Corridor Full Business Case’ Report (2020) helps to establish the need for an effective transport solution. It states that: ‘Wisbech typifies the disconnect in the economic performance of north and south Cambridgeshire. North Cambridgeshire’s economy and particularly Fenland District (in which both March and Wisbech are located) underperforms on key economic indicators compared to CPCA and national averages. The greater Cambridge area, in contrast, has grown into a highly successful city region where economic success, high quality of life and quality of place are inextricably linked.’

The 2011 census found that 43 per cent of residents were in jobs that are generally associated with lower wages, such as plant and machine operatives, compared to the averages of 29 per cent in the Fenland region and 18 per cent across England. A new railway link can establish greater access to higher-skilled job opportunities across the region. Without this link, the most likely outcome for those residents seeking high wages is to either move away or commute long distances via car. Growing Fenland’s Wisbech: Market Town Masterplan (2020)

stated that a 45-minute link to Cambridge would increase employment and allow people working in Cambridge to access more affordable housing.

Improved access to Wisbech also supports the Combined Authority and Fenland District Council’s ambitions of substantial growth of the market town via a major dedicated urban extension, known as Wisbech Garden Town (WGT). This development plans to introduce 12,000 new homes in the town and establish multiple employment sites in the south of Wisbech. Very Light Rail could not only innovate local public transport provision within Fenwick but also introduce new employment opportunities and manufacturing industries.

The nearby market town of March faces a different problem. Whilst March has its own railway station, a 2020 report by the local council discovered the very high volume of traffic and personal vehicle use was becoming a public health hazard. For example, the 2018 twelve-month average concentration of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) on March’s Broad Street was 39.59 μg/m3, pushing the European Union’s legal limit of 40 μg/m3. The utilisation of innovative, green, and clean VLR technology will support the improvement of air quality in March and enable commuters to ditch their car in favour of a lightweight, light rail solution. March received £2 million as Market Towns Programme Funding and the Government’s Future High Streets Fund awarded the town £6.4 million to overhaul and improve the city centre. Collective funding for these high street and traffic improvements totals £8.4 million.

The local Council will use this money to redevelop the town centre’s vacant buildings, make hospitality and retail much more attractive, and redesign the traffic flow through the centre by encouraging walking, cycling, and local activities. The introduction of a connection with Wisbech would support these developments by reducing traffic congestion, improving local air quality, facilitating interregional tourism, and generating an economic and employment boost that would support both current and future developments and innovations within the city.

It can be expected that the first regions and towns to adopt Very Light Rail technology will be able to establish

manufacturing hubs for the export of this new development. The Black Country’s newly opened Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre and the proposed Coventry Very Light Rail scheme are prime examples of this.

The route itself could utilise the track and nearby depots at Waldersea or introduce one at Coldham for VLR engineering and development. The route then acts as a test bed for future innovations within the space and supports any eventual extension of the service onto Cambridge once patronage demands increase. This improves regional connectivity and supports the provision of future Light Rail schemes and services put forward by the Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA).

Landmark projects such as the Revolution VLR; a sustainable, lightweight system which provides a modern, attractive, and cost-effective solution for rural-to-urban connectivity, could also support the provision of this project, with the restoration of the Bramley Branch demonstrating the untapped potential of rural-to-urban VLR as a sustainable solution to the nation’s various connectivity needs, alongside its capability to support urbanised growth and create an exportable light rail industry within Britain.

Thus, we believe Very Light Rail is the most appropriate form of transport to reopen the March to Wisbech route, with the existing mothballed track able to be redeveloped and utilised in the short term, and a bidirectional service providing an easy-access, affordable and scalable solution. The suggestion that heavy rail services ought to be prioritised for this route discards the reality that VLR is more economic in terms of CAPEX and OPEX, VLR offers greater potential for regional transport innovations, and VLR offers a faster and more convenient solution in a short-term time frame focused on patronage growth and clean, green connectivity.

Charlie Merrell is Marketing And Public Relations Specialist at Pre Metro

Coventry Very Light Rail

The ground-breaking Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR) transport system is to be showcased on the streets of Coventry as part of a real world testing programme following the approval of funding by regional transport bosses

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board has agreed the first instalment of an expected £72 million investment in the emerging VLR technology – designed to be both faster and cheaper to build than traditional tram and rail systems.

The Board’s green light will also enable specialist on site testing for other VLR systems to move forward.

With development already underway in Coventry and Dudley, the West Midlands is at the forefront of VLR and well placed to become a global leader in both design and manufacture.

Using light weight, battery-powered electric vehicles the Coventry VLR system operates without overhead cables and its innovative track is designed to require less extensive foundation works, making installation quicker and less expensive while delivering similar environmental benefits.

Much of the new investment will be used to build a real world demonstration track in Coventry city centre and to develop the business case for a fully operational system.

There will also be further investment in the newly opened Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre (VLRNIC) in Dudley, enabling the purchase of equipment so that the centre can become fully operational. The funding will also be used to explore the business cases for further VLR lines and links with the existing West Midlands Metro network.

A total of £72 million has been earmarked for the project from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement. The first £36.8 million agreed by the Board today, which is enough to get the projects well underway, will now go to the Department for Transport for final sign off.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair, said: ‘This funding will allow us to take Very Light Rail to the next level – from the workshop to real-world demonstration – and shows the WMCA Board’s unequivocal backing for innovation in Coventry. This technology has the potential to deliver tram systems at pace and at much lower cost – giving more people access to a modern rapid transit system as well as cleaner air and less congestion along with it.

‘Coventry has helped pioneer VLR and will therefore – alongside our wider region – be well placed to take advantage of this growing industry and the new job opportunities it will bring in the months and years ahead. That’s why the WMCA is so pleased to support our partners on this exciting project.’

Cllr Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change, said: ‘This is a milestone investment in Coventry Very Light Rail, a project set to transform the way people in our city – and others throughout the UK and even the world –get around. By creating a new, clean and green form of transport, this investment is securing jobs in Coventry and, as in other cities which have installed light rail, will support regeneration in local areas.

‘Of course, Coventry Very Light Rail is just one way that the council is working to improve air quality and combat climate change. We’ve installed more electric vehicle charge points than anywhere outside London, we’re set to become the

UK’s first all-electric bus city by 2025, we have ambitions for a gigafactory and have committed to planting a tree for every

‘This technology has the potential to deliver tram systems at pace and at much lower cost – giving more people access to a modern rapid transit system as well as cleaner air and less congestion along with it.’

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair

person living in Coventry by 2032.’

Neil Fulton, Chief Executive Officer of the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO), the legal entity responsible for operating the VLRNIC, said: ‘BCIMO is delighted to be a part of the regional Very Light Rail programme and looks forward to providing continued R&D support to the CVLR project.

‘The centre provides a unique opportunity for new rail technologies, such as VLR, to be developed and tested in a purposebuilt facility and away from the mainline operating environment.’

Councillor David Stanley, Dudley Council's cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise, said: ‘The very light rail project will eventually revolutionise how people travel by rail. I am delighted this funding has been approved and is a significant step forward in showcasing Dudley and the wider region as a trailblazer for innovative transport.’

About Coventry Very Light Rail

The Coventry Very Light Rail project has developed a new kind of vehicle and track that aims to provide a reliable, frequent, environmentally friendly, hop-on hop-off transport system in Coventry and other

cities and towns at a lower cost than conventional light rail.

The vehicle is battery-powered, eliminating the need for overhead wires. It has an innovative turning system allowing it to handle 15-metre radius curves, meaning it can be installed in tight corners in the existing highway, and Coventry City Council intends to operate it at a high frequency to provide a turn-up and go service. The vehicle has a capacity of 56, is comfortable and has low floors to enable passengers to embark and disembark easily. The vehicle has been developed to allow autonomous operation in future.

The new track is laid just 30cm within the road’s surface, minimising the need to relocate pipes and cables which is timeconsuming and expensive. It achieves this by taking advantage of cutting-edge materials science, while still making use of standard rail parts to ensure ease of manufacturing.

Conventional light rail systems can cost upwards of £25 million per kilometre to install, and as much as £100 million per kilometre in city centres.

The Coventry Very Light project is being led by Coventry City Council and has received funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority, Coventry and

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Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, the UK Government and the Council itself. The Council has partnered with WMG at the University of Warwick and is working with Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council and the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation during the project’s comprehensive testing phase.

About BCIMO

The Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO) is a not-for profit Research and Technology Organisation (RTO) established to oversee the delivery, launch and operation of the very Light Rail National Innovation Centre (VLRNIC).

The VLRNIC is a unique, purpose-built R&D facility, based in Dudley in the West Midlands. It comprises a three-storey innovation centre, and brand new 2.2 kilometre test track located along part of the mothballed South Staffordshire line leased from Network Rail.

The facility will support BCIMO in the delivery of its vision for sustainable public transport, with a specific focus on the development of Very Light Rail and other innovative and low-cost technologies for the whole of the rail sector.

training

Light Rail Safety and Standards Board

Established in 2018, the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board

(Light Rail SSB) is committed to further improvements to what is already one of the safest forms of public transport

Drawing on experience and expertise from across the sector, it brings all aspects of light rail safety under one roof while providing a central resource where colleagues can access the latest guidance and standards documentation.

In a report published in 2022 on the organisation’s work to date, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said the Light Rail SSB is adding value to the light rail sector and supporting continued improvements in managing safety.

In assessing whether the Light Rail SSB is on track to deliver Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) recommendations that followed the fatal Sandilands derailment in 2016, the regulator also found that the organisation is providing guidance and tools to improve the sector’s understanding of risk.

At the heart of this approach is the development of an Integrated Risk Management Framework that has been developed in partnership with key stakeholders, including its members and statutory organisations such as the ORR.

It also incorporates a series of interconnected projects that run in parallel with each other to deliver a comprehensive platform that is already making a significant contribution to light rail safety.

Key elements of the framework include the continued development of a Tram Accident and Incident Reporting (TAIR) database, a pioneering online reporting system aimed at enhancing tram safety. As well as the integration of the ORR’s Risk Management Maturity Model (RM3) into the light rail sector.

Whilst all tramway and light rail services have different challenges and potential hazards, the TAIR database enables them to add their own data to the platform and contribute to the most comprehensive risk management tool developed for the light

rail industry in the UK. With strong support from across the wider light rail community and funding from the Department of Transport, the LRSSB is also taking the lead on numerous research projects.

These initiatives have been fully incorporated within a sector-wide Risk Model and the introduction of new Bowtie Risk assessment database. Combined, these projects provide a continual development cycle that progressively drives down industry risk to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) levels.

LRSSB continues to support research and development projects in a number of important areas in particular in technology providing obstacle detection and avoidance systems. The initial results are promising for the UK light rail sector as the technology is now being utilised in Europe.

LRSSB is structured by the LRSSB Board which consists of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Non-executive Chair, 4 Bon-executive Directors, the Managing Director of UKTram and an ORR Observer. In May 2020, LRSSB appointed a new Chair, Sue Byrne, and a new CEO, Carl Williams, in October 2020.

The current management structure of LRSSB consists of a CEO, Administration Manager and Safety and Assurance Manager,

with the intention to recruit further posts in safety engineering and data analysis. LRSSB has also been supported by UKTram colleagues during the year.

Case study

In Spring 2022, LRSSB was invited by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and Midland Metro Alliance (MMA) to conduct a compliance review of their processes against the Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations (ROGS) to help ensure a safe and smooth handover of the multi-million-pound extension to West Midlands Metro to the operator, West Midlands Metro.

MMA utilised LRSSB’s BowTieXP software system to develop a comprehensive database of assessments as it prepared for the opening of extensions to Edgbaston Village and Wolverhampton Railway Station.

Named after the shape of graphics to illustrate its core principles, BowTie contains eight elements: hazard, top event, threats, consequences, preventive barriers, recovery barriers, escalation factors and escalation factor barriers.

KEY PERSONNEL

Chairperson: Sue Byrne

Chief Executive: Carl Williams

Administration Manager: Erica Pearson

Safety Assurance: Mark Ashmore

Head of Engineering Safety & Innovation: Craig O'Brien

Head of Commercial: Jamie Swift

CONTACT INFORMATION

Email: info@lrssb.co.uk

Visit: www.lrssb.org

Address: LRSSB, 16 Summer Lane, Birmingham, B19 3SD

Modular Site Accommodation

Over the last decade, the rail industry has seen unprecedented growth, coupled with improved performance. Record numbers of passengers are now using the UK’s rail network, with 1.5 billion passenger journeys completed every year.

That growth looks set to continue, with major new investment projects either already underway or planned, including Thameslink, Intercity Express Programme, Crossrail, the Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvements Programme (EGIP), and of course HS2.

Extensive investment in infrastructure requires large numbers of staff working in a variety of roles, from construction and engineering to HR and project management.

Historically, workers would have been accommodated in simple site cabins. Today, these basic shelters have been transformed into sophisticated, modular buildings, which can be designed to almost any layout and specification.

Timber-constructed site cabins date back to the 1950s, when Algeco started designing cabins for use by rail construction workers in the post-war boom. These early versions consisted of little more than four walls and a ceiling. The following decade saw the introduction of stackable, steel-constructed cabins, and by the mid-90s, they had the first integrated welfare facilities.

Since then, site accommodation has changed from single cabins to multi-storey, modular designs that support vast numbers of staff and perform many different functions.

Single module cabins do still play an important role on many sites, but these days, flexible layouts are much more common, with several modules linked together to create large, comfortable, openplan areas that enable collaborative working.

The focus today is on providing sustainable accommodation that allows for effective site management whilst also delivering on staff welfare, and meeting people’s changing needs.

Limitless options

Modular site accommodation for construction projects in the rail sector can now be designed to almost any specification, with limitless options when it comes to size and configuration. Huge, hotel-like site villages can be created, using connected and stacked units.

Meeting rooms, offices, shower blocks, kitchens, storage and welfare areas can be incorporated as required. Internal walls can be added, moved or removed altogether to create individual offices or open plan workspaces.

Any number of systems can be added, from high-level communications/IT networks to ‘smart’ technology which monitors energy consumption.

Our 360° turnkey solutions can be customised to include anything from airconditioning and furniture, to ramps, steps and white goods. We can even supply the kettle – you just bring the tea and biscuits! These kinds of solutions mean that the site accommodation is ready to use as part of a ‘plug ‘n play’ approach.

Changing needs

Modular site accommodation has evolved in response to the changing needs of the rail industry. Civil and construction companies who work in the rail sector are focusing on staff wellbeing more than ever before, and as a result, site accommodation has developed accordingly.

Facilities such as breakout areas, faith rooms, separate male/female bathrooms, kitchens and drying rooms (all comfortably air-conditioned) are commonly found in today’s site buildings.

There are also options for covered viewing platforms and full-length window panels, providing full views of the site. These are useful on large project where there are regular site meetings.

It goes without saying that fire protection equipment and security features come as standard. These safety and security elements, combined with enhanced facilities that meet the needs of a diverse workforce, are attracting new skilled workers who otherwise may not have considered a career in the industry. The provision of attractive,

A look at how the humble site cabin has changed over time, what’s possible now, and what the future might hold

high quality and thoughtfully-designed workspaces is playing a part in combatting the skills shortage and widening the talent pool.

Sustainable features

Today’s modular site buildings are wellinsulated, energy-efficient and designed with sustainability in mind. For example, Algeco UK Modular Hire’s modular units are typically 97 per cent recyclable and made with 48 per cent recycled material, and the steel used is manufactured using 60-70 per cent recycled material.

The sustainable features of the site buildings make them very popular, Andy Brind, Senior Key Accounts Director at Algeco said: ‘The rail industry is committed to reducing carbon emissions, and construction companies are always seeking ways to work more sustainably. Our buildings offer options such as double glazing, climate control, watersaving features and energy-efficient lighting. Smart technology enables you to measure, manage and reduce energy usage, and we also offer EV charger hire for electric vehicles.

‘Our site accommodation fits perfectly within our circular economy ethos. All our modular buildings are re-used after the project has been completed, reducing waste and extending the life of the products to over 20 years.’

Safe working environments

The global pandemic saw an increase in the use of modular site accommodation within the industry. Andy comments: ‘Covid-19 created an urgent need for flexible working environments. Our modular buildings enabled people to work together safely and collaboratively. Crucially, they allow for layout changes even after the building is complete, which is key at a time when working practices and regulations can change overnight.’

Clearly, site accommodation has changed beyond recognition since its humble origins. But what might the future hold? Andy asserts: ‘Just like any other sector, the rail industry is experiencing economic challenges and supply chain disruption, so contractors need to adapt and stay lean. Modular site accommodation for hire can be increased and decreased according to shifting requirements, helping to boost productivity and increase efficiency. It can even be moved to different sites to support peripatetic teams.

‘The focus on sustainability is here to stay, so we’ll no doubt see much more innovation in this area. In short, modular site accommodation will carry on evolving along with the needs of the rail industry –and in particular – the people it’s designed to accommodate.’

It’s astonishing to see how site accommodation has progressed, even during the last ten years. Thanks to its innate ability to evolve, it will continue playing an important role on rail construction sites for years to come.

Algeco anti-vandal site cabins were positioned at Matlock transport interchange during recent flood defence work in the town centre.

Welding Fume a Killer?

C&S Equipment introduces High Vacuum Dust and Fume extraction equipment which complement and connect to their personnel lift platforms

Most readers involved with painting of rail carriages will be aware of C&S Equipment Limited, (C&S) which supplies and installs the WALL-MAN and the LIFTMAN pneumatic work platforms but may not be so familiar with its High Vacuum dust and fume extraction units. There is increasing awareness of welding fumes from all welding and paint preparation operations being harmful to health according to research referred to by the HSE. A search engine will quickly take you to their Safety Alert with a ‘Change in Enforcement Expectation’ notification due to proven links to lung and kidney cancer. Apart from reducing the carcinogenic risk, High Vacuum weld fume and dust extraction offers a number of advantages over Low Vacuum swing arm systems that tend to ‘get in the way’ of the welder and can’t follow the process.

C&S markets the ‘Effex’ range of extraction fans which can handle dust and fumes from a single welder/station to 52

simultaneous stations as might be used in a shipyard – the capability matches anything on the market today. C&S encourages users to mount a High Vacuum extract nozzle as near as possible to the welding point to remove the fumes. That means fewer fumes escape the extraction point rather than hoping a not-so-near hood or arm will capture them. Unlike low vacuum systems, high vacuum removes far less volume of air (which contains those fumes) so costly warmed air in the workshop isn’t exhausted to outside the building – surely a significant saving with today’s energy bills? HEPA standard filters are optionally available, if required.

A further benefit often overlooked, C&S points out, is that the harmful emissions that would otherwise find their way into the workshop are in fact removed from the general air that other non-welding colleagues are obliged to breathe. If the welder uses a breathing mask; well that’s OK for him but what about everyone else passing through the area?

C&S offers the Effex single station, portable Model MB-190 as illustrated, weighing 16.5 kg. It has a current detector when the power to the electrode is sensed which automatically switches the fan on or off. A further energy saving device.

The well-known WALL-MAN and LIFTMAN platforms have been designed specifically for prepping and painting at height. These access systems are particularly appropriate to the rail industry as carriages are long and high so painters and other workers need a safe, powered access system in order to be able to reach all parts quickly, efficiently, safely and with a minimum of effort. Moreover they are fully compliant with the regulations covering working in hazardous areas such as sanding, painting and cleaning.

The company has concentrated on this niche market, installing over 90 WALLMAN and LIFTMAN access platforms in the rail industry in the U.K. alone. And there are more than 500 of these air operated personnel platforms in all industrial sectors in the British Isles.

The WALL-MAN system is normally installed inside a spraybooth or similar enclosed area with one or two platforms running on each side, but they can be suspended on their own purpose-designed steelwork such that they can be used in preparation areas, and similar open environments such as wash bays. The safety cage is powered in three axes, allowing the operator to get to the optimum position to work to best effect. This includes being able

to move forwards across the width of the booth to gain access to the carriage ends.

As well as safety and time savings, the ability to paint from the optimum position results in improved paint transfer efficiencies, which in turn leads to cost savings on expensive paint materials.

WALL-MAN users are most all of the major railway stock manufacturers, maintenance and refurbishers in the British Isles.

The LIFTMAN platform is free-standing and can be used anywhere where there is a reasonably flat and smooth floor. That said, it will run on gridded floors and will cross rail tracks set into the floor with twin-wheel option. The operator controls and drives the platform from the cage at whatever height he needs to be. The tight turning circle and small plan area (only 800 x 1000 mm) means that he can manoeuvre effectively even in restricted spaces.

The WALL-MAN range has recently been expanded to include cages that will carry two persons and at heights up to 6 m above ground.

Both types are powered only by compressed air supplied by a single hose, and have no need for electrical or hydraulic supplies. They use only as much air as a

small air tool and have an on-board air supply point for the painter’s gun and equipment thus eliminating the requirement for hoses trailing from the cage.

Since WALL-MAN and Effex dust/fume units are designed and manufactured at the same source, these products are perfectly complemented. A dust extraction hose can be integrated in the WALL-MAN for connection to a sander with it eventually leading to a central dust extract system to the Effex unit and its 99.9 per cent efficient filters doing the ‘work’.

In order to keep personnel lifting equipment operational and within the law, C&S provide fully trained and certified technicians to carry out the necessary LOLER testing after a service. C&S comprises a dedicated team of sales, service and support personnel located near Milton Keynes.

Full details, specifications and quotations can be obtained from John Morrison via the contact information below. Tel:

New Equipment at Colchester Depot

Work at Greater Anglia’s Colchester depot to install equipment for new trains is nearing completion

Two huge 40,000-litre fuel tanks, a 14-tonne sanding tower and new toilet tanking equipment have been put in at the site near Colchester station.

The works at the depot will be used to allow the company’s three-carriage bi-mode trains, powered by diesel and electricity, which run on the Marks Tey – Sudbury branch line, to be prepared for service close to the line they serve.

The trains currently have to go as far as Ipswich to refuel or even Norwich’s Crown Point depot when refilling of the specialist sanding equipment on-board is needed – all of which take extra time and energy.

Sand is used by all of the Greater Anglia fleet to make the brakes even more effective

by giving extra grip in slippery conditions.

Screen wash on the new trains will also be topped up at the depot, while the toilets – which retain their waste rather than flush it out onto the track on all of the company’s trains – will be both emptied and refilled with water there too.

The three-carriage bi-mode trains, made by Swiss manufacturer Stadler, were launched on the Marks Tey-Sudbury route in 2020 as part of Greater Anglia’s project to replace all of its old fleet with 191 new trains.

The bi-mode trains are much greener than the old diesel trains they replaced, with lower emissions, and modern brakes which release less brake dust into the environment. The project is expected to be completed by March 2023.

‘The finished works will mean fewer empty miles are run by our trains overnight making it better for the environment, while keeping them close by to the line that they serve which all benefits our customers.’

Andrew Goodrum, Greater Anglia’s Client and Programme Director

The new fuelling tanks

HS2 Bucks Infrastructure Maintenance Depot

HS2 has revealed the design for the new high speed railway’s state-of-the-art maintenance hub, which will bring around 180 jobs to Calvert in Buckinghamshire

Taking its inspiration from the style of local agricultural buildings and the industrial heritage of the area, the Infrastructure Maintenance Depot (IMD) will house the people and equipment that will keep the first phase of HS2 running smoothly and efficiently, day in, day out.

Positioned halfway between Calvert and Steeple Claydon where HS2 will cross the rebuilt East-West Rail line, the depot will include workshops, offices, storage and training facilities as well as a base for the British Transport Police.

The main buildings will be clad with naturally-aging red brick – as a nod to the Calvert brickworks which operated throughout most of the twentieth century before closing in 1991. Gently curved roofs, timber and low-reflection metal finishes will also help to reduce the visual impact of the buildings.

A large area of landscaping and new woodland planting will screen the depot from the nearby village of Steeple Claydon, with around 15,000 trees and 20,000 shrubs set to be planted amid new woodland paths, ponds and other wildlife habitats.

Iain Smith, HS2 Ltd’s Systems Delivery Director said: ‘HS2 will dramatically improve connectivity and rail capacity while offering zero carbon journeys from day one. The maintenance depot at Calvert will be at the heart of that operation – keeping the new

railway running smoothly every day. That’s why it’s great to see the new designs and I look forward to hearing the feedback from the local community.’

The depot will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week with landscaping to block noise and light. A fleet of dedicated On-Track Maintenance trains will be based at the depot, accessing the mainline at night – while the HS2 trains are not running - to maintain the track and systems. Connections to EastWest Rail will also allow heavy equipment and materials to be delivered to the depot by rail.

The depot is being designed by HS2’s design contractor WSP, working with architects Grimshaw and Grant Associates. The earthworks are being delivered by HS2’s main works contractor EKFB, a team made up of Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall. A separate contractor will be appointed to build the depot.

During the design process, the size of the depot has been cut by 33 per cent with the track layout reduced and simplified in order to speed up construction and cut disruption for the community. This smaller footprint also means that there will be 600,000 cubic metres less excavation required.

Collaboration is Key When Specifying Depots

Choosing the right equipment for a modern rail depot is no walk in the park. There are so many variables to consider. So, where do you turn for advice?

There are probably consultants looking you up on LinkedIn right now who will offer their expertise at a price, but no one knows rail equipment better than the manufacturers. The people who are innovating, designing and modifying their creations to improve maintenance times and depot safety.

At the forefront of the rail industry’s quest for pitstop style servicing is Sheffield-based Mechan, specialists in the manufacture of bespoke depot lifting and handling equipment. The firm prides itself on building collaborative relationships with clients. It doesn’t simply supply off-theshelf products; it shares its knowledge and experience to find the right solution for each unique project.

Selecting a lifting system

Modern trains and dedicated routes for particular vehicle types have changed the face of depot maintenance, demanding lifting methods that do not require decoupling.

When clients come to Mechan looking to raise multicar trains, in-depth discussions take place to determine the most suitable equipment.

The firm met recently with a longstanding customer, who requires multiple lifting systems. After discussing how its facilities usually work, Mechan advised that a vehicle lift would be most useful for campaign changes and overhauls, whilst bogie drops might be more suitable for casualty work. Its team of expert engineers explained the pros and cons of each system and the client went away to consider its options.

Underfloor lifters allow an entire train to be raised at the press of a button, giving access below for bogies and equipment modules to be removed, whereas bogie drops facilitate underfloor module replacement at track level. The vehicle is positioned centrally on the bridge section of the drop,

where built-in jacks take its weight. The bridge is then lowered into a pit with the bogie onboard and traversed away for work to take place. Using this method of maintenance, a complete bogie change is feasible in just two hours.

Another popular alternative for lifting coupled vehicles is Mechan’s flagship railcar jacks. The length of the train determines how many are required, but sets of up to 64 are possible, thanks to the firm’s sophisticated control system. Four jacks raise each carriage and once in position, the remote controller facilitates a completely synchronised lift.

So, which is best?

There is no disputing the fact that jacks will always be present above floor level and this may pose an issue if space is at a premium. However, they are ideal if multiple train types in different configurations are being serviced.

Underfloor lifting is the perfect solution if the same train, in the same configuration is being maintained, but it has its disadvantages too. Consider the implications should the operating company decide to add an extra carriage. This is not a regular occurrence, but the associated cost and disruption would be enormous.

In many cases, the civil engineering requirements of the relative systems will

play a large part in the decision-making process. Access pits for jacks are much smaller than those required for bogie drops or underfloor lifters, producing a considerable cost saving.

Lindsey Mills, Mechan’s Sales Director, concludes: ‘The complex business of specifying rail maintenance equipment is not black and white. That is why we like to forge relationships with our customers and share our expertise. Our products are built to last, so it is essential we get the decision right.’

To find out more about the consultancy service offered by Mechan get in touch via the contact information below.

Tel: 01142 570 563

Visit: www.mechan.co.uk

Twitter: @mechanuk

Mechan flagship rail lifting jacks in action

Mechan equipment drop

New Lease of Life for Depot

Multi-disciplinary engineering company Spencer Group has completed major upgrade works to Manchester International Depot to transform it into a modern train servicing and stabling facility

Spencer Group M&E was selected by Northern as its delivery partner for the building and facilities upgrade project to bring the maintenance depot back to life.

The depot was built in the early 1990s as part of a plan to operate international Eurostar train services from Manchester to Europe via the Channel Tunnel. However, the plan never came to fruition and the depot has remained underused.

It has been used by a variety of train firms over the years for commissioning new fleets, but not as an active, working depot.

Now, Spencer Group has delivered extensive upgrades which will enable Northern to use the depot as a vital servicing and stabling facility for its fleet of trains. It will accommodate Northern’s new Class 323 electric units, supporting services in the Manchester area. The extra stabling capacity at the upgraded depot, which features two roads, two sets of tracks and a 300-metre long storage facility, will also alleviate congestion at other depots, further improving services.

Hull-based Spencer Group has removed all redundant and life-expired equipment. It has self-delivered elements of the £1.8

million project including the installation of bespoke Control Emission Toilet (CET) facilities, energy efficient LED lighting, heating ventilation and air conditioning, CCTV and a new fire alarm system.

Dan Whittle, Spencer Group’s Operations Director (M&E), said: ‘We’re delighted to have completed these major upgrade works to Manchester International Depot on behalf of our client, Northern.

‘This project is an example of Spencer Group providing a complete solution which meets our client’s needs. We’ve taken it from feasibility to implementation and completion utilising our in-house design

Spencer Group has completed major upgrade works to Manchester International Deport on behalf of client Northern.

capabilities. We’ve also developed and installed a bespoke CET system ourselves, based on extensive research. Our skillset means we can deliver projects like this in their entirety. We’re adaptable and flexible too, meaning we’re able to tailor our delivery to the client’s needs.’

David Manifold, Spencer Group’s Principal Design Engineer, said: ‘We’ve worked in close collaboration with Northern from the very first stages of this project, providing detailed designs for all their requirements.

‘We’ve also been able to identify and implement maintenance and energy saving

improvements throughout the design process, ensuring the depot will be a modern, fit-for-purpose facility. These works are a further demonstration of Spencer Group’s wide-ranging, multi-disciplinary capabilities to deliver projects like this from start to finish.’

Northern and Network Rail are also planning to re-energise the depot’s overhead electric wires.

Craig Wood, Northern’s Project Manager, said: ‘These works to upgrade Manchester International Depot will have a positive impact on services across the region.

‘We’ve worked with Spencer Group before and they have an outstanding reputation across the industry for their professionalism and the quality of their work. They’re extremely focused on safety, which is clearly of paramount importance in the rail industry, and we’ve been really impressed with their work.’

About Spencer Group

Spencer Group is a principal infrastructure contractor for Network Rail, operating nationally on a variety of complex rail infrastructure projects, both directly and for a number of train operating companies. It also specialises in delivering tailored upgrade and renewal solutions at depot facilities across the UK. Spencer Group completed major capacity enhancement works at Stevenage Station a year ahead of the scheduled opening, despite the challenges posed by Covid-19, by working in close collaboration with the client and all key stakeholders. To find out more about Spencer Group, visit www.thespencergroup.co.uk

NORTHERN HAS UPGRADED ITS TRAINCARE CENTRE IN HULL

The work at the Hull Botanic Gardens facility will increase the Centre's maintenance and servicing capacity. New modern equipment has been installed, including a crane, train roof access platforms and jacks as well as an additional fuelling road. The train shed at the depot has also been given a new roof, with Northern and Network Rail working closely together on the project. Four maintenance teams

CLASS 170 MAINTENANCE PLAN

are now in place to deliver the Class 170 maintenance plan and overnight servicing including work for Hull Trains and TransPennine Express.

A new driving team has also been recruited and trained to deliver new operational working practices to ensure that diagrammed maintenance work is delivered back to the Northern team at Hull on time.

The new teams have been trained on the new infrastructure and are now delivering their second Class 170 B

CLASS 170 B EXAM

exam from which Northern will start to process-map maintenance flows. They are also set to introduce new Asset Management and Reliability Centre Maintenance systems during 2023, which will create a Centre of Excellence Control Room for the Class 170 fleet.

Spencer Group has self-delivered elements of the £1.8 million upgrade works to Manchester International Depot including the installation of bespoke Control Emission Toilet (CET) facilities, energy efficient LED lighting, heating ventilation and air conditioning, CCTV and a new fire alarm system.

Manchester International Depot will be used by Northern as a vital servicing and stabling facility for its fleet of trains following upgrade works by Hullbased Spencer Group.

Streamlining Depot Driver Recruitment

The OPC shares news of a recent project reviewing and redesigning a depot driver recruitment process to help standardise processes and safety competence for a national train operating and maintenance company

There is an old adage that says ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. However, it’s also really beneficial to take a fresh look at tried and tested processes to see where modifications or improvements can be made ensuring they are all still suitable. Following some changing organisational dynamics, a depot operations team from a national train operating and maintenance company approached the OPC to help with a review of their depot drivers’ recruitment process.

The challenge was to review and provide a standardised process that was a better ‘fit for purpose’. Specifically, through the review, the aim was to ensure the assessment tools being used were correctly assessing for the safety-critical competencies required of a safe and effective depot driver, and that they also helped to identify key behaviours and attitudes required for a good team fit in new recruits. Additionally, there were opportunities to modernise the process using technology and to enhance the candidate experience – so no tall order!

Role profiling for the depot drivers

A solid understanding of the key skills required for the client’s depot drivers was an essential place to start in the project.

Anita Ngere, Business Psychologist and Assessor at the OPC, spent time with job experts to complete a job analysis. This included teasing out some of the essential Non-Technical Skills (NTS) they were looking for in their depot drivers. It was also about reviewing some areas for standards/ safety improvements and identifying the key behaviours and attitudes to fit with the team values.

Anita said ‘I really enjoyed working alongside the depot driver experts to complete the role profiling exercise and analysis. The OPC team heard about the key personal characteristics they were looking for and listened to what already worked well in the existing recruitment process. There were also opportunities to reflect on some

quality performance or safety competence standards that they were looking to implement. Once we’d analysed the feedback and incorporated some learning from other projects we’ve completed on depot driver role profiling, we proposed an essential and desirable NTS matrix and comprehensive role profile for what makes a safe and effective depot driver.’

Some key NTS needed for safe and effective depot drivers:

• Concentration, checking and adhering to rules are key for depot driving.

• Depot drivers need to be good communicators.

• Anticipating risk in the depot.

• The need for a multitasker.

Concentration and adhering to rules

As would be expected, the NTS of maintaining concentration is crucial in a depot drivers’ role. They need to remain vigilant and focused whilst moving trains around a depot, and be able to deal with repetitive tasks, without losing concentration. Undertaking methodical checking, conscientiously, with a high level of attention to detail are also key skills needed. Adhering to and paying attention to speed restrictions and job instructions are vital when driving in a busy depot with all its daily variations, distractions and responsibilities. Checking and attention to detail link very closely with having a positive attitude to rules and regulations. It is important depot drivers are rules focused and that they’re comfortable working in a ‘rule-bound’ environment.

Communicating

In a busy depot, effective communication is also a very important NTS. Extensive information and instructions are exchanged between managers, drivers and the wider depot team every shift, and even on an hourly basis. Good depot drivers need to listen, receive and understand instructions about different tasks.

They need to be able to retain and respond effectively to the information given, manage any conflicting priorities as well as maintaining concentration. Communicating clearly, staying calm under pressure, and being flexible and cooperative with colleagues are also key skills.

Anticipating risk

In any safety critical environment, the ability to anticipate risk and make effective decisions to avoid them is essential. In a depot there are likely to be constant risks such as the distraction of engineers or cleaners working in close proximity to the line; a higher volume of traffic vs mainline

‘There’s a lot more going on in a depot that can often mean a driver has competing demands on their concentration, possibly increasing the risk of a safety incident. We need drivers to be able to multitask effectively, switching appropriately between tasks and avoiding risks, especially when under pressure.’

A depot driver expert involved in the project

driving or different levels of lighting across a depot. But there are also more ‘dynamic’ risks that could occur whilst driving, such as radio communications in cab; differing drivers working alongside each other for each train movement, or people walking alongside or across the tracks in the depot.

The ability to remain vigilant, actively assessing situations for risks and responding swiftly with appropriate action is a key NTS to help keep a driver and their depot colleagues safe.

Multitasking

The ability to multitask whilst maintaining concentration and assessing for risk was a key NTS that the operations team were specifically looking for in their depot drivers. Multitasking is all about a driver being able to manage high workloads, to prioritise and multitask without detracting from their core priority of driving safely. They must be able to allocate the right amount of focus and resource to each task, at the right time, with the right level of concentration – tuning into

the correct, most relevant duty whilst still completing an ‘on-going’ background task and not drifting into autopilot!

A depot driver expert involved in the project said ‘There’s a lot more going on in a depot that can often mean a driver has competing demands on their concentration, possibly increasing the risk of a safety incident. We need drivers to be able to multitask effectively, switching appropriately between tasks and avoiding risks, especially when under pressure.’

A redesigned assessment tool matrix

Reflecting the new specific NTS matrix and comprehensive role profile required for the client’s future depot drivers, the OPC proposed a new assessment tool matrix that enhanced and modernised the existing assessment tools already being used.

The redesigned matrix included some existing tests such as OPC Assessment’s unique SCAAT (Safe Concentration and Attention Test) that assesses the capacity to maintain concentration on repetitive tasks. Some new additions that enhanced the process included the RSJT (Railway situational Judgement Test) – a test specifically designed to assess a candidate’s safety judgements and how well they may manage working in a safety critical role. Another addition that was a priority to the team was the TDMT (Train Dispatch Multitasking Test). Although the TDMT is about train dispatching, it specifically assesses an applicant’s ability to multitask and concentrate.

To modernise the recruitment process, these three tests formed a new online prescreening stage to take place in depot. This digital stage will help provide a quality shortlist of candidates for a follow up faceto-face (F2F) assessment centre – saving time and cost as well as reducing candidate’s travel and up-front time investment.

Once a short-list of candidates has been devised through the digital pre-screening, they will proceed to a F2F assessment centre which tests for an array of skills such as communication, vigilance, reaction times etc. A useful new assessment tool added into the F2F stage was the TRFS (Trainability for Safety Test) – an ability test that can help to evaluate a candidate’s aptitude for learning and recalling safety-related information. Information in the TRFS mimics that found in the initial training programmes for a depot driver’s role, thereby helping identify candidates who are much more likely to be successful through training and potentially, be more successful on the job.

The final stage is a bespoke structured interview that provides an opportunity for the operations team to explore a candidate’s attitudes, values and relevant characteristics that contribute to being a safe and effective depot driver in their teams.

Creating new bespoke norms based on actual applicant data

With the aim of providing a recruitment process that delivers candidates who are much more likely to perform successfully in the role, the OPC recommended reviewing and applying more appropriate, local norm groups for the assessment tools previously used in the process that were remaining in the process.

Norms are used to ascertain how a candidate has performed relative to others who have sat the assessment tools. Local norming involves collecting past test data for candidates regardless of whether they passed or failed – to create a benchmark

data set against which to compare all future candidates. Using bespoke norms with off-the-shelf assessment tools enables the assessor to make more confident and accurate decisions about a candidate’s suitability. They are able to make a stronger like-for-like comparison, benchmarking a new candidate against other previous applicants.

Anita Ngere from the OPC said: ‘The norming work completed allows the creation of in-house ‘cut off’ standards for some of the existing tools already used, that are to be retained in the redesigned process. It means we can be more confident that any candidates passing the tests will perform at or above the standards required of them.’

OPC Assessment offers a bespoke norming service for its own tools, as a complimentary service for samples of greater than 100 candidates. For those clients who cannot create their own norm groups there are many off the shelf norms available.

Enhancing candidate experience –practice materials redesigned

With any recruitment redesign, there is always an opportunity to modernise supporting processes and documentation. In addition to the digital pre-screening stage added early on, the client was also keen to improve their candidate experience too.

Candidate experience is a growing area of importance in the talent acquisition world. It can impact significantly on an organisation’s reputation. A positive experience can help feed word-of-mouth referrals for future vacancies (with some potential time and cost saving benefits)

and contribute towards building early commitment and loyalty in new employees.

There is huge diversity of people applying for driver roles in rail, i.e., age, geo-location, gender, ethnicity etc, and there is also breadth in the neurodiverse ways in which people may differ in their social, learning, cognitive or communication choices. So, allowing applicants from these diverse backgrounds the opportunity to practice assessment materials ahead of time is very beneficial. It allows them the time and space to acquaint themselves with what actual test materials may look and feel like and practice the skills they may be testing for. They can also help candidates to manage their own anxieties and expectations.

Completing practise tests doesn’t guarantee a pass or a job at the end of the process, but it can help provide a fair and inclusive opportunity for all candidates, in all their diversity, to do their very best on the assessment day.

Jo Lawrence, Business Development Director at the OPC concluded: ‘Redesigning and refreshing a recruitment process is an opportunity to reinforce the best of what you have. This was a swift but thorough piece of work without huge investment. It has new effective assessment tools aimed at measuring key safety-critical NTS; an in-house digital pre-screening stage, and important new candidate practice materials. The project redesign helps provide the client with confidence that their improved process can help to select the best candidates who are more likely to succeed through training, and maintain or improve a team’s high standard of safe, and skilled depot driving performance.’

Tel: +44 (0) 01923

Email: admin@theopc.co.uk

Visit: www.theopc.co.uk

‘Redesigning and refreshing a recruitment process is an opportunity to reinforce the best of what you have.’

Jo Lawrence, Business Development Director at the OPC

‘The norming work completed allows the creation of in-house ‘cut off’ standards for some of the existing tools already used, that are to be retained in the redesigned process. It means we can be more confident that any candidates passing the tests will perform at or above the standards required of them.’

Anita Ngere, Business Psychologist and Assessor at the OPC

Embracing Modal Shift Today for the Future

Interconnectivity

and modal shift have been key phrases that many of us across the rail industry have heard in recent years

Abetter-connected transport network has the potential to reap a range of benefits for both the rail industry and the wider community, from increased efficiencies and cost savings to green advantages and generating new opportunities within the local area.

It is a no-brainer to implement now, rather than later. However, how can this be achieved and what must the industry do to take advantage of the benefits increased interconnectivity and modal shift provide?

The modal shift between road to rail Rail freight contributes almost £2.5 billion to the economy, playing a big part in reducing congestion and emissions and is more environmentally friendly than road. According to the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), every tonne of freight transported by rail produces 76 per cent less emissions compared to road and each freight train removes 76 lorries from our roads. This in turn reduces carbon emissions and congestion, freeing up capacity across the transport network and improving air quality.

The green benefits of rail freight are being driven heavily by the Department for Transport (DfT) with incentive schemes such as Modal Shift Revenue Support (MSRS) – a £20 million grant, which freight carriers can bid for a share of to support the modal shift to rail. A new year presents new opportunities, and it is vital that suppliers understand and acknowledge the benefits that freight transport plays in transporting goods effectively, efficiently, and more sustainably, across the UK and beyond.

Embracing innovation to make a change

Digitalisation in rail freight is key to supporting the shift from road to rail. It helps to speed up the way the network operates and reduces personnel costs. Not so long ago, only office-based staff in the freight industry would be able to access system accounts online.

Now, depot-based staff can obtain upto-date digital information to perform their

jobs more easily. These changes have been reflected in wider attitudes to technology within the sector, with IT no longer seen as an add-on but as an intrinsic part of running a freight operation.

While digitalisation is essential, innovation extends much further than apps and websites – applying fresh thinking and inventing physical solutions to solve practical problems is just as important.

There is certainly no shortage of innovation within freight, and there has been a huge shift in progress in terms of uptake of systems. For the freight industry to evolve moving forward, there are several technologies that will become increasingly important and these need to work in tandem with new skillsets entering from other industries.

Looking ahead

The publication of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail in 2021 signalled a step change for the future of modal shift, defining clear steps for the rail sector in order to embrace the opportunities of this shift.

The positive endorsement of rail freight in the report cajoled freight operator members of the RDG to call on government

to boost the economy and protect the wider environment, by adopting policies that will support the shift in freight from road to rail.

Two years on, the drive to make this a reality is still in motion. However, more needs to be done.

The key to this is ensuring there is a consistent dialogue across the industry, from policy makers to operators. Continuous collaboration and engagement will nurture the opportunities for change and identify the actions individual parties must play in bringing the modal shift to life.

3Squared looks forward to being part of those conversations and continuing to support this change through its pioneering innovative solutions, such as the BulkSmart software which is helping SCS Logistics plan complex operations as part of the HS2 tunnel boring project, taking thousands of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) off the road as spoil is moved by rail and not road.

Visit: 3squared.com

A Green Jobs Dividend for the UK

The Global Centre of Rail Excellence being constructed in south Wales shows how rail can help build a fairer and more balanced economy in the UK on the path to net zero

Last year the Resolution Foundation think-tank published the interim report of their Economy 2030 enquiry. It said that while the UK has many great strengths, structural weaknesses of slow growth, sluggish productivity and income inequality continue to hold back its economy. It said that gaps between people and places across the UK were too high and that shared prosperity had to once again become the UK’s driving economic focus.

All governments across the UK recognise the need to support a more balanced economy to begin to address the difficulties faced by communities and families across the country. Indeed, many of the questions facing our economy will require a national effort from all of us. In that context, what of the role of rail? What does the sector owe to that collective challenge of building a fairer, more inclusive and stronger economy right across the UK?

At the Global Centre of Rail Excellence – a new, purpose-built facility opening in 2025 that will become Europe’s leading rail innovation centre to support world class research, development and certification of rolling stock, infrastructure and innovative new rail technologies – the answer is a very clear one. Rail can – and must – play an active role in supporting a fairer, greener and more productive economy, and that the GCRE facility itself provides some lessons as to how that can be done.

GCRE is born

When Ministers in the Welsh Government began to consider the opportunities to develop a rail innovation facility in Wales, the idea had a very clear economic development focus – its purpose was to help bring new green jobs and high quality skills to the former mining heartland in the Swansea and Dulais Valleys. In 2021 the Welsh Government provided £50 million of funding to kick start development of the idea and take it forward.

The UK Government quickly saw the strengths of the GCRE vision, too, backing it with £20 million from the Department for Business, Energy and Industry Strategy and a further £7.4 million provided through Innovate UK. In itself GCRE has been a good example of two UK governments, of different political stripes, working collaboratively to support a facility with direct economic impact in an area impacted by more than 40 years of deindustrialisation, but which at the same time provides a critical piece of innovation infrastructure the sector badly needs. As the UK makes the transition to a net zero economy GCRE is a tangible green jobs dividend.

Where rail can play an active role

One of the significant ways GCRE can support inclusive growth is being a ‘magnet’ that can act as a hub for research and development (R&D) investment. For many years one of the central challenges facing

policymakers has been how to attract R&D funding into high quality idea outside of the golden triangle of London, Oxford and Cambridge.

In its Levelling Up White Paper, one of the twelve stated ‘missions’ of the UK

GCRE will give south Wales an international quality research centre, quite unlike anywhere in Europe, giving UKRI and the wider private sector a place to focus investment

Government is to ensure that by 2030, domestic public investment in R&D outside the greater south east of the UK will increase by at least 40 per cent. The hope is that funding will leverage at least twice as much private sector investment to stimulate

innovation and productivity growth.

With GCRE, south Wales will have a rail innovation centre of world class quality, quite unlike anywhere in Europe, giving UKRI and the wider private sector a place to focus investment, capacity and knowledge

that can have significant returns for industry, for the environment and for the region in which its based.

At root, GCRE will be a place where people and ideas come together – a facility where some of the world’s leading engineers and technicians will come together to research, develop and refine ideas that can become the backbone of the transport systems of tomorrow. And that’s another area where the facility can help support growth.

Great ideas mean commercial possibilities and GCRE is planning to have enabling facilities on site that can capitalise on that potential. Learning from models like Silverstone, the vision includes space on site for new companies; incubator labs for tech-startups; business advice for those looking to grow their firms and room for partnerships with local universities and further education colleges to flourish. It’s hoped the facility can translate the ideas developed on site into grounded economic and commercial impact for the communities and region in which it sits.

Plan for Rail

As the rail industry embarks on significant reform, it has a chance to fuel more creativity of this kind. The Plan for Rail, published in 2021, sets out to create ‘Great British Railways’ to enhance strategic

planning and which could play an important leadership role in this space through its ambition to support ‘new, locally-led innovation schemes that can unlock smarter working and support growth’.

It's accepted that more strategic and faster rail innovation, as part of a coordinated, long-term approach to rail infrastructure and network planning, would have significant benefits for the UK. GCRE coming along at the same time provides an effective, single strategic site to support those very reforms.

Most notably GCRE would support the rail industry, government and its partners to better realise a variety of critical policy ambitions over the next few years, including lowering transport emissions on the path to Net Zero and in helping make the railway more cost efficient. But, crucially, it would also prove to be an effective case study for

the industry to demonstrate tangible action towards supporting the national effort for fairer, more balanced growth.

Export Opportunity

The sector supporting GCRE to be a success would have another, important economic impact – it would give the UK a critical export advantage. By having on its doorstep an international standard rail research, testing and certification facility, supporting a faster innovation process, the UK would help attract companies to test and seek approval for products, because for key areas like infrastructure, there is no dedicated site anywhere Europe in which to test new products. Having a facility like GCRE in the UK – leading standards in rail innovation –brings not only inward investment potential, but the chance to export goods and services developed on site, not to mention giving the

rail industry a more resilient supply chain model for the future.

The UK Government’s Rail Sector Deal in 2017 articulated that very ambition, seeking to ‘equip the railway for its strategic role as a driver of economic growth’, in part through encouraging increased investment in UKbased rail R&D and doubling rail exports. Digital and data elements of the Rail Sector Deal appeared strongly, as digitalising networks at scale would allow UK companies to become global leaders through ‘firstmover-advantage’, supporting more exports of goods and services. The potential of the GCRE site to support these ambitions is a significant one.

Conclusion

The Dulais and Swansea valleys in which the Global Centre of Rail Excellence facility is located is a region rich in its industrial history. With the new facility opening in 2025, the area can look ahead to a new industrial future as well. For the region that’s crucial, but the wider lessons for rail sector are important too. By helping make GCRE a success rail can show its determination to play an active and substantive role in building a fairer and more balanced economy on the path to net zero. It’s time to make GCRE a success and see what other opportunities the rail sector can develop to help tackle the challenges the UK economy and its communities face both now and in the future.

New to The Rail Industry and Want to Kickstart Your Career?

CIRO have three dates available throughout 2023 for a one-day Introduction to Rail training session, designed specifically for those who are new to the industry or more experienced members from support functions within rail.

What will I learn?

Throughout the day learners will gain a comprehensive picture of the rail environment and enjoy highly participative sessions where they are guided through interactive exercises. There are also regular opportunities for the learners to ask questions to affirm their understanding of the topics.

When and where is the training

Dates: Tuesday 7th Feb, Wednesday 12th July, Thursday 26th October

Times: 9.30am - 4.30am

Location: Beacon Building 2nd Floor, Stafford Enterprise Park West, Weston Road, Stafford, ST18 0BF

Refreshments and a light lunch will be provided for attendess on the day.

What is the cost?

Members: £350.00 inc vat

Non Members: £400.00 inc vat

Book to Attend

Available Dates

To book a place on any of the three Introdcution to Rail training days, or for more information about the day or course content, contact our learning and development team at learnserve@railwayoperators.co.uk. learnserve@railwayoperators.co.uk

Keeping the Network Moving

Kite delivers on its clients’ engineering aspirations by being grounded in reality and by being collaborative and agile in its approach

Kite creates certainty, by being proactive and acting with integrity, and bring consistency through developing its team to deliver client focused service solutions, where it demonstrates thought leadership and action through living its values.

How does this work?

This is exemplified in the key brand –KITEStep, which embodies the company’s values and delivers a safe, compliant access point with a 40 year design life. It is designed to be modular and variable to enable installation success every time, but in reality every one has been engineered specifically for the constraints of every unique site.

Alongside this, we are conducting full design compliance, usually through a form

G combined process to ensure that every access point has full design assurance and furthermore gives all stakeholders certainty as to the investment.

There are now five forward thinking Network Rail routes that support their staff and the whole network by committing their access points to the consistency that KITEstep will deliver and three others are on the journey to enhance the network and give their people the reliable access that that they deserve.

It has been proven that the circumstances in which people work on a day-to-day basis influences their behaviour – and this impacts how they think about the organisation, their working colleagues, and ultimately their own safety. It is of great importance to continue working with Network Rail to develop safe working practices when working adjacent to and on the track.

One route has found a wider approach and has used KITEStep successfully to positively impact the safety of everyday people who walk across Network Rail land on rights of way, and who use

‘It has been proven that the circumstances in which people work on a day-to-day basis influences their behaviour – and this impacts how they think about the organisation.’

pedestrian crossings to navigate over the track. Utilising KITEstep with a defined specification to provide a landing at track level with enough space to stand behind the two-metre decision point with markings to alert pedestrians to the danger, these people can now be positioned to have the best sighting possible and make an informed decision on the appropriate and safest time to cross the track.

Furthermore, Kite has eliminated the risks associated with poor muddy footways by giving a slip resistant stair treads with closed risers and double handrails which

also serve to corral people into one route across the track. Mesh infill and kick plates also serve to keep children and pets within the curtilage of the walkway to minimise potential for these vulnerable individuals to stray onto the track.

This is a great contribution by Network Rail to the wider community and should be acknowledged as an important give-back to the people of the United Kingdom. Truly an example of a gift that continues to give and a mutually beneficial gesture that can be participated in by every route.

Kite is deeply grateful to Network Rail for the privileged opportunity of being part of a contribution to an enhanced rail network which has been invested in and developed forwards by several generations and many, many families. When you bring purpose, innovation and engineering together you can truly change your world and make the rail network a better place.

Any other routes want to come on board? Get in touch via the contact information below. Tel:

Leading cable and pipe seal manufacturer Roxtec UK has strengthened its infrastructure and industry team with the appointment of Gavin Pettifor as Technical Sales Advisor.

New

The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) has appointed Stu McInroy to the position of Chief Executive. Stu will take over the role of CPA Chief Executive in the second quarter of 2023.

MTR

Trenitalia c2c has appointed Abu

to head up a newly restructured team as Customer Experience Director. He joins from LNER.

MTR Elizabeth line (MTREL) has appointed Mike Bagshaw to the role of Managing Director. Mike has over 30 years’ experience in the rail industry which has included strategic leadership roles at Arriva Trains Wales, Chiltern Railways, and First Great Western.

Carlisle appoints Director of Rail Strategy Carlisle Support Services has appointed Steve Cere as Director of Rail Strategy.

c2c appoints Customer Experience Director

Siddeeq

New UK Rail Director At CECA Hannah Rock has taken on the role of Rail Director at the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA).

Lumo appoints new Service Delivery Director Lumo, FirstGroup’s open access rail service between Edinburgh and London, has appointed Jen Clare as its new Service Delivery Director.

Roxtec appoints Infrastructure and Industry Technical Sales Advisor

Elizabeth line appoints new Managing Director

CPA Chief Executive Appointed

Northern appoints new People Director Train operator, Northern, has appointed Marks & Spencer executive, Lisa Leighton, as its new People Director.

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Delivering a bright energy future for all

We collaborate with purpose, working with industry alliance partners to deliver cost effective and innovative solutions.

By leveraging our collective capabilities, our results are more customer focused and sustainable.