Rail Professional November issue 2024 307

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COVER The

EDITOR’S NOTE

This month’s column is written in anticipation of the as-of-writing upcoming Autumn Budget from Chancellor Rachel Reeves, and although the focus is likely to be on more general economic policy, there is high likelihood that you’ll be reading this fresh from analysis of how the Budget will impact the rail industry. I look forward to bringing you the best of that next month. One position we’ve seen more than others is the importance of moving past the stop-start approach that has plagued our project planning for years. I don’t believe that Britain can't do long-term planning – it's that we seem to have developed a culture that doesn’t prioritise steady progress. An approach ends up costing substantially more in the long run. Whether the Budget will signal a cultural shift that will change that approach, only time will tell.

For our November issue we’re focussing on training and consulting, with features on training from Matthew Wright of NIS Group, Edward Hughes, Head of Policy and Engagement at NSAR and the Talent Foundry’s CEO, Jenni Anderson as well as a conversation with Don Clarke about the role of the Association of Railway Training Providers.

On the consulting side we’ve got Leigh Pickard-Morrish of FrazerNash, Hexagon Consultants, and the OPC shares their experience with Freightliner.

My conversations with key industry figures this month included Wayne Hardman and Ryan Trumpeter from NIS Group, Dr Nick Haylett, Head of Strategic Planning at the West Coast Partnership Development and Grant Klein, Public Sector Transport Leader at PwC. Alongside our usual columnists we’ve also got op-eds from James Holmes, Rail Sector Director at Amey, sustainable transport research group Enroute and Andrew Cruttenden, General Manager at Trainline Partner Solutions.

SAM SHERWOOD-HALE EDITOR

the latest from the industry, the operators and the infrastructure suppliers

Wayne Hardman and Ryan Trumpeter on Wayne's journey from decorator to rail trainer at NIS Group

Dr Nick Haylett, Head of Strategic Planning at the West Coast Partnership Development on his recent experience completing an apprenticeship

Grant Klein, Public Sector Transport Leader at PwC United Kingdom on the challenges and opportunities in creating an integrated transport plan

Chris looks at the

In

James Holmes, Rail Sector Director at Amey makes the case for a vertically integrated model in the UK

Sustainable transport research group Enroute explains how to ‘Fix the Spine’

Andrew Cruttenden, General Manager at Trainline Partner

on a new era for rail travel in the UK

Rail industry participates in remembrance services

Matthew Wright, Group Operations Director of NIS Group, outlines ambitious plans to expand the reach of its Transport, Rail and Infrastructure Academy (TRIA) network

Sam Sherwood-Hale, spoke to Don Clarke about the role of the Association of Railway Training Providers (ARTP) in supporting and improving railway training

Edward Hughes, Head of Policy and Engagement at NSAR gives insight into how they are helping the industry build skills and practical steps your business can take

The Talent Foundry’s CEO, Jenni Anderson, explains why early employability interventions in schools can bring benefits to students and the rail industry

“We have the hose world in our hands”

66

Mattias Holmdahl, Senior Manager, Global Product & Service Management, Concrete Sawing & Drilling at Husqvarna

RIA Urges Government to Provide Clarity

The Railway Industry Association (RIA) has urged the new Government to provide clarity about its plans for rail enhancements in order to give confidence to businesses to keep investing in the UK.

The call comes five years to the day since a comprehensive rail enhancements pipeline was last published, by the previous Government, on 21 October 2019. At that time, the previous Government committed to publish a Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP) annually.

RIA Chief Executive Darren Caplan said: ‘Suppliers need visibility of the Government’s future plans to invest with confidence. Five years is a long time to have no visible pipeline for rail enhancements not least because roughly £2 billion per year of taxpayer money was allocated for these rail projects. The upcoming Budget on 30 October is a good opportunity to announce what the future approach to providing clarity will be, including whether the RNEP process will be discontinued by the new Government.

‘RIA member companies and many in the wider UK supply sector are reporting concerns about uncertainty and hiatus around work

pipelines and continue to raise the lack of clarity on enhancements as a key issue. So we strongly urge the new Government to set out a long-term plan for enhancements, to enable rail suppliers around the country to plan their resources and investments, and ultimately deliver best value for money for the taxpayer when it comes to taking these schemes forward.’

Caplan added: ‘Positively, we are encouraged by Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood’s statement in response to a Parliamentary question on the RNEP that the Government plans to create a more ‘unified system for the railways’. We welcome the new Government continuing to fund major projects such as HS2 Phase 1, and Transport Secretary Louise Haigh’s commitment in early October to end the “boom and bust” approach to rail manufacturing by delivering a long-term industrial strategy for rolling stock. We now ask the Government to publish further details of how bringing infrastructure and services closer together will deliver benefits for both the railway industry and for passengers, freight customers and taxpayers.’

c2c Partners with Essex Firefighters in Visit to Shoeburyness Depot

Local rail operator Trenitalia c2c welcomed the group from Essex County Fire and Rescue Service for the tour of its fleet on Friday, 11 October. Led by Simon Smith, one of c2c’s most experienced operations trainers, it was designed to give the team from Basildon Watch detailed insight into the layout of both the Class 357 and Class 720 trains, to ensure the service has a good understanding of the trains in case of an emergency.

Simon, who has worked at c2c for 20 years and is a subject matter expert in operations training, said: ‘Sadly, emergencies can happen on the railway and this was an opportunity to provide the crew with some enhanced technical insight into the designs of both Class of trains we run on our network.

‘I would like to thank the crew who came to the depot as they had years of experience in attending critical and major incidents between them and took the training incredibly seriously.

‘We were able to have some important conversations which in certain scenarios should aid their response and may contribute to the preservation of life.’

Mark Kyprianou, temporary watch manager at Basildon Fire Station, said: ‘Today was very good. It was great to have some practical training and we would definitely recommend this to colleagues and do something like this again. We’d certainly like to come back and do further training and exercises.’

The training session was facilitated by Seray Fenn, Service Delivery Manager at c2c’s Shoeburyness depot.

Seray added: ‘We really enjoyed hosting the crew at Shoeburyness and look forward to building on this important relationship.

The crew will be sharing their learning with other colleagues to ensure the knowledge benefits crews beyond Basildon Watch and we will be setting up further tours of the trains over the coming months.’

Driving Investment in Rail Infrastructure

The High Speed Rail Group (HSRG) has released its latest report Driving Investment in Rail Infrastructure. This report outlines the critical steps needed to develop a comprehensive long-term rail infrastructure strategy that actively engages the investment community and explores a broad range of funding options, including those that harness private investment.

As the acute need for investment into rail has grown, recent decisions to roll back on major rail infrastructure projects, coupled with shrinking public finances, have posed significant challenges to funding infrastructure development.

The report stresses that engaging with the private sector will not only provide the vital finance required for infrastructure development to go ahead, but it will also create the right environment for the industry to deliver infrastructure on time and within budget, with potential for future cost reductions.

Drawing on international and cross industry case studies, this report demonstrates a strong appetite among industry and investors alike for private investment and future collaboration on large scale infrastructure projects. However, the Government must create an investmentfriendly ecosystem that provides the

stability investors and industry seek and need. This means committing to a strong pipeline, ensuring close collaboration between all stakeholders and providing transparent, structured policy frameworks that focus on long term decision making.

The High Speed Rail Group therefore calls on the government to act on the following:

1. Develop and stick to a comprehensive long-term strategy for both North-South and East-West travel, prioritising the link from Birmingham to the North West, and the route across the north of England from Liverpool to Hull. Providing clarity, transparency, and consistency in decision-making is key.

2. Engage with the infrastructure investment community to explore all funding options. It does not have to be an ‘all-or-nothing’ approach, with some assets, such as rolling stock and stations, lending themselves more easily to private finance than others.

3. Adopt a whole systems approach to rail infrastructure, looking at planning, funding, and delivery from a whole country perspective.

Dyan Perry, Chair of High Speed Rail Group, commented: ‘Labour has a mission to secure the highest sustained growth in the G7, which they recognise will need private investor support to achieve. Developing and committing to significant rail infrastructure projects, underpinned by private capital, is a crucial step to realising this goal.

‘To date, short-term policy changes and inconsistent project implementation have undermined investor confidence, leading to a fragmented infrastructure landscape that is timely and costly. It is promising to hear that HS2 will likely reach Euston. However, we need definitive answers and a long-term rail strategy that extends north of Birmingham to Crewe and beyond. This strategy must also look beyond the shortterm costs to HM Treasury, focusing on the lasting and cumulative benefits rail investment can deliver to the UK.

‘If correctly capitalised upon, rail investment will not only drive growth across local economies, foster skills development, and enhance regional connectivity, it will also ensure the UK delivers on the Chancellor’s ‘national mission’ to boost growth. We urge Government to seriously consider and take forward this report’s recommendations, implementing them for future inter-city rail projects.’

HS2 Lays the Foundations for Birmingham’s New Rail Hub

Work has started on the installation of 2,000 vertical concrete columns for the foundations of Birmingham’s Curzon Street Station – marking a critical milestone in the construction of HS2’s city centre rail hub.

The majority of the piles on the 100,000 square metre site will support the new station building and platforms above, with a smaller number of interlocking piles used to create the main walls of the Station basement which will house operational facilities.

The work is being led by HS2’s contractor Mace Dragados Joint Venture, with support from companies including UK engineering specialist Keltbray. A team of 80 people are delivering the foundations work using three 95 tonne, 30-metre-tall piling rigs on the site.

Curzon Street Station is set to become a key destination and thriving departure point as part of Britain’s new high-speed railway. It will provide excellent connectivity to Eastside and Digbeth, enabling wider regeneration by linking together the learning and creative quarters, new residential developments and the city centre.

The station will offer seamless connections to the local transport network including buses and the Midland Metro with a tram line running alongside and under the station. It will also create new public spaces, including two squares and a promenade.

Piling is planned to be completed by mid-2025, with the installation of further foundations on top of the piling starting next

year. The design of the station will also be finalised over the next year, focusing on the details of features including the roof and the internal fit-out of the station.

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£21 million to Improve Services across the North

Network Rail is working to build a third platform at Salford Crescent station. The new, extra platform will improve passenger flow and reduce train delays by allowing more flexibility for trains travelling through central Manchester and across the country.

Salford Crescent station is on the busy Manchester to Preston line, with services calling from across the North West into Manchester and Manchester Airport.

In 2022/23 the station handled almost 1.2 million entries and exits making it one of the busiest stations in Greater Manchester. The platform will give signallers more options to ease ‘traffic jams’

through the station and through the busy central Manchester rail network. Network Rail has released 3D visualisations of the station with the new platform to show passengers what Salford Crescent will look like once the work is complete.

Alongside this project, Transport for Greater Manchester and Network Rail are investing £10 million in Salford Central station. The work involves new customer information points and wayfinding to join up with the Bee Network, Greater Manchester’s vision for an integrated public transport system.

CIRO Expands End-Point Assessment Offerings

The Chartered Institution of Railway Operators (CIRO) has expanded its industry leading End-Point Assessment offering with two new apprenticeship standards. In addition to the existing Trainer Driver Standard (ST0645), Ofqual has approved CIRO to deliver End-Point Assessments for ST1378: L3 Rail Infrastructure Operator and ST1438: L3 Transport Scheduler (Rail Transport Only) apprenticeships.

CIRO is passionate about championing the professional development of those working in all areas of rail. As a registered End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO) CIRO is a responsible, collegiate and value adding provider to the rail industry. The Ofqual approval of the additional End-Point Assessment standards means that CIRO can now support apprentices and their employers across the board in rail.

Joint Head of Awarding Organisation at CIRO, Vicky Johndrow said: ‘This is a great milestone for CIRO’s EPA department. Although both standards are still in the development stage, we look forward

to welcoming our first apprentices later in the year, taking them through the final piece of their journey – delivering their End-Point Assessment.

‘By providing an End-Point Assessment service we hope to benefit the rail sector as a whole by keeping levy funding in the industry. Acting in a not-for-profit way has allowed CIRO to develop a high quality, meaningful EPA.’

For over five years CIRO has been trusted by the industry to deliver a high-quality, effective and efficient End-Point Assessments and works with over 20 leading Train Operating Companies and Freight Operating Companies to provide the delivery of the final stage of their training programmes.

CIRO has completed over 1683 assessments and has a 97 per cent satisfaction rating with its learners. Servicing nearly all apprentice employers, CIRO has earned an enviable reputation as an EPA provider.

New Ipswich to Cambridge Community Rail Partnership

Greater Anglia has announced the formation of a new Community Rail Partnership (CRP) for the Ipswich to Cambridge rail route. The aim of the CRP is to help develop and promote rail services along this key regional rail corridor, helping to align the evolution of services in line with local needs.

There are already a number of successful CRPs across the Greater Anglia network (the Bittern Line CRP, East Suffolk Lines CRP, Essex and South Suffolk CRP, Hereward CRP, New River Line CRP, and Wherry Lines CRP), which have all helped raise the profile of rail services and supported improvements to stations, trains, and timetables, as well as build stronger links with local communities.

The new Ipswich to Cambridge CRP will look to replicate that positive impact, focusing on the communities served by trains along the line (Ipswich, Needham Market, Stowmarket, Elmswell, Thurston, Bury St Edmunds, Kennett, Newmarket, Dullingham and Cambridge).

The most significant funding support will come from Greater Anglia and from Suffolk County Council – who have kindly agreed to host the CRP officer’s role which will be created to undertake

the main work of the CRP. Other valuable funding support will come from the Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority, West Suffolk Council, Mid Suffolk District Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, Ipswich Borough Council and Cambridge City Council.

The existing CRPs in the region have helped promote rail services in local communities, champion (and sometimes contribute towards) small scale station improvements (including extra support for the work of GA’s station adopters), help secure third-party funding for other upgrades, inform local service priorities and enhancements, and strengthen the role of rail in, and its links with, the local community.

The Ipswich to Cambridge CRP will be looking to take a similar approach, but one that is directly informed by the needs of the customers and communities along that route. With high quality new trains operating all passenger services along the line, the prospects for the future are bright and a CRP will be well placed to build further support for, and increase usage of, this crucial regional transport link.

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Different Strokes

Swapping the paint brush for a career in the rail and infrastructure sector has paid dividends for Wayne Hardman. The Black Country-based trainee trainer’s rapid rise through the ranks at NIS Group saw him pick up the Learning for Work Award at the prestigious Festival of Learning in London earlier this year.

Wayne Hardman Trainer

Ryan Trumpeter Head of Quality at NIS

Sam Sherwood-Hale spoke to Wayne and Ryan about Wayne's journey from decorator to rail trainer at NIS Group, his rapid progression through the company, and NIS Group's approach to addressing skills shortages in the rail and infrastructure sector through practical, hands-on training

‘My experience shows that sometimes unexpected paths can lead to fulfilling careers. It's important to be willing to learn and adapt.’

supporting the whole development of the training (in terms of making sure equipment was on site and trainers were supported), to going through a traineeship programme and becoming a trainer himself.

He's gone from being a learner on the course to working for the company and now actually delivering training that is changing people’s lives. He’s almost done a 180-degree turn from being a learner on the course to now teaching the learners who he was once sat alongside.

SSH: Is this something that's common at NIS Group, where someone does the course and then ends up teaching it?

instability. When I was decorating, it was stressful. You're always looking for your next job, and sometimes people would cancel at the last minute. That's no good when you're relying on that money to feed your family, pay for your house, and run your car.

When you're only earning half a week's wages, you're back in a rut, borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. It's hard trying to juggle all that. This experience allows me to connect with our students on a personal level, especially those who are looking for a career change or struggling with similar issues.

SSH: Can you describe the moment you decided to enrol in the civils course at City of Wolverhampton College? What were your expectations at the time?

WH: At the time, I didn't have a job, so I wasn't expecting employment to come from it, at least not so quickly. I had just finished my last test in Dudley and was on the bus home when my phone rang. It was NIS Group’s Matthew Wright, who asked what I was doing for work. I told him I'd just passed my last test, and he said that's why he was calling. He asked if I had any work lined up, which I didn't, and then offered me a chance to work at the college in operations.

The role involved setting up the compound, keeping it tidy, and liaising with the students. I was surprised but said I'd love to do it. Matthew invited me to come in for a chat, and that's how I started at the college. I didn't expect to be working for the company that was doing the training. My initial thought was just to do the course and see what I could get from it. I have some background on construction sites, so I thought maybe I'd get a CSCS card and a few other qualifications they could offer, which would help me when I'm on site.

SSH: What made you choose to accept the offer?

WH: I enjoyed my time during the training. All the NIS Group trainers I had through the six weeks were good and made me feel welcome. I thought, well, why not give it a chance?

SSH: How has your role evolved since you first started?

WH: It's evolved massively, to be fair. I started in operations and now I've moved into a trainer position. I've got my Level 3 Teaching AET, I'm in the process of doing my CAVA, which is the assessors qualification. I've got my Level 3 First Aid, my Triple STS, my environmental certification, GDPR, and lots more.

RT: (Head of Quality NIS Group): Wayne's role went from being in operations and

SSH: Ryan: I don't think there's anyone who's ever done it before. We've identified one more candidate, Craig Gelder, who was on the course as well and has gone through a training shift to become a tutor. But Wayne was identified on the course to actually go through this process and become a trainer. So it's very rare. Wayne was the first one, the guinea pig, so to speak.

SSH: You've taken on ten different courses alongside your job. How do you manage your time and stay motivated to continue learning?

WH: NIS Group gives me a lot of support. I do a lot of it in work hours and some are day courses. I've done my assessors qualification partly at home and partly through work. I was given days to work on my assessor’s portfolio. When I have a spare hour, I just jump on it and get a bit more done. Even if it's just one question or two, it all adds up.

RT: I think it's important to add that a lot of training companies deliver training but don't deliver training internally to their own staff.

At NIS Group, we're massive on developing staff. We'd rather push people through the company internally, like Wayne. I started as a consultant and then joined in. We really encourage our people to develop themselves and move up the ladder, if you want to call it that. We're massive on offering individuals training internally.

Like Wayne's assessor course, it can be completed in work time. If they finish two hours early with their learners or learners are doing home study, they can use the extra time within the day to complete it. There's also a family-first ethos at NIS Group, so we want people to have time with their family. It's not about spending six or seven nights working on your assignments at home when you can do it in the workplace.

SSH: How has your background in decorating influenced your perspective or approach in your current position at NIS Group?

WH: My background in decorating has given me a unique perspective. I understand the challenges of unreliable work and financial

SSH: What advice would you give to others who might be considering a career change, especially in light of unexpected circumstances like the pandemic?

WH: I'd say keep an open mind and be willing to try new things. My experience shows that sometimes unexpected paths can lead to fulfilling careers. It's important to be willing to learn and adapt. Also, look for companies that value employee development and provide opportunities for growth, like NIS Group as done for me.

Each learner is different. Some want to graft, some want to more than others. I tell them to keep it up. I didn't think I was going to be where I am now when I started two years ago, so there's hope for everyone. Keep up the hard work and it will pay off.

SSH: As you work towards becoming a fully qualified trainer, what aspects of training are you most looking forward to?

WH: I'm really looking forward to continuing to make a positive impact on students' lives. It's incredibly rewarding to see their confidence grow throughout the course. When they come in, they're often self-doubting. By the end, they're surprised at how much they've learned. I enjoy breaking down complex information and making it accessible to learners from various backgrounds.

I think being a bit older, being 37 now, is perfect timing. I've got a lot more to give, and I've done what I needed to do in my previous career. I'm happy to settle down and get on with the work.

SSH: You mentioned that this new career has brought your ‘old personality back to life’. Could you elaborate on what you mean by that?

WH: Before this career change, I was struggling financially and emotionally. There were times when I couldn't afford to take my ten-year-old son out or provide for him the way I wanted to. Sometimes he'd ask to go swimming, and I didn't have a penny. You feel ashamed, like a failure. It was a wake-up call.

Now, it's totally different. I'm getting married next September, and that's more or less paid for. If I was back where I was before, I would have been struggling for my

‘All our training is employer-led, as companies want people ready for the track.’

A lot of people probably wouldn't know how to even start to get on the rail, wouldn't even have an idea of what to do. Funnily enough, it comes down to education –educating people and making them aware of how to enter the industry, what actually needs to happen.

We constantly push the message that rail is there and how to get onto rail. We provide all the materials and qualifications to start the journey, not to mention the wraparound support to help people overcome challenges and any barriers to learning they may have.

‘We don't want to be sat there with, as the saying goes, death by PowerPoint.’

next meal. Now I've got a nice house with my girlfriend, we've got three kids between us, and things are good. I'm bouncing as I walk around, I'm happy. My family is overwhelmed by how much I've changed. It could have gone the other way, it could have gotten worse, but I chose this route to better myself. I'm grateful, and I couldn't thank NIS Group enough.

SSH: How do you see the rail and infrastructure sector evolving in the coming years, and how do you plan to adapt to these changes?

RT: We must be dynamic and responsive to what employers want and what the industry needs. We'll always accommodate and make changes to our programmes where necessary, which benefits employers but also benefits the learners coming through our courses to help them get jobs.

I suppose it all comes down to infrastructure at the end of the day. How much construction is going to be supported by government? The more they support the development of cities, towns, rails, and train stations, the more work there will be for us to support employers with workers.

It's a bigger picture question for the country as a whole in terms of where the infrastructure will be and where the funding will be. We did have the levelling up funding from the government to build up towns and cities. The West Midlands has been a deprived area, so hopefully, if that sort of funding sticks around, we can see towns and cities develop and give people opportunities to work on projects like HS2 and other construction projects.

SSH: What role do you think companies like NIS Group play in addressing skills shortages in the infrastructure sector?

RT: We play a crucial role in raising awareness about career opportunities in the sector – that’s a really important element of our work. It's one of those jobs where people know it happens, but they don't know how to access the industry.

So, we go to job centres and job fairs, we work with councils, and we educate people in what they can achieve. We're saying there are opportunities in rail and civils, and we're telling people how to get into the industry.

WH: From my perspective as a trainer, I see firsthand how our courses are preparing people for real work in the industry. We have our own track section at Wolverhampton College where students can practice handson skills. We've got a track, a section of track with crossings on it. We can unclip it, take it up, move it, take the sleepers out, shovel the ballast. In essence, it's a real track, it's real work and it’s an insight into what that they'll be doing.

SSH: What's the reaction from students when they first get to work on the practice track?

WH: They love it. It's like giving candy to kids. They're eager to get down there and start working. We make sure they have full PPE because we treat it like a real live track. There are certain places where they can and can't go, just like on a real site.

RT: Yes, on the first day we do a guided tour around the college, and the moment they see the track, you see their eyes light up. We fund their PPE as well, so they get their full orange gear, they get their hats, they get their boots. When they're on the track, it's as realistic as possible, other than being live. We're offering realistic training and employers also like that.

Prior to going on the track as well, we make it as practical and realistic as possible. Manual handling will involve lifting and moving things. Working at heights, there's an opportunity to climb a ladder and use it appropriately. For first aid, they'll be using CPR mannequins. So, it's all about making things as practical as possible to hit all different learning styles. We don't want to be sat there with, as the saying goes, death by PowerPoint.

SSH: How do you think this hands-on approach helps address the skills shortage?

RT: All our training is employer-led, as companies want people ready for the track. You can train in the classroom as much as you like, but if you don't know how to move ballast or lift a track up, you're no good. The employers isn't going to want you.

We work with hundreds of companies, and they all know what they’re going to get – work-ready candidates they can employ. When learners come onto the course, they

decide which route they want to go down. If they want to go into construction, we get them the CSCS card and all the training relevant for construction, and we can put them in touch with employers in the construction industry.

With rail, we have sponsors. We help them with their DBS checks and their medicals, getting them their sponsorship, and then the sponsors can put them back to work once they're ready…as long as they qualify.

WH: It's up to the learners to choose their path. When I started, I was asked what direction I wanted to go in, and I chose to go down the rail side, which means getting experience on the rail, getting my PTS, becoming a rail trainer. But since then, I've become more involved in phase one, which is more health and safety focused. I really enjoy it.

SSH: Finally, what would you say to someone who's considering taking a course with NIS Group or making a similar career change?

WH: I'd say go for it. Even if you decide the industry isn't for you after the course, you still walk away with valuable qualifications. As Ryan mentioned, if we take a learner from entering the classroom all the way through their four weeks, even if they decide this industry isn't for them, they're still going to leave with about seven qualifications. First aid can go into any industry. Manual handling can go into any sector.

You can see it in their faces as soon as you tell them they've passed. For some people, it means so much more. They could probably go home and tell their parents, partner, or children: ‘I've done really well today, I passed manual handling.’ To someone else, it might not mean much, but for certain people, it's a big achievement.

RT: Different people from different backgrounds will have a different view on qualifications, but a lot of people that haven't been given opportunities before tend to value them more. It means more for them in terms of getting a certain career or qualification. And that's what makes this job so rewarding – seeing people gain these qualifications regardless of their background or previous experience.

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Dr Nick Haylett Head of Strategic Planning at the West Coast Partnership Development

Already boasting a PhD and 18 years of railway experience to his name, a West Coast Partnership Development (WCPD) colleague has shown that there’s no limit to his quest for learning after completing an apprenticeship in leadership.

WCPD’s Head of Strategic Planning, Dr Nick Haylett has worked in the railway industry for the last 18 years, including roles at London Underground, First Capital Connect, Govia Thameslink Railway and now at WCPD.

His role with the Shadow Operator is to oversee the timely delivery of the business’ milestones in designing the high-speed services. In addition, he has to ensure that this plan is aligned to their partners at Avanti West Coast, High Speed Two Ltd, Network Rail and the Department for Transport. As part of his apprenticeship, he delivered a final project looking at how to implement ‘Strategic Resource Planning for WCPD’, which has been adopted by the business as part of its working.

Sam Sherwood-Hale spoke to Dr Nick Haylett, Head of Strategic Planning at the West Coast Partnership Development about his recent experience completing an apprenticeship, the stare of training and education in rail, and the importance of lifelong learning

‘I have a belief that if you understand something well then you can simplify it really easily with the appropriate approximations.’

SSH: Despite having a PhD and extensive experience, what motivated you to pursue a senior leadership apprenticeship at this stage in your career?

NH: I like a challenge and I like doing things that are new. Fundamentally, I like learning and I like things that are difficult challenges. It's one of the ways of stopping me becoming stale. Training courses, especially postCovid, that are only online are really not of interest to me. When this opportunity came up, it was two thirds of an Open University MBA course – which is the right level –given my background, and a combination of theoretical learning as well as applying workbased learning. It was a combination that worked particularly well for me.

The fact that it was an apprenticeship where you get 20 per cent of your time for on-the-job learning was the clincher for me. I was ready to learn something new. In retrospect, the focus of the course on leadership, both personal and business, actually hit the button really well.

So this particular course spoke to you at the right time?

NH: Yes. I had not done any formal training for probably six years and I felt it was the time to do some more. Did I think my previous education was a barrier to it? Actually, no. I think it set me up in a good place. I was able to start the course knowing I had the capability of dealing with the intellectual rigors and the academic aspects of it, and I had enough experience in the workplace to be able to manage my time and to use the bits that were relevant back in my job. So from my perspective it worked really well.

In terms of the other people that you met on this course and perhaps in other training courses you've had over the years, would you say that there's a point at which people haven't trained in say ten years or they haven't done any formal training in a long span of time that might make them more hesitant about doing what you've done?

NH: I've not had those conversations, so my perception is yes. The downside of the particular course that I was on, was that it started at the end of the Covid period and it ended up being all remote with no face-toface. When we talk later about my thoughts on learning and apprenticeships, the answer is I would recommend face-to-face every time. There's a place for online learning and there's a place for virtual seminars. But there's a huge, huge benefit in being in the same room with people, learning who they are and what their backgrounds are, and sharing learnt experiences and different perspectives.

This is something that I didn't get to experience on this particular course, so I didn't really get to know the other students on my course as well as I'd have liked to.

SSH: How did this compare to previous experiences you've had in training in terms of the scope and overall experience of learning?

NH: It was three modules over two years. It was one day a week for about six months on each module, which contained a mix of reading, learning, some seminars, and written assignments. Additionally, throughout the course, there was a fourth work-based module where you took the ideas you learned and applied them at work to see how they worked for you. It's all very well learning the theory, but having a go at applying it to the real business cemented it. You think: ‘Oh, I can apply that now.’

As a personal example, at the point in time we were learning about business models, West Coast Partnership Development was transitioning from being under the Emergency Response Measure Agreement (ERMA) to the National Rail Contract (NRC). Applying the theory I had

learnt allowed me to see how the business plan and the business model of WCPD needed to change as the whole rail industry environment was changing.

SSH: How much did your existing knowledge and experience complement that specific learning?

NH: I've been working for over 30 years, and actually the fact that I knew about half of the course content was quite reassuring. Many of the things I've learnt in my career are still valid, they're the right concepts, the right things to be doing and I am applying them in the right way. And that actually gave me a lot of self confidence. The remaining 50 per cent was new. Some of it was using better language to express things that I knew something about and the rest was completely new. This was really eye-opening. I relished the opportunity to try some of these new ideas. I'll give you an example. We did a strategy module and the starting point is defining the difference between a strategy and a management of operations. That's quite a useful distinction that says the executive teams should spend some time doing strategy – thinking about their big picture, their vision, their goals, and the direction they want to go, and then they should spend some time thinking about operations – right path to get there on a day to day basis.

For met this was a really clear way of describing strategy and management of operations, and I now use this approach to support the WCPD Executive Team. I look after their meeting agendas and the annual business cycle and have identified when we should be doing strategic thinking, and we should be doing operational thinking. I’ve learnt to keep the two separate but recognise that the two are also intricately combined.

SSH: That kind of supports your idea of lifelong learning, doesn't it? Because you can do part of a course and then go and work in a related field for however long. And whilst you're working, you might actually be learning some of the things that would apply to the next module or the next part of the course.

NH: Yes. Now there were some bits of the course that I genuinely learned and applied, and some others that I have forgotten. For example, we covered company financial ratios and evaluating the value of bonds in the finance module for startups. Really interesting, but I'm not running a startup so I have not dusted off the notes and tried it again.

So there were some topics that were interesting that I have not applied, but there were lots of topics that have been relevant.

I think we should make everybody who's been on a training course look at their notes again three months later and six months later and stick some post-its to highlight:

‘Innovation happens when you take planes of experience and mix them together. By continuing to get new planes of experience, you're continually exposed to new ideas and you can work out how they apply back again.’

‘Oh, I've forgotten about that. That's really interesting and I can apply that now.’ This reinforcement of the learning encourages you to apply it so that the training course does not just become something done three years ago with the manual left sitting on the office shelf.

SSH: Could you elaborate on how your final project, strategic resource planning for WCPD, has been adopted by the business and how you've applied it to your working life?

NH: My role and my team look after what's called the Integrated Plan. This is WCPD’s milestones, aligned with those from HS2 Ltd, Network Rail and the Department for Transport, that we need to deliver to make on the journey from now to the start of integrated high-speed and intercity operations.

The Integrated Plan shows that the work we will be doing in two and three years time is different to the work we are doing now. Currently we are setting visions and strategies for what the future operator of high-speed services could look like. In a couple of years, we need to put these visions and strategies into place, and some of the skill sets and capabilities we will need will be different.

My final project proposed that WCPD undertake a strategic resource planning exercise that brings these elements together. We will look at the future plan and identify the skills, capabilities, knowledge and type of people we need in the future and then work out how we're going to get that capability in the business. Do we develop inhouse? Do we second people from elsewhere within the company or elsewhere within our family of train operating companies? Do we recruit externally?

How we gain this capability is linked to innovation. In some areas we want to innovate and in some areas we want to do

‘We all look through the world through particular lenses or prisms... Change and improvement happen when we take somebody else's prism view and my prism view, we find those intersecting pieces.’

SSH: How do you think your interdisciplinary background in Chemistry, Law, and now senior leadership benefits your current role?

NH: Hugely. I'm quite methodical in my thinking, and logical in how I construct arguments as and justification for change. Being able to understand concepts, write ideas clearly in a compelling way is really important. That comes out of the Law and the Chemistry. It supports a fact-based, evidence-based approach.

There are two complex subject areas, and one of the things that I'm particularly good at is understanding difficult, complicated, thorny problems, making sense of them, and then building a framework to allow the business to manage them. I have a belief that says if you understand something well then you can simplify it really easily with the appropriate approximations. I wouldn't be doing what I am if I hadn’t done Chemistry and Law and my PhD as these gave me the skills that I needed to get the wide variety of job experiences I've had over the last 30 years.

things will be really hard and difficult. I think the combination of academic learning, theoretical learning, and being able to apply these practically is a huge advantage to just doing a stand-alone theoretical course. And I'm hugely, hugely supportive.

SSH: What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the industry in terms of making apprenticeships more accessible or anything to do with skills and training?

NH: The focus we have at WCPD is around ensuring that we deliver transformational benefits for our customers. To do that we need colleagues who can set out a really compelling vision of what the future could look like. We're going to need people who can deliver that compelling vision.

We need to have an industry that continues to deliver a proposition the customer wants – fundamentally they pay for their ticket - so we need to give them what they want. We need to have an industry that continues to deliver operational reliability because people expect trains to arrive on time, and we need to continue to deliver safe service.

the same thing but better. If you want to do innovation, you need people with fresh insights. Get somebody from a different industry who solved a similar problem and they'll come with a whole bunch of new ideas. If you want to improve what you've got, you can use your current team to do continuous improvement.

SSH: How do you measure that sort of decision making in terms of whether it's worth buying something in or training people up until the time frame you'd need to actually get someone to the skill level that you need to be at?

NH: You would look at when the business needs that skill and capability, how long it's going to be required for, and whether it's something that that the business already has experience in, or knowledge of. For example, West Coast Partnership already has people who are experts at running train services and in operations. If we want future operations to be similar we will use the best people we can find in that area to find ways to make it better.

If you want to know how to set up an innovative ticketing system that doesn't involve gates or any sort of barrier, you may not find that answer within the railway. You may choose to look for people with skills and experience from different industries, perhaps from the world of facial recognition or biometrics. Then we will decide if we want to build that capability internally or do we just want to buy in a ready made solution?

There's not a clear answer. The approach is to apply the model and the process. This then brings an understanding of our needs and priorities, and then we can work out the correct strategic resource strategy on a roleby-role or area-by-area basis.

SSH: What advice would you give to other professionals who might be hesitant about pursuing further education?

NH: The short answer is just go ahead and do it. Seize the opportunity. Understand why you're doing it. Are you doing it because you love the subject? Are you doing it because you want to get a particular skill or knowledge or experience to make a particular career transition? This understanding provides you with the drive that means you will see it through. You will have the opportunity to meet new people, learn new things and share your experiences. I believe innovation happens when you take planes of experience and mix them together. By having new experiences, you're continually exposed to new ideas and you can work out how these new ideas can be applied where in your work or in the things you do.

Everybody has an interesting background. The more you talk to people, the more you find out that they know all sorts of things that you may have never realised from their job title. We recruit people for their knowledge, skills, experience and their personal attributes. Therefore, bring those things to work. Tell me about all the stuff that you know that I didn't even know you knew, and let's apply it.

SSH: How do you see the role of apprenticeships evolving in the industry?

NH: I had the opportunity, I seized it. I would encourage anybody who works in my team or any of my colleagues to consider apprenticeships. It's hard work, and you've got to put in time outside work to get it done. Some things will go well, and some

People have a choice to go and work for companies with strong brands, like Google, or come and work with us on the railways. We need the railway industry to be attractive to make people want to come and work for us.

SSH: How is diversity being applied at West Coast Partnership Development?

NH: I try to recruit people who are very different from me because it just means they come with a different set of questions and ideas. They will challenge the way I think, I won't always agree with them but I believe this challenge means my decisions will be better. I think our team has people with a huge diversity of experience and different perspectives. This allows us to generate much better answers and responses to particular problems and questions and strategies and approaches.

SSH: Would you say that attitude matches up with your attitude towards lifelong learning, this idea that there's so much value in things that you might not yet know?

NH: Yes, it's back to planes of experience. We all look through the world through particular lenses or prisms. For me, the trick is innovation. Change and improvement happen when we take different views, we look for intersections and find sparks – which is innovation. It’s about finding something new that works for you and works for me. Lifelong learning is an element of that because you meet new people, you are exposed to new ideas, and you have the opportunity to see new views and to try new things – and ultimately deliver change!

Grant Klein

Public Sector Transport Leader at PwC United Kingdom

Grant Klein is a Partner at PwC, with 25 years working in various roles throughout the transport sector. He specialises in the customer experience for transport services, including ticketing, payment and information. He has advised public sector organisations including Transport for London, the Highways Agency and the Department for Transport. Prior to PwC, he worked as a market analyst, IT director for a major public transport owning group, and as adviser to the Secretary of State on road pricing.

Sam Sherwood-Hale spoke to Grant Klein, Public Sector Transport Leader at PwC United Kingdom about the challenges and opportunities in creating an integrated transport plan, the impact of devolution on national rail strategy and how rail nationalisation might contribute to economic growth across the UK

SSH: You emphasised the need for a coherent plan to integrate various transport initiatives. What specific challenges do you foresee in creating such a plan?

GK: One of the main challenges is establishing a new relationship between national and regional levels, and then creating clearer interaction and integration between different modes of transport. The vision needs to be to integrate multiple modes and services at a regional level, where there's more control and awareness of local challenges, issues, and opportunities. However, this needs to be enabled at a national level.

On the infrastructure side, there's a need for more holistic decision-making across different transport options. The risk of our existing construct is defaulting to thinking about highways, railways, or intensive metro options in isolation. It would be beneficial if there were more opportunities to think broadly and ask, 'How can I address this

‘If you've got the confidence because you're trusting the entities to provide that commitment for those connections, then suddenly you win over more people than you would have otherwise done.’

problem more comprehensively in my region?' before focusing on a specific mode. By stepping back and considering broader regional objectives, we're more likely to achieve valuable long-term benefits for that region.

There's also the challenge of integrating various services into a joined up offer to customers. The additional complexity is that some services are provided by public sector bodies, while others are provided by private sector entities. Therefore, the task

at both local and regional levels involves understanding the national agenda, developing local nuances, and working with or incentivizing the various public and private sector entities providing different parts of the service.

SSH: How do you think the devolution of transport powers to Combined Authority areas will affect the national rail strategy?

GK: The devolution of powers to Combined Authorities presents an opportunity for more local control and influence over transport services. It would be really good if the combined authority areas have some say and some control over the fare structure or fares in their region. That's not to say that GBR will say 10, 20, 30 percent of whatever fares that are collected in a particular area go to the local authorities. It's never going to be that simple. But allowing that combined authority to have some say over fares, particularly around where discounts may be priortised, and where you may want to

take some of the benefit from the fact that you can sustain a higher fare in some places would be beneficial.

GK: Part of the reason for that is to give you as a combined authority area more control to mix things up between rail and other modes and to have more influence. Also, if you look to the recent Jurgen Maier review on urban and rail schemes, it identifies five or six key priority areas. It focused on how schemes can be made more viable, delivered more costeffectively in a way that appeals to private finance or other private sector involvement.

There's a broader deal that says if part of what you have as a combined authority area is access to some of the rail fare revenue, then that gives you more to trade and more to allow you to tap into private finance. While it's never as simple as that because there's still only one pot of money, giving that more regional control, more regional involvement or influence in those deals and having a bit more to trade, feels like it would give areas such as Greater Manchester or South Yorkshire, for example, more of an opportunity to tap into alternative investment sources.

SSH: You spoke about the need for a ‘joined-up experience’ for citizens. What specific improvements do you think passengers might see under a nationalized system?

GK: Under a nationalized system like Great British Railways (GBR), there’s a massive opportunity to improve consistency of messaging, to provide clarity on how the fares system. This needs to be to the point where a layperson would describe it as uncomplicated. There's a myriad of different variations and permutations currently, so having a clearer, easier, more consistent way of understanding how the fare structures work or the implications on fares individually is important.

But the joined-up experience part is using the national rail service to enable what you want to do at a regional level. We don't all travel over the entire country all the time. We tend to travel in certain regions on certain routes, and it's having that joined-up experience locally that’s important.

I'm hopeful that the structure into GBR and bringing something into a more national framework will allow those deals region by region that give you that nuanced fare structure, potentially even changes to calling patterns or service specifications, or otherwise, in a way that isn't possible and that hasn't been possible under a franchise type deal. At least it's not been as easy under a franchise type deal to make those kind of nuanced changes.

So, there's a bit that says you set your national rules to get clarity around exactly what the services are, how the services work, how the fares are structured. And then it allows yGBR in the centre to know which parts it can vary locally or interact

with locally. So it provides that framework that allows an easier interaction between a combined authority and the centre. That's my open aspiration for how GBR will help fulfil some of its promise of making sure there's more regional and local involvement so that our services can be more tailored.

SSH: Can you elaborate on how the integration of rail services with other forms of transport, like buses, might improve connectivity across the UK?

GK: The other part of the jigsaw is how to connect those services with other modes. Finding a way to make that interconnection between getting off your train and getting onto a bus, or having the right availability of enough e-bikes at the right place at the right time because they've been redistributed in the right way. When you're booking a multi-modal journey, you need to have that increased certainty that you will make that connection.

Stepping back from the specifics we've been talking about, a lot of this is around how to encourage more people to use public transport. That's ultimately what's behind a lot of this, for a number of reasons. It's more efficient and it should be a lower carbon version of travelling, but that can only work if you've got the trust and the confidence of the citizens that are trying to travel.

And one of the biggest things that puts people off, particularly if you're changing from one mode to another, is the uncertainty of whether you can make that connection well enough or not. So if you've got the confidence because you're trusting the entities to provide that commitment for those connections, then suddenly you win over more people than you would have otherwise done.

TfL's control over a range of modes for the last 24 years has made those connections. And if someone is travelling in London, they may not necessarily think so much about the fare, or interconnectivity because they know that they've got it covered and that it will work. And if things go wrong, there's one entity – TfL in this case – to go back to and raise an issue with.

That's much harder outside of London, but it's starting to get better. Greater Manchester is obviously ahead in this with what they're doing with the Bee Network, covering both bus and Metrolink and then beyond. So the more a combined authority or local authority hascontrol over more of those modes, the more they can start to make those connections work better.

SSH: In your opinion, what are the key benefits and potential drawbacks of moving towards a more centralized, nationalised rail system?

GK: The basic premise of what GBR is about is around bringing things together nationally so that you can get those economies of scale, get that efficiency,

and get that consistency of service. Why wouldn't you want a more efficient service? Why wouldn't you want to have something that enables that consistency and that clearer message to customers?

The benefits are clear in terms of providing a more coherent, efficient service across the country. However, the challenge lies in balancing this national consistency with regional flexibility. It's critical that we don't lose sight of local needs and variations in the pursuit of a standardized system.

One potential drawback could be the risk of over-centralization, where local voices and needs might get lost. That's why it's crucial to have a framework that allows for regional input and decision-making within the national structure.

SSH: How do you think the nationalization of rail services might contribute to the government's focus on driving economic growth across all parts of the UK?

GK: The nationalization of rail services, particularly through the structure of GBR, has the potential to contribute significantly to economic growth across the UK. By allowing for more tailored, region-specific transport solutions, it can improve access to jobs and services.

If you look at what's happening across the country, there's a move towards the agglomeration of certain industries and professions in different geographies. And what that does is it starts to define a brand, an identity, for a region. What is a particular geography known for? For some, the answer will be they're more environmentally aware than others, in which case provision of more cycle facilities might be the right thing to do. For others, they may be more tech-enabled, and if the economics add up, then it may well be that that's an appropriate place to pilot or trial something more innovative such as autonomous pods.

The point being, you've allowed the combined authority the freedom to choose what's right for it. Some of that may just be better wayfinding signs for walking, but it could be much more. A lot of investment focus will be in bus. And when you've got the confidence, the trust, and the growth in passenger numbers, and you start to get a reliable revenue stream coming through, then you can see the scenario where you've got enough money to invest in some of the more innovative next-generation services.

Almost certainly that next generation of services will involve the private sector in various different ways. In the spectrum from walking to autonomous pods, you've got everything in between, so you can make those choices.

This flexibility and local control can help regions develop transport solutions that best support their economic strategies, potentially accelerating development and job creation across different parts of the UK, whilst maintaining consistency and interoperability nationally.

THE CHEEK OF IT

by Chris Cheek

Rail Patronage Has a Spring in its Step

InterCity and Regional Franchises drive growth, but revenue yields remain a problem as passenger numbers continue to stabilise

Demand growth in the British rail industry continued in the spring quarter, though the pace of recovery slowed again: non Elizabeth Line passenger numbers were 5.9 per cent higher than the same quarter in 2023, reaching a new post lockdown high. Including traffic on the recently opened line, growth was 7.1 per cent.

Overall, demand rose to 96.5 per cent of pre-Covid levels, according to National Rail Trends statistics, published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). However, without the Elizabeth Line, the recovery was limited to 85.5 per cent.

The provisional figures cover the first quarter of fiscal year 2024/25, finishing at the end of June: across the network, 419.9 million passenger journeys were made during the twelve-week period, up from 392 million in 2023. Between them, they covered 15.9 billion passenger kilometres, 2.5 per cent up, and paid a total of £2.8 million in fares, 10.5 per cent more than in 2023.

Looking at demand by ticket type, advance tickets were up by 7.6 per cent, taking sales 57.4 per cent higher than before the pandemic. Anytime peak and offpeak fares were up by 6.3 and 9.3 per cent respectively, leaving them 14.6 per cent and 28.1 per cent ahead of the pre-Covid figure. Season ticket holders made 4.8 per cent more journeys than last year, but the 51.8 million total remained 63.4 per cent below the 2019 figure.

Excluding the Elizabeth Line, services in London and South East moved ahead by 4.6 per cent during the quarter, but this meant that it was the slowest growing sector. Between them, the operators carried 237 million passengers in the twelve weeks, but

remained 17.7 per cent below 2019. Growth was much slower than in previous quarters, with South Eastern leading the pack with 7.1 per cent, followed by West Midlands Trains (6.7 per cent) and GTR on 5.7 per cent. c2c saw a patronage fall of 1.3 per cent.

The Elizabeth Line carried 59.0 million passengers in its eighth full quarter of operation, 15.6 per cent up in the year, meaning that the line accounted for 14.1 per cent of the national network’s patronage in the April to June quarter, second only to GTR’s 17.2 per cent.

The long-distance InterCity sector saw demand increase by 6.2 per cent compared with 2023, leaving passenger numbers just 2.5 per cent short of 2019 levels. Cross Country saw the largest growth, on 14.9 per cent, 17.4 per cent below pre-pandemic levels. They were followed by Avanti West Coast on 7.2 per cent, but still 12.8 per cent down from 2019. EMR grew by 7.1 per cent, taking passenger numbers 15.3 per cent above pre-pandemic levels. GWR advanced by 3.8 per cent to 85.7 per cent of pre-Covid patronage, handicapped in part by the loss of Thames Valley suburban passengers to the Elizabeth Line since 2022. LNER recovered from the previous quarter’s fall in passenger numbers, recording growth of 3.1 per cent on the quarter, taking demand to 14.3 per cent ahead of its 2019 numbers. The newly nationalised Caledonian Sleeper operation saw a fall of 4.2 per cent, taking the business to 19.8 per cent short of previous highs.

Amongst the regional franchises, total patronage was 9.5 per cent up on 2023 but remained 11.9 per cent below 2019 levels. Amongst individual TOCs, TfW saw the strongest recovery, growing passenger numbers by 27.2 per cent during the quarter, reducing the shortfall against their

2019 figure to 7.9 per cent. TransPennine came next, advancing by 18.4 per cent, but still 18.8 per cent short of its 2019 figures. Scotrail grew by 10.8 per cent, 9.6 per cent short of pre-Covid levels. Merseyrail saw growth of 5.0 per cent but demand remained 32.5 per cent down on 2019. Northern saw a rise of 4.7 per cent in passenger journeys, leaving a shortfall of 18.2 per cent.

Amongst the non-franchised operators, First’s operations at Hull Trains and Lumo each saw growth of over eight per cent. Hull Trains exceeded their 2019 number by over 38 per cent. East Coast rivals Grand Central saw numbers fall back by 2.3 per cent during the quarter, but stayed almost 23 per cent ahead of their pre-Covid patronage. Still suffering from competition from the Elizabeth Line, Heathrow Express saw numbers slip by 12.3 per cent in the quarter. This left patronage on the premium route 31 per cent down on previous peaks.

Rolling year figures

The national totals for the twelve months ended 30 June show that, compared with the last pre-Covid year of 2018/19, the number of passenger journeys was seven per cent lower at 1,639.9 million. However, excluding the Elizabeth Line, passenger numbers remained 17.5 per cent short of the 2019 figure. Passenger kilometres travelled were 11.7 per cent lower at 59.6 billion, whilst passenger revenue saw a shortfall of 5.4 per cent at £9.8 billion.

As in previous quarters, performance varied between the sectors. Passenger journeys were still 20.4 per cent below 2019 levels in London and South East but moved to within 13.9 per cent on the regional networks and 4.5 per cent on the InterCity routes.

Comment

It was inevitable that, as passenger numbers came nearer to full recovery from Covid, the rate of growth would slow, and we can see this clearly in the figures for this quarter and indeed the last one. Even so, the percentages are at the upper end of the sort of quarterly growth achieved in earlier, happier days.

This all took place against slightly improving economic backdrop, though interest rates remained high by post-2010 standards and consumer spending was still depressed: it was hardly the background to a boom in demand for transport.

More double-digit growth took place on the Elizabeth Line during the spring, prompting the order for additional rolling stock that kept Alstom’s Derby factory open. Patronage grew by almost a quarter during the spring to reach 59 million, giving the line an annual total of 228 million, more ten per cent above the original forecast.

London Overground’s growth was more modest at 1.4 per cent, bringing the total to 46.2 million, just 1.4 per cent below the pre-pandemic figure. Looking at the rolling year figures, the suburban and orbital routes carried 182 million journeys – within 2.4 per cent of the 186.5 million figure reached

NEWS IN BRIEF

FIRST NEW PICCADILLY LINE TEST TRAIN ARRIVES

The first of the capital's new Piccadilly line trains arrived in London on Monday 14 October, ahead of a programme of rigorous testing. The test train is the first of a fleet of 94 new trains that are being built for TfL by Siemens Mobility to replace the existing fleet which is nearly 50 years old. They are part of a £2.9 billion modernisation programme which will boost journey times, train frequency and reliability as well as making the Piccadilly line more accessible and sustainable.

Around 80 per cent of the new trains will be built at Siemens Mobility's new factory in Goole, East Yorkshire, which was officially opened earlier this month. All of the new Piccadilly line trains are expected to be in service by the end of 2027 when the frequency of trains will increase from the current 24 trains per hour to 27 trains per hour.

FIRST TEST RUN BETWEEN OXFORD AND MILTON KEYNES FOR EAST WEST RAIL

A key milestone for ‘Connection Stage One’ of the East West Rail project has been reached today (Monday 21 October) after a test train successfully completed its first run between Oxford and Milton Keynes.

before Covid. Between them, the two TfL concessions accounted for a quarter of national patronage during 2023/24.

It was a mixed picture for the nonfranchised operators during the quarter, with both Grand Central and Heathrow Express suffering setbacks. As already noted, the two FirstGroup operations achieved growth of eight per cent each. All three long distance open access operators recorded increases across the rolling year, with Hull Trains leading the way with growth of 18.4 per cent, followed by Lumo on 12.4 per cent and Arriva’s Grand Central on 6.6 per cent. Hull Trains and Grand Central are now both well ahead of their previous peaks in 2018/19 –with the former carrying 42 per cent more passengers and the latter 18.4 per cent.

The remaining 18 TOCs fall within the DfT’s remit, and here the position is rather less healthy, with patronage at 82.3 per cent of pre-pandemic levels for the quarter or 80 per cent for the rolling year. The lack of commuters is still the problem, as is shown clearly by the continuing collapse of the season ticket market. Though the number of journeys taken using season tickets grows steadily in each quarter, the total remains over 60 per cent short of the pre-pandemic levels. You need an awful lot of leisure passengers to make up for the loss of those commuters who used to make five return journeys a week for around 48 weeks a year.

In terms of sales, season tickets in 2018/19 comprised 34.9 per cent of journeys. Last year, the figure was just 13.4 per cent.

As we have noted before, there is a revenue problem for the industry as well as the patronage shortfall. This can be seen in the yields, measured as revenue per passenger kilometre. At sector level, these were virtually unchanged between last year and this – 16.77p for InterCity, 20.02p for London and the South East and 13.67p in the regions. But they remain well short of 2019 levels in real terms – 14.4 per cent down from 19.59p down for InterCity, 3.1 per cent lower than 20.67p on the London

‘The

Elizabeth Line carried 59.0 million passengers in its eighth full quarter, accounting for 14.1 per cent of the national network's patronage.’

commuter lines and 9.7 per cent short of 15.14p on the regional networks.

The problem can also be seen when looking at yields by ticket type. Anytime/ peak yields are down by 13.7 per cent from 31.33p to 27.05p on virtually unchanged volumes, presumably reflecting a loss of first class revenue. Off peak tickets saw yields fall by 5.7 per cent from 17.16p to 16.19p. Season ticket yields are four per cent lower at 15.98p, but the real damage in that market is of course the loss of volume.

Surprisingly, yields on advance tickets fell by 13.1 per cent from 14.84p to 12.90p on significantly increased volumes (18.2 per cent more passenger kilometres and 53 per cent more journeys). At first sight, this might seem to be an own goal, given that price setting is in the hands of the TOCs (and presumably therefore the DfT at the moment). Given current volumes of advance purchase tickets, tweaking the prices to lift the yields back up to 2019 levels could bring in another £340 million or so a year. However, the increased volumes have brought a shortening of the average journey length from 180 kilometres in 2019 to 140 kilometres in 2024 – which will also have affected the yield outturn.

There is no doubt that the new team at GBR will face a huge range of challenges as they progressively take over the network –not least in growing revenue. There may well be opportunities to increase income from existing passengers by some clever airline style yield management – though the danger is that the calls for ‘simpler fares’ will negate them. This is just one of the many issues that will play out over the coming years.

LAYING DOWN THE LAW

by Martin Fleetwood

Managing the New duty to Prevent Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

In September the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published updated Technical Guidance (Guidance) on sexual harassment, harassment and victimisation in the workplace under the work provisions in the Equality Act 2010

The Guidance includes the new positive legal duty on an employer to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of workers (the ‘preventative duty’) which comes into force on 26 October 2024.

It is incumbent on all employers including those in the rail sector to take steps ensure that all forms of harassment and victimisation are not tolerated in the workplace. However, the new preventative duty places positive legal obligations on employers to act against sexual harassment and to take various steps to prevent sexual harassment at work. There are also requirements on employers to take relevant actions if sexual harassment does occur.

Alongside the Guidance is a useful 8-step guide for employers on actions to be taken to prevent sexual harassment at work.

Transforming workplace culture

The new preventative duty only applies to sexual harassment that takes place in the course of employment. It is designed to transform workplace cultures by requiring employers to take positive and proactive reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their workers. Other types of harassment relating to protected characteristics or applying less favourable

treatment for rejecting or submitting to unwanted conduct are not subject to this new preventative duty. However, these other types of harassment are still unlawful and employers should still be taking steps to prevent them occurring in the workplace.

Sexual Harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature which has the purpose or effect of violating a worker’s dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that worker.

The preventative duty will require employers to anticipate scenarios where sexual harassment may arise and take proactive action to prevent it taking place, rather than waiting until an incident of sexual harassment occurs before taking action. If sexual harassment has taken place, the preventative duty means an employer should take relevant action to stop sexual harassment from happening again.

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.

What is reasonable will be an objective test, and will therefore vary between different employers, as well as depending on the facts and circumstances of each situation. The Guidance contains a list of relevant factors (set out at paragraph 3.32) as well as examples of actions a reasonable employer might take.

Factors include taking into account the nature of the working environment, the time, cost and potential disruption of taking a particular step, weighed against the benefit it could achieve. The examples provide detailed lists of actions, particularly if the risk assessment concludes that there is a high risk of sexual harassment occurring within the workplace. The list of actions suggested by the Guidance in such circumstances are potentially costly in terms of resources, time and money and while the Guidance acknowledges that it is up to each business to decide on the actions to take, it is likely that the Guidance will be considered to be setting the benchmark.

In the event that there is any investigation by the EHRC an employer would likely need to justify why it had not taken all of the suggested actions and any enforcement action by EHRC is likely to require such actions to be taken.

Undertaking the risk assessment

The Guidance places significant emphasis on risk assessments and provides helpful information on how to carry them out, factors to consider and how to take mitigating action if any new or additional risks are identified. Employers should also be aware that the Guidance (paragraph 3.31) makes it clear that an employer ‘is unlikely to be able to comply with the preventative duty unless they carry out a risk assessment’. Examples of risk factors to consider are listed at paragraphs 4.10 and 4.11 of the Guidance and include:

• A male dominated workforce.

• Gendered power imbalances.

• A workplace culture that permits crude/ sexist ‘banter’ or other disrespectful behaviour.

• Light working.

• Staying away from home overnight.

• Working alone with a third party.

• An employer's failure to respond appropriately to previous reports of sexual harassment.

Paragraphs 4.14 and 4.15 of the Guidance suggest that following the initial risk assessment an employer produces an action plan setting out the preventative steps they will take to address any identified risks and how that will be monitored. The employer may decide to appoint a designated lead to take responsibility for implementing the action plan and compliance with the preventative duty. The employer should also ensure that staff understand what harassment and sexual harassment is, know what to do if an incident happens, and what the employer will do when a complaint of harassment is made (paragraph 4.12 of the Guidance).

Employers need to be aware that risk assessments are required to be undertaken on a regular basis. Whenever an assessment identifies that additional steps need to be

taken those steps need to be undertaken in order for the employer to remain compliant with its obligations.

EHRC's Employer's Guide to Managing Sexual Harassment

Alongside the Guidance, the EHRC have published a practical eight-step employer's guide which recommends the following steps for employers:

1. Develop an effective anti-harassment policy that clearly distinguishes between the different forms of harassment and addresses third-party harassment.

2. Engage staff by conducting regular discussions, staff surveys, open door policies, etc. Provide information on how to report sexual harassment, where to find the policy and the consequences of breaching the policy.

3. Undertake a risk assessment to help comply with the preventative duty. This should consider factors which might increase the likelihood of sexual harassment and the steps that can be taken to minimise them.

4. Have a reporting system which allows staff to raise issues anonymously or in their name.

5. Educate managers/senior staff as well as workers. In industries where third-party

harassment from customers is more likely, train workers on how to address issues.

6. Establish procedures to enable immediate action to resolve complaints. These should take account of how a worker wants a complaint resolved and protecting workers from ongoing harassment. Provision should include the potential need for reporting to the police if the complained action may be a criminal offence.

7. Ensure policies will deal with harassment of worked by third parties such as customers, clients, suppliers and members of the public. These complaints should be treated as seriously as harassment by a work colleague.

8. Monitor and evaluate actions: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of steps put in place to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. If changes are required, implement them quickly. Review and update policies, procedures and training regularly.

Becoming proactive

While following the new Guidance is likely to create an additional workstream and expenses for the organisation, failing to meet the proactive requirements is likely to be considerably more expensive in the event of a sexual harassment claim or any EHRC investigation.

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Access for All?

Stephen Brookes, Disability Rights UK Rail Policy Adviser looks at the Access for All programme which was intended to improve accessibility at stations across the country

It has been confirmed by Network Rail that their programme ‘Access for All’, designed to provide step-free access to platforms at railway stations has been ‘significantly’ underperforming and as a result there is a major underspend of £99million.

The Access for All (AfA) programme was launched in 2006 to address the issues faced by disabled passengers and passengers facing mobility restraints when using railway stations in England, Scotland or Wales.

However an unacceptably bland statement from Network Rail which tried to explain the underspend by saying ‘the plans fell short of where we wanted them to be for a variety of reasons’ fails to recognise that this significant issue means that those who have a range of disabilities may be in for a much longer wait to get to their local rail station which is a further setback for the aims of equality in accessing rail services.

It is clear that Access for All has been a failure mainly because it has not seen a single dedicated centrally controlled delivery team working on it and there is only peripheral interest in accessibility from the industry’s leadership so we insist that it’s time for such matters to change.

DRUK do note that the new Labour government has to date been silent on how they are going to improve accessibility across our rail network, although in preelection statements they said that a future Labour government would work closely with disabled people to develop bold ideas to ensure we have a scheme that works for disabled people that isn’t overly bureaucratic, but so far nothing has been brought to the table.

At current rates of use of investments, full station accessibility will take over 100 years, and it is outrageous that this issue is not being addressed in the government’s plans for rail reform. But he sees this as a further insult in not accepting that by such

inactivity’s disabled people may have to wait 100 years for what should be done in far less than half the time.

Disability Rights UK call on the Department for Transport and Network Rail to ensure that funding for making stations accessible gets to where it’s needed to benefit disabled people and ensure that such funds are spent quickly and effectively so that there is no more of the need for apologies for lack of progress.

There needs to be a complete culture change at the Dft and Network Rail around accessibility which too often is viewed as a gift and not as a need.

It must be seen that after delivery of schemes any improvements to physical access would only benefit disabled people if the human resources surrounding them are sufficient and that unmanned stations include improvements to physical access to benefit disabled people who need clear and practical information to ensure that they are aware of what improvements have been made and that more travel options are now possible as a result.

In simple economic terms, with large swathes of the rail network inaccessible to disabled and older people, the lost revenue from numbers of disabled people unable to use rail is not just a kick in the teeth but is untimely when the rail industry as a whole needs money and the implication and loss of associated reduction in revenue of disabled people unable to use rail has a deeper impact well beyond the underspend.

So while Network Rail spokesperson said: ‘We are carrying out a comprehensive review into our Access for All schemes so we can better deliver for our passengers and we are so sorry for the delays to these projects and we are working as hard as we can to get them back on track.’

It is important we are assured that any review of this failing is meaningful and has a specific and clear date for catch up delivery.

NEWS IN BRIEF

HS2 ENLISTS PUBLIC IN DESIGN OF NEW GENERATION OF HIGHSPEED TRAINS

In the most extensive project of its kind seen in the UK, the public has been put at the heart of refining designs for the interior of the 54 trains. The process is being taken forward by West Coast Partnership Development (WCPD), HS2 Ltd and its manufacturing partner, joint venture Hitachi-Alstom High Speed (HAH-S).

NEW APP REVOLUTIONISES

ACCESSIBILITY FOR BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED PASSENGERS

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is extending the free use of a groundbreaking smartphone app, designed to enhance accessibility for blind and partially sighted passengers, to all 236 of its Great Northern, Southern and Thameslinkmanaged stations. Since 17 October, in collaboration with Sight Loss Councils, GTR has offered free access to the innovative Aira Explorer guidance app across all of its eleven-county network – which is almost the size of Belgium. This initiative is a major step towards creating an inclusive travel experience, empowering all passengers to navigate the rail system with confidence.

The Aira Explorer app allows blind and partially sighted customers to place a video call with a trained advisor who looks through the customer's smartphone camera to guide them around the station on speakerphone, simplifying the journey.

Up until now, the app has been available to use at only twelve stations (see former press release) as part of a trial spearheaded by blind and partially sighted volunteers from the regions Sight Loss Councils and national charity Thomas Pocklington Trust, which funds them.

Stephen Brookes MBE is Transport Policy Adviser to Disability Rights UK

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IN THE PASSENGER SEAT

by Matt Wakefield

Greater Anglia Takes Action on Smoking and Vaping Incidents

Matt Wakefield, Head of Safety, Security & Sustainability, Greater Anglia, explains the problem and how the train operator is tackling this issue

At Greater Anglia, customers are our priority. We want everyone who travels with us to have a good journey from the moment they buy their ticket before boarding to when they arrive at their destination.

There has been an increase in the number of people smoking and vaping – more the latter – across our network, both on platforms and on trains.

We are reminding rail passengers not to smoke or vape on trains following several incidents which have inconvenienced customers and caused costly delays.

Between June 2023 and June 2024, there have been 77 incidents across the network where people have been caught smoking or vaping on board our trains.

These have led to a total of more than 774 minutes of delays, as staff deal with the incidents, causing great inconvenience to customers and costing Greater Anglia almost £30,000.

It is very disappointing that some passengers are smoking or vaping on our trains and at our stations. This antisocial behaviour leads to delays. These delays affect everyone else travelling on our trains, who may be travelling to work, school, for hospital appointments, or to meet family and friends. It also creates an unsafe, unhealthy and unpleasant environment for customers.

Our recent punctuality figures are some of the best in the country, a feat we are extremely proud of. This represents a great deal of hard work from colleagues across the business and we are determined to maintain this record. However, when customers make the decision to smoke or vape onboard, their actions often end up causing delays to the train they are travelling on, and knock-on delays to other services.

Smoking and vaping on board is prohibited and we take a zero-tolerance approach. We will not hesitate to take action, such as removing the passengers in question from our trains and stations or reporting them to the British Transport Police.

Our advice to passengers who suspect that someone is smoking or vaping on their train or at a station is to report it to the British Transport Police by texting 61016.

We have ‘No smoking or vaping’ signs displayed on trains and stations, which we are currently in the process of refreshing and updating, and we are increasing our customer communications.

There are also regular announcements on trains and stations reminding passengers that smoking and vaping is not permitted, which have also been improved recently. Trains and stations right across the UK rail network are covered by no-smoking laws banning smoking and vaping in enclosed public spaces across the country. We are always listening to our customers; our All Ears survey is a helpful way for customers to give us detailed feedback which we then use to prioritise and tackle any issues which may arise.

Recent comments from customers detail how their journeys were ‘spoilt’ by people smoking on the train, while another customer said a group who were smoking were being ‘loud and intimidating’. A third customer contacted us to say that there was a man who ‘continuously took out his vape and put it in his jacket sleeve to smoke. These things irritate people with breathing issues more than tobacco does. Really annoying and felt uncomfortable to say something’.

This is far from the experience we want customers to have. We want to reassure them that we are aware of the problem, and we are working to address it.

‘These delays affect everyone else travelling on our trains, who may be travelling to work, school, for hospital appointments, or to meet family and friends. It also creates an unsafe, unhealthy and unpleasant environment for customers.’

As the rail industry recovers after the pandemic, we need to do all we can to maintain customers and attract new ones. We have replaced every single train on our network with a brand new one. Our new trains frequently circulate fresh air and in total, there are 1,100 air conditioning units on board our new trains. We want train travel to be pleasant and healthy for customers, as it is for the environment. We will continue to do all we can to address and tackle this anti-social behaviour to improve punctuality and a safe travelling environment for our passengers.

Matt Wakefield is Head of Safety, Security & Sustainability at Greater Anglia.

James

Holmes is Rail Sector Director at Amey

Vertical Integration: a Route to Rail Sector

James Holmes, Rail Sector Director at Amey makes the case for a vertically integrated model in the UK

The experiences of Transport for Wales and Scotland’s Railway in recent years have demonstrated the transformational potential of taking a more aligned and systemic approach to the management and development of railway operations and infrastructure.

While there is no one size fits all solution, the planned reform of the UK rail sector provides an important opportunity to radically improve current industry performance, through expanding the principles of vertical integration.

Talk to any commuter, rail professional, local or national politician and their analysis of the UK’s rail industry will be similar – it’s a sector in desperate need of reform.

The good news is reform is on its way. The debate over whether change is needed is over; and is now firmly rooted in precisely what form reform should take. The UK appears to be heading towards a more integrated approach in which infrastructure, rolling stock and operations are treated as a single system. The long-awaited Railways Bill was confirmed in the King’s Speech and, once enacted by the new administration, could lay the foundations for a new era of integration.

And while so-called vertical integration is not necessarily appropriate across the entire rail network, with a single guiding mind such as the “Integrated Rail Body” proposed by the Bill, there is increasing evidence that an integrated structure certainly holds the key to better outcomes.

The outstanding challenge is the current fragmented and siloed industry structure working towards misaligned objectives. Of course, any legislative reforms make a step towards change, but finding the right structure for better overall performance remains elusive.

In search of a systems solution

Delays to reform are hardly surprising. The railway is a complex system and any change to current arrangements must be approached with critical systemic thinking top of mind. This is neither easy nor usual. To evoke effective change, we need to be radical – breaking down those silos of activity, managing the network of track, other infrastructure, rolling stock, stations and services operated. In its place we need to create a new systems-driven approach capable of delivering reliable passenger and freight services that represent value for money and at a price the nation can afford.

The reality is, for all the benefits of rail privatisation, the vertically separated structure we have been left with has done little to help create a sustainable national railway. Misaligned incentives and conflicting outcomes have led to poor performance and spiralling costs.

The

vertical integration opportunity

A move towards vertical integration of the railway – where the maintenance, enhancement and operation of track and other infrastructure, trains and services are under the control of a single guiding mind – provides a route towards the vital system thinking needed to underpin the changes Great British Railways (GBR) are tasked with.

GBR’s grand plan intends to revitalise the network by making ticketing simpler, maintenance more efficient and train services more integrated and reliable. Time will be needed to work through the details of the transition and enable all parts of the supply chain and every delivery organisation to get ready to embrace the change.

This will be difficult. Privatisation was implemented using a vertically separated

‘Unless you control the trains and the track then the innovation required to radically improve outcomes for passengers is made difficult, if not impossible.’

model, where the management of the wheel and rail was deliberately split between a single infrastructure body and a plethora of train operators.

But for today’s modern rail systems where, for example, signalling systems are moving from the track to the train and power is moving on board with hybrid power systems, this separation increasingly stands in the way of efficient and effective railway outcomes.

The future success of the railway is not about ownership – this is not a public versus private issue; from a systems thinking perspective, the current structure has created sub-optimal infrastructure and operating silos.

Industry costs and overall public subsidy levels are now much higher than pre-privatisation, and international benchmarking of infrastructure maintenance and renewal unit costs reveal a significant increase in UK costs relative to other countries.

A recent international research consortium study, led by Dutch transport consultant Inno-V, into the Economic Effects of Vertical Separation in the Railway Sector concluded that while no single model guarantees success, vertical separation inevitably increases industry costs.

Integrated success

Currently, there are a number of vertically integrated light rail systems in the UK, notably Docklands Light Railway and Manchester Metrolink, which Amey is involved with in partnership with Keolis, and the Tyne and Wear Metro. All have demonstrated what can be achieved with vertical integration and greater alliancing between the public and private sector. The Metro in particular, which transitioned to vertical separation in 2010 but subsequently reverted back to a vertically integrated model in 2017.

On the heavy rail side, the only meaningful example of vertical integration was instigated by the Welsh Assembly Government in their award of the Wales & Borders franchise in 2018 to KeolisAmey. In choosing this innovative route, Transport for Wales created a whole system approach which maximised the benefits from public and private thinking and investment.

While the operation element was transferred to Transport for Wales as a

result of the Covid pandemic, delivery of the South Wales Metro upgrade and maintenance of the Core Valley Lines (CVL) remained with Amey.

Transport for Wales and Amey have subsequently demonstrated that change is possible and strong public-private partnerships operating under aligned objectives are productive; bringing together infrastructure, rolling stock and operational expertise to deliver an integrated, outcomedriven railway.

Looking beyond the publicprivate question

CVL has shown true alignment of objectives across the supply chain drives success. And most certainly, it has demonstrated that success is not a public versus private issue.

Transport for Wales made a bold decision to embrace the opportunity for vertical integration and, perhaps, as a new organisation without baggage from the past, pressed forward with the supply chain to make it work.

And there were risks that had to be managed on CVL. The single team had to secure service quality by establishing robust coordination and aligned incentives, translating the needs of the passengers into the delivery and management of rolling stock and infrastructure.

Affordability and cost efficiency had to be balanced against speed and responsiveness to delays. Plus, of course, the need to manage the interfaces with the wider UK rail network.

But the benefits of this vertically integrated approach were clear. For example, by aligning incentives between the needs of track, trains and passengers, an innovative electrification solution has been achieved without the cost, disruption and carbon impact of significant infrastructure changes. Detailed analysis of data optimised train performance, and the team was able to invest in hybrid, battery power rolling stock and new power management technology.

One size does not fit all

Building on the Welsh experience, breaking up the whole of Network Rail into a group of vertically integrated companies in one hit would certainly represent a bold move, but would also be an incredibly complex transformation that would come with significant risk.

But this is not a one size fits all situation.

Wider reintroduction of a vertically integrated model would have to be assessed against each specific environment to ensure delivery of benefits in terms of cost efficiency and operational performance. Greater clarity over desired outcomes nationally, regionally

and sub-regionally is still required to enable integration between the different parts of the railway to be truly effective.

Opportunities for change

That said, there are a number of potential regions and networks that offer a clear rationale for following the lead taken by Transport for Wales including Merseyrail, Anglia and the already partially vertically integrated London Overground network.

Different integrated models will suit different regions and operators. Scotland’s railway, while not strictly vertically integrated, has in the last few years benefitted significantly from having Alex Hynes (now Director General, Rail Services, at the DfT) leading operational and infrastructure entities, with both organisations aligned to the delivery of a single objective.

Whatever the desired outcome, we ultimately will always come back to the same conclusion – unless you control the trains and the track then the innovation required to radically improve outcomes for passengers is made difficult, if not impossible. Now is the moment to embrace the power and enthusiasm of both the public and private sector and create a new set of systems and structures that take the UK rail network into the future we all want.

Enroute is a sustainable transport research and advocacy group. Our open letter to the Government on high-speed rail – ‘Fix the Spine: Elevate the present, leave room for the future’ – was co-signed by Campaign for Better Transport, Greengauge 21 and other campaigners and experts. The views expressed in this article should be taken as solely those of Enroute.

Fix the Spine

Elevate the present, leave room for the future by transforming the project from a limited high-speed line into a backbone for Britain's future rail network, says sustainable transport research group Enroute

According to the Public Accounts Committee and the National Audit Office, the high-speed line we have under construction today represents poor value for money for the taxpayer. What remains of HS2 will run from London Euston (or maybe only Old Oak Common) to Birmingham and Handsacre Junction, with trains to the North and Scotland coming off the highspeed route right into Britain’s biggest bottleneck.

If the previous Government’s ‘Network North’ plans were followed through, we would be stuck with this half-railway forever, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

To build or not to build is, ultimately, a political decision. Though the Government will argue their decisions must be guided by fiscal discipline – in light of the ‘£22 billion black hole’ HM Treasury have calculated they were left with – it is ultimately a matter of weighing up costs and benefits.

The Labour Government have already made it clear a wholesale revival of previous HS2 plans are off the table, so residents of Manchester waiting for more reliable services to Birmingham and London, and transformational capacity relief for their local network, will have to wait longer –those in Leeds even more so. But luckily, it isn’t a matter of all or nothing.

Four immediate changes to the highspeed rail plan can help the Government maximise the returns on our alreadycommitted investments, with some benefits delivered immediately when the line opens, and others coming later through the full exploitation of the line’s potential. HS2 would be turned from the current half-arailway (or, ungenerously, the ‘Acton to Aston shuttle’) into an effective high-speed

spine for the country, both elevating the existing network when it opens, and forming the core of a wider network in the future.

Firstly, work must resume on delivering the London-end of the route at Euston as soon as possible. Returning to a two-phase design would allow the first phase, with six platforms, to be delivered as quickly as possible, ensuring that passengers on the high-speed network can reach central London, that services are attractive for passengers to use, and that the Elizabeth Line does not come under significant pressure.

Secondly, space must be left for delivery of the second phase of Euston, for when future expansion of the network generates more demand for train paths, ensuring those trains have somewhere to terminate reliably. This will allow the full 18 train-per-hour capacity of HS2 Phase 1 to be fully exploited (we’ve paid for that capacity already, after all). Under previous Government plans, new houses and offices would be built where these new platforms would go, permanently constraining that future growth, and therefore the whole scheme’s value for money.

Thirdly, the northern end of the line must be accelerated to Crewe as quickly as possible, by means of a ‘Stafford Bypass line’. This would most likely be delivered the quickest by using the existing designs and parliamentary powers for HS2 Phase 2a (the relevant legislation was passed in 2021), although savings could potentially be found by joining the network further south of Crewe, or by dropping the Handsacre connection. The key feature of the Stafford Bypass line is the relief of the major bottlenecks at Colwich Junction and Shugborough Tunnel, which, like Euston,

‘HS2 would be turned from the current halfa-railway into an effective high-speed spine for the country.’

risk constraining the exploitation of the high-speed spine’s potential, and could seriously affect reliability of its new highspeed services.

Fourthly, whilst we wait for more funding to be made available, and whilst the final shape of Manchester Piccadilly and Northern Powerhouse Rail are discussed and agreed, the planned alignment between Crewe and Manchester must be protected, by means of reinstating safeguarding and retaining land. This will save us money in both the short term (losing the administrative costs of selling off land already purchased) and the long term (saving the costs of having to buy land all over again).

These are four decisions that can be made now, and indeed must be taken soon, before higher costs and capacity constraints become baked in. Though they alone do not deliver the full network we need in the future (particularly for the North), crucially, they leave room for that future growth, both fiscally (by deferring some costs) and physically (by reserving necessary land). All this will come at a modest cost compared to the future costs of following the previous Government’s plans, whether through the cost of lost potential, or through costly future modifications to unlock capacity on the line.

In the short term, the necessary fiscal headroom could easily be made by cancelling environmentally ruinous and poor-valuefor-money road schemes, such as the Lower Thames Crossing. In the long term, building a high-capacity, high-speed rail network fit for the 21st Century and beyond will more than pay for itself.

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The Rise of Supercommuting

Andrew Cruttenden, General Manager at Trainline Partner Solutions on a new era for rail travel in the UK

‘Our latest research at Trainline Partner Solutions shows that the number of UK supercommuters has nearly doubled since the pandemic, underscoring this profound shift in commuting patterns.’

Our work and travel habits have transformed radically in the post-pandemic world. According to the Flex Index survey of working practices, the most popular form of work is a structured hybrid model, used by 44 per cent of businesses – combining both office time and remote work. Within this approach, a majority of employees are now mandated to come into the office to work a set number of days each week.

This preference for hybrid work has been accompanied by another notable trend: the emergence of rail ‘supercommuters’. These people are travelling long distances by rail for work, which has become possible, or at least more palatable, thanks to the flexibility offered by hybrid schedules. While supercommuting is not an entirely new trend, our latest research at Trainline Partner Solutions shows that the number

of UK supercommuters has nearly doubled since the pandemic, underscoring this profound shift in commuting patterns.

We surveyed over 1,000 current supercommuters – defined as those travelling at least 90 minutes to work by rail – and it revealed that almost half (47 per cent) have only adopted this lifestyle change during or after the pandemic, with 84 per cent crediting hybrid working as the primary enabler.

Typically these supercommuters are spending three days a week in the office, balancing their professional responsibilities with aspirations for a better work-life balance, lower living costs, and improved family opportunities.

Redefining commuting and business travel

What’s more, the rise in supercommuting is increasingly blurring the traditional distinctions between commuting and business travel. Two-thirds of supercommuters say they view their long journeys as closer to business travel, and many receive financial support from their employers for travel and accommodation.

Our research also suggests the supercommuting trend is here to stay. When we spoke to regular UK commuters, more than half (51 per cent) expressed openness to supercommuting in the future, with the potential for a better work-life balance again the top motivation. The rail industry needs to adapt and consider how it caters for this growing demographic.

Enhancing the rail experience

How is the rail industry making rail travel an attractive and straightforward choice for businesses and their employees? 85 per cent

NEWS IN BRIEF

UK’S LARGEST RAIL OPERATOR SET TO HIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENGINEERS

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is on the hunt for the 2025 intake of apprentice engineers who are ready to take the first steps into a fulfilling career in rail. Budding engineers will learn how to maintain GTR’s large fleet of trains and gradually take on more responsibility as their skills develop over the four-year apprenticeship. The course is a mixture of practical and theory learning, leading to a UKrecognised trade qualification. The apprenticeship is open to those aged 16 and above and candidates must have Level 4 or above in GCSE English, Maths and Science to qualify for the role.

of business travellers directly book their travel through their company or a Travel Management Company/Online Booking Tool, so we need to provide consumercentric booking flows. Key features such as multi-modal booking and fare splitting can significantly enhance the convenience and value of rail travel.

And there are wider changes the rail industry can make. Across Europe we have seen the success of rail liberalisation, particularly Spain and Italy, where new carriers have entered the market with tailored offerings to different customers such as business travellers. The result has been increased capacity, more choice, lower fares and improved services. In the UK, open access carriers play a similar role but in the long-distance market their primary focus has been promoting low-cost travel, rather than targeting business travellers.

There still seems to be a gap in the market, but there is also a lot of talk around potential new carriers – so an innovative new offering could benefit supercommuters and businesses alike.

Because if UK rail really leans into this rise in supercommuting, rail can become the preferred choice for more travel. Let's seize this momentum and drive a true modal shift to rail, because then we can all be winners: supercommuters, business travellers, and the rail industry alike – plus we’d be making a significant reduction to carbon emissions from travel.

Andrew Cruttenden is General Manager at Trainline Partner Solutions.

Operational Planning Masterclass

Are you ready to elevate your career in railway operations? The Operational Planning Masterclass offers an exclusive opportunity to deepen your understanding of operational planning, from foundational concepts to advanced applications.

Over the weekend, the Masterclass will cover:

• The railway system and its planning needs

• Timetable’s role in revenue and cost management

• Tools for creating and executing operational plans

• Steps to implement timetables effectively

• Understanding and managing railway capacity

• Operator’s role in business cases and project appraisals

Course Details:

Location: CIRO Headquarters, Stafford, UK

Dates: 22nd November (PM) - 24th November

Price (Incl. VAT):

£1,200 for CIRO Members

£1,300 for Non-Members

Liam Johnston is Executive Director at Railway Mission. Railway Mission is a national charity which provides a regionally-based chaplaincy service and aims to be an impartial ‘friend’ to all those who work on the railway.

Rail Industry Participates in Remembrance Services

Each November, the UK railway industry plays an important role in commemorating Remembrance and Armistice services

The significance of this participation extends beyond simple tradition; it acknowledges the unique and critical role the railways played in these historic conflicts.

During both World Wars, Britain’s railways were pivotal to the war effort.

Trains transported troops to the front lines, evacuated children from bomb-threatened cities, and delivered vital supplies such as munitions, food, and medical equipment. Railway workers themselves were heavily involved in the war, with thousands enlisting to serve in the armed forces. Many of these men and women never returned, and the railway industry lost a significant number of its workforce to the wars.

By actively participating in Remembrance and Armistice services, the railway industry preserves the memory of those employees who sacrificed their lives for their country. These acts of remembrance help ensure that the stories of railway workers and the broader impact of rail transport during the wars are not forgotten. They highlight the interconnection between industry and national service, emphasising the role civilian sectors can play in times of crisis.

Additionally, participating in these services fosters a sense of unity and respect within the railway community today, linking past and present generations. It also serves as a reminder to the public of the importance of the railway industry in the nation’s history, not only as a backbone of the British economy but also as a critical element in the nation's wartime resilience.

A symbol of national unity

The railway industry’s participation in Remembrance services offers a wider

symbolism of national unity. Railways connect people across the length and breadth of the UK, providing an essential infrastructure that holds together communities, economies, and families. During wartime, this connection was even more vital as rail services maintained communication and supply lines, reinforcing the country’s collective efforts. Today, by observing Remembrance and Armistice Day, the industry connects its modern workforce with the legacy of those who served before them.

This symbolism is especially poignant during services held at railway stations across the country. Stations such as London’s Paddington, King’s Cross, Glasgow Central and others often host memorials or ceremonies. These are not just sites of transport but serve as memorial spaces, where plaques and memorials remind daily commuters and railway staff alike of the industry’s wartime role. By gathering in these spaces each November, railway employees and the public come together to reflect on the past, reaffirming their shared respect for the sacrifices that were made.

Honoring railway workers’ sacrifices

The railway industry was not spared the human toll of war. Thousands of railway employees served in the armed forces, while others stayed behind to ensure that essential services continued. London and North Western Railway War Memorial at Euston Station, for example, honours over 3,500 railway workers from the company who lost their lives in World War I alone. Across the country, other memorials dedicated to the individual railway companies and regions stand as reminders of this sacrifice.

In observing Remembrance and Armistice services, the railway industry not only honours those who died in battle but also acknowledges the contributions of those who continued working on the railways under immense pressure. Wartime railway workers faced dangerous conditions, working in bombed cities, maintaining vital routes, and ensuring the movement of goods and people. Their resilience under extreme circumstances was essential to Britain’s ability to defend itself.

Passing the legacy to future generations

Another key aspect of the railway industry’s participation in Remembrance services is its role in passing this legacy on to future generations. As with many industries that played a key role during wartime, the sacrifices and contributions of the past must be remembered, especially as the living memory of these events fades. By involving modern railway workers and the public in these services, the industry ensures that the lessons of history are not lost. This helps cultivate a sense of responsibility among younger generations, reminding them of the costs of war and the value of peace.

The railway industry’s involvement in Remembrance services also creates a lasting cultural link between past and present. By continuing to honour the memory of those who served and died, the industry underscores its commitment to the values of service, resilience, and solidarity – values that are just as important today as they were during the wars.

In taking part in Remembrance and Armistice services, the UK railway industry acknowledges its historic role in times of conflict and honours the sacrifices of its workers. It is a vital way of preserving the memory of those who served and ensuring that their contributions remain a part of the national consciousness. This act of remembrance serves as a bridge between the past and the present, fostering unity and respect within the railway community and beyond. Through this annual tradition, the railway industry not only commemorates the past but also inspires future generations to remember the costs of war and the importance of peace.

You can find a list of services that have been arranged on the Railway Mission’s website www.railwaymission.org.

Bridging the Skills Gap

Matthew Wright, Group Operations Director of NIS Group, outlines ambitious plans to expand the reach of its Transport, Rail and Infrastructure Academy (TRIA) network

Five years on from launching NIS Group and our hugely successful partnership with the City of Wolverhampton College, we felt the time was right to make our biggest investment to date.

The specialist rail track and training facility we installed at the Bilston campus had become an industry blueprint on how to get people involved in rail, whilst also offering existing workers access to more advanced training, specifically around HS2. However, we had to do more, as demand was outstripping capacity. Employers and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) were testing the water on how we could create similar specialist sites in other places across the region.

As many of you know, we like a challenge at NIS Group, especially if it means giving more people the opportunity to gain skills and long-term employment.

We hatched a masterplan that created the Transport, Rail and Infrastructure Academy (TRIA), a new overarching brand that will provide the framework for the creation and rollout of additional sites…first at BCIMO in Dudley, then in Aston and Coventry.

They all share similar characteristics to Bilston, most notably employer-led training courses and access to industry-specific equipment and tracks. In total we put aside nearly £1 million to make it happen and, nearly twelve months on, we can provide several positive updates.

Track ready

Our Dudley site boasts more than 2000 metres of conventional rail track, including two split-level platforms, an 870-metre tunnel and a Signalling Academy to give students hands-on training in multiple disciplines across the industry whilst enhancing their learning experience by working with the same equipment used on rail and construction sites.

External construction work at BCIMO has really gathered pace over the last few months. It has been a real collaborative effort from our experienced team, who have been joined by four NIS Group learners – Caleb, Jerome and Dan helping to ‘clip up and stone up’, whilst 18-year-old Sol Jacobs has been overseeing activities as Team Leader.

Talat took part in the Gateway to Rail course at the TRIA facility at the City of Wolverhampton College in partnership with the WMCA.

‘I was a primary school teacher back in my country, so this is a big career change for me. I can honestly say I have loved every second of it. As the only woman in the class, when I first walked in, I felt a bit embarrassed because I’d never been in a situation where I was the only female in a group.

‘I want to spread awareness and encourage women who might be too shy or lacking in confidence to get on the rail.’

‘In 2023, NIS Group trained more than 5,000 people and we have worked tirelessly to secure an 82 per cent success rate in helping people take the first step into sustainable careers – an industry-leading performance.’

Matthew Wright Group Operations

Director

After losing his way on his career path, Elliot from Chelmsley Wood found himself on the Gateway to Rail course at the TRIA facility at City of Wolverhampton College.

‘When I first left college, I pursued a career in engineering but after a few years I realised it wasn’t for me. My stepdad did a railway course years ago and he always talked about the endless opportunities within that industry.

‘The class has been wicked. Not only do you come out with qualifications but also with new friends. Being dyslexic, I was nervous about potentially struggling to keep up. But when I told my tutor Julian, he was really understanding and always checked up on me to see how I’m doing.

‘I’ll certainly recommend the course to others. It’s important to take this great opportunity and remember it’s never too late to learn a new skill. Work hard and you’ll see the results in the end.

I have definitely become more confident, and I do believe this is thanks to my tutor Julian for building me up to believe in myself.’

ELLIOT PEEL

TALAT NAHEED

Our young people thrive on being given opportunities and the confidence to apply what they are learning to ‘live’ projects that will eventually help other learners to progress.

Geographic expansion

Two of our latest TRIAs fall in the south of the region, with Coventry starting to take shape with classrooms complete and a dedicated ‘digger and dumper’ training space now open nearby to cater for a surge in demand for more skills in civils.

This represents our desire to diversify into other areas of training that employers are telling us they need help with and where there is currently a lack of provision. We have listened and invested in both the space, the equipment, but, most of all, the experts who will impart their knowledge.

Just 19 miles up the M6 and we have taken ownership of our Aston training site on the Urban Express Park.

Refurbishment work has begun in earnest and will see the build of an additional classroom, break-out areas for learners/staff and a dedicated medical room. They are the final touches to meet the exacting standards of Network Rail and will ensure we can deliver approved medicals.

It is the final touches to the Aston Centre, which also boasts two rail tracks to support practical training and a specialist slab track that has been put down with the help of Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group to cater for HS2 courses.

We’re looking to provide more in-depth training opportunities for learners from Birmingham and surrounding areas and the latest works will help achieve that.

Just the start

In 2023, NIS Group trained more than 5,000 people and we have worked tirelessly to secure an 82 per cent success rate in helping individuals take their first step into sustainable careers – an industry-leading performance.

The expansion of TRIA into new geographic areas will hopefully see both these figures grow, as we urgently help to bridge the skills gap in rail, construction and civils.

MATTHEW WRIGHT is Group Operations Director of NIS Group

Don Clarke President of Association of Railway Training Providers Ltd

Sam Sherwood-Hale, spoke to Don Clarke about the role of the Association of Railway Training Providers (ARTP) in supporting and improving railway training, addressing industry challenges, and facilitating communication between training providers and Network Rail

SSH: ARTP is the only association looking after the specific needs of Railway Training Providers or Assessors. How do you ensure that you're addressing the full spectrum of needs across this diverse group?

DC: We are the trade association looking after needs of Railway Training and Assessment providers. There are other organisations such as NSAR, who support and assure accredited providers. The full spectrum of providers’ needs are too vast as our members deliver across a wide spectrum of technical training and assessment so we don’t claim to meet all of them. We help providers improve by sharing best practice and keeping them informed on changes which might impact their delivery. We also help our providers should they ask for support on current rules and regulations.

The role of NSAR is to assure the quality of providers on behalf of Network Rail which involves both inspections of providers systems, delivery and premises but also proactive support to help providers continually improve. Our role is to assist our members by helping them with any improvements or supporting them with any ongoing queries – a friendly voice at the end of the phone should they seek any advice.

SSH: ARTP aims to facilitate better communications across the industry. Can you provide specific examples of how this has led to tangible improvements in the railway sector?

DC: Network Rail use a different competence management system for internal staff to that used for supply chain personnel. When changes are made within NWR, the authors don’t always understand the impact on supply chain personnel and companies.

We meet regularly with NWR to identify these issues and agree resolutions when

‘We encourage our members to become mentors for new trainers, so this industry corporate knowledge is not lost when they retire.’

SSH: You state that ARTP encourages consistency across the industry by sharing best practices. How do you identify these best practices, and what measures do you take to ensure they're widely adopted?

DC: If a member has a good idea and is willing to share it then we will communicate this out to our members. The providers are all inspected by NSAR on a regular basis for assurance purposes and demonstration that they are continually improving so it is up to the individual members if they wish to adopt any best practices which we share. We are not in a position to ensure adoption – we are here to share information to help our members.

new rules are not quite working. We collate information from providers and feed this back to our contacts within NWR so they are not bombarded with lots of different providers contacting them direct. Examples of this are where errors are identified within training material which can be amended whilst in its consultation period.

SSH: Regarding your involvement in industry consultation exercises, how do you balance potentially conflicting interests among your members when providing input?

DC: As an association we are organised by our board of directors who are all volunteers. Our involvement in industry consultation varies between collating responses from our members and facilitating a call out for volunteers from our member companies to join working parties.

The reason they are asked for their opinion is to see how changes would impact supply chain. There isn’t really any conflict in these situations as Network Rail, NSAR and ARTP providers all want the same thing – high quality training delivered efficiently and consistently.

A recent example is that our members must demonstrate compliance with their own Modern Slavery Policy. No examples of Modern Slavery, as far as we are aware, have been identified via training course attendance so it is not easy to explain the relevance to attending delegates. We identified a recent actual example from a similar industry which our members can now share during training events. This helps to signpost to attending delegates how Modern Slavery manifests itself in plain sight but is not always easily identified.

SSH: The association contributes to the development of Standardised Training Plans. How do you ensure these plans remain current and relevant in a rapidly evolving technological landscape?

DC: The responsibility for maintenance and development of training plans rests solely with NWR. One of our main aims is to support NWR and other infrastructure owners in ensuring that training material is current and up to date. Many of our members have been involved with training delivery over a long period of time so can offer excellent feedback on new material.

With the budget constraints imposed on NWR there are not always sufficient experienced internal resources to continually review the training material. There is a NWR system in place for trainers and assessors to register any feedback regarding the accuracy of training material or to suggest improvements. This is reviewed by NWR and a team of training specialists. It is an ongoing challenge when there are not enough resources within the industry to keep all material current. We also share information if an error or omission is identified together with any additional suggestions which the trainers make to correct the issue.

SSH: Given the rapidly changing nature of the railway industry, how does ARTP ensure that its objectives and services remain relevant and forward-looking?

DC: We respond to the needs of our members. Each year we hold an AGM where a standing agenda item is ‘what do you want your organisation to do for you?’. We discuss and agree objectives for the next twelve months which reflect the needs of our members. The board then focusses on these and reports back on progress to the membership.

SSH: How are railway training programmes adapting to address the aging workforce and the potential loss of experience?

DC: The process for trainer accreditation is, rightly so, quite rigorous. We are working with both NWR and NSAR to see if any of these requirements could be amended to avoid preventing potentially excellent people from joining the training sector. We have highlighted our concerns about the ageing profile of the training sector and encouraged NWR and NSAR to review the work they undertook some years ago to analyse where there will be future shortages. We encourage our members to become mentors for new trainers, so this industry corporate knowledge is not lost when they retire.

SSH: What strategies are being implemented to attract younger people to careers in the rail industry?

DC: Through the streamlining of the trainer accreditation just discussed we are hoping to make it easier for new younger trainers to join this industry.

SSH: How is technology, such as virtual reality or AI, being incorporated into railway training programmes?

DC: Some years ago there was a trial with the use of Virtual Reality for COSS training but whilst it was introduced for NWR it was cost prohibitive for supply chain training providers. We have offered to trial any new initiatives which NWR are considering. There is often a high implementation cost

involved with any new technology and we have to ensure it works for all before implementation.

SSH: Are there any initiatives specifically aimed at increasing the number of women in railway training and employment?

DC: Some years ago, some of our members were involved in the development of a guide called Everyone Matters – a guide to inclusive learning. This booklet provided guidance on how to design and develop materials which celebrated diversity and how to work towards inclusion when designing and delivering training and assessment. As the number of women becoming involved in the industry increases, we hope to see that experience shared, by more women becoming trainers and assessors.

SSH: How do railway training programmes balance the need for traditional skills with emerging technologies in the sector?

DC: Whenever new technology is introduced, we encourage NWR to arrange “train the trainer” sessions. This allows the trainers to identify any issues early in the development stage of the introduction of new technology. Whilst the new technology will speed up some processes, personnel still need to understand the traditional skills and how these have evolved so they can check the integrity of the technology should it not quite work as planned.

SSH: What role do apprenticeships play in addressing the skills shortage in the rail industry?

DC: Many of our members deliver training and assessment both to NWR apprentices and supply chain apprentices. Our members are normally involved in specific technical training delivery and not the personal skills, although these are highlighted when appropriate. The workforce is ageing so it is important that these new apprentices can learn from the experienced staff before they retire from the industry.

SSH: How is the industry ensuring that trainers themselves are keeping up with the latest developments and technologies?

DC: All trainers have to complete a minimum of 30 hours CPD each year which is reviewed and monitored for compliance and relevance by the training provider, NWR and NSAR. We arrange additional training days when we find a need. For example, we ran a workshop on reviewing the value of the Quality Assurance Framework with NSAR and NWR. Providers were able to listen to the reasoning for the suggested changes and provide feedback on the value of the new framework.

As an organisation we share any information on new developments which may not have a direct impact on training

‘Engineering staff have limited interaction with the travelling public so don't always consider the impact on customers if the hand back to operational status is delayed’

delivery, but trainers and assessors need to be aware of should it come up for discussion during delivery of events.

SSH: Are there any innovative approaches being used to accelerate training without compromising quality?

DC: NWR are introducing more E-learning to cover knowledge only content for training. Whilst this is more cost effective, we do have some concerns about the knowledge retention and are in discussion with NWR on how this is being addressed and checked. We are also working closely with NWR to identify if any courses could be combined to reduce days away from operational activities.

SSH: What impact has the push for rail decarbonization had on training programmes and skills requirements?

DC: All providers are measured on their carbon reduction whilst being inspected. We strive to reduce paper records and some providers are trying to reduce the amount of travel for their trainers and assessors, but with the shortage of technical trainers this is not easy when they are spread so thinly across the country. This is why we are discussing the assurance process for recruiting more trainers to avoid excessive travel.

SSH: How are soft skills, such as customer service and communication, being integrated into technical railway training?

DC: NWR are trialling the introduction of a session within all training courses to discuss the impact on the customer when things don’t go right. Engineering staff have limited interaction with the travelling public so don’t always consider the impact on customers if the hand back to operational status is delayed. Updated course material is now including more Non Technical Skills training. This is a new area for some delegates who normally just expect to receive training on technical content. Our members are adapting alternative training methods to ensure these new skills are delivered in an interactive manner.

Growing Britain's Railway Talent

The National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR) is a leading voice for skills in the rail industry. Edward Hughes, Head of Policy and Engagement at NSAR gives insight into how they are helping the industry build skills and practical steps your business can take

Rail is facing a critical loss of experience and knowledge. The number of people leaving through retirement and other forms of attrition could be

75,000 workers by 2030. NSAR’s 2023 Rail Workforce Survey (providing a workforce profile across approximately 95 per cent of the sector, including the supply chain) shows that rail has a workforce that is older than

before and with fewer younger people, as compared to 2018. There are clear and key areas where consistent workforce deficits exist – which include Signalling & Telecoms, Systems Engineering and Electrification & Plant – where the gaps typically range between 1,000 and 2,000 people per annum. These deficits are creating premiums for skills – for Electrification twelve per cent and for Signalling ten per cent, evidenced by increased salary demands.

Track and track-side safety competencies and skills remain foundational to the UK railway. However, various factors – including technological advancements, industry trends and regulatory changes – are influencing the demand for specific skills. Proficiency in digital technologies for managing rail operations and data analytics for optimising performance, predictive maintenance and decision-making are becoming more important. Other examples are skills related to autonomous and remote train operations and cybersecurity, as well as commercial and financial skills.

What were once common roles with distinct pathways now have different specialisations and development paths. Signalling & Telecoms are becoming more digital and technologically focused and better aligned with emerging digital skills, rather than traditional engineering.

Training and skills building are synonymous. We are all well aware that increases in training are essential for addressing skills shortages and building a workforce that can meet demand. People are not the same as nuts and bolts – you cannot always buy more when you need them. Training allows employees to acquire new skills or upgrade existing ones to meet the needs of the evolving industry and technologies.

The role of apprenticeships

The broader use of apprenticeships must be a core component of an industry training plan. Apprenticeships are medium-term

solutions that remain one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to build the workforce, as well as increase social value. Predominantly, the skills needed to fill shortages are at levels 2, 3 and 4, which are often most optimally acquired through apprenticeships. Apprentices are also the most cost-effective approach, far cheaper than the alternative of paying inflated wages to retain existing talent.

Tier 1 organisations have the contracts and resources to run apprenticeship programmes, but this is often not the case for supply chain businesses. Employers are responsible – supply chain SMEs are hesitant to take on apprentices when their contract will not cover the full length of the apprenticeship. History shows us that the work keeps coming for these businesses, but their hesitancy is understandable. No one wants to let go of a good apprentice.

This year, NSAR became a flexi-job accredited agency to support the rail industry, especially SMEs, in its efforts to address skills shortages and increase social value through apprenticeships. As a flexi-job apprenticeship agency, NSAR will employ apprentices and place them with host organisations to receive on-the-job training. Supply chain businesses can host apprentices, fill gaps in their workforce and contribute to building industry skills – with the knowledge that NSAR will place that apprentice elsewhere if they do not have enough work for the apprentice to complete their apprenticeship or the breadth of work to fulfil the apprenticeship standard.

High quality training

The quality of training is an important factor that often gets overlooked. Well-designed training programmes with competent trainers ensure that knowledge and skills are transferred effectively. They use the best learning methods, engaging content and benefit from trainers who bring insights from years of experience. This is good for

employees, who can upskill successfully, and employers, who get a better return on their investment.

The NSAR Quality Assurance function is responsible for ensuring that a consistently high standard of training and assessment for safety-critical railway skills is maintained across all organisations and individuals providing these services. The team quality assures over 90 training and assessment providers and awards grades to providers based on evaluations (gold, silver and bronze).

When you are buying training, look at NSAR’s ratings of providers – the rail training industry’s equivalent of Trip Advisor. These can provide confidence that you are investing in great training for your people that will enable them to build high quality skills.

Increasing diversity

Improving diversity is another component of the solution to the skills gap. Rail remains male dominated, with men constituting 84 per cent of its workforce. The industry is also predominantly a white labour force, accounting for 87.5 per cent of the industry (compared to the national average of 81.7 per cent). If the rail sector is going to tackle the skills challenges, it needs to widen its reach and attract the best talent from more diverse talent pools.

The industry should persist in providing opportunities to increase the number of women in the workforce. While numbers are trending in the right direction, there is more to do. Continued implementation of strategies such as job-shares, increased opportunities for part-time working and increased role flexibility are evidence that the sector is attempting to adapt and attract from a different resource pool.

Workforce planning

The skills situation in the rail industry tells us we need to act in a planned manner – not

‘Apprenticeships are medium-term solutions that remain one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to build the workforce, as well as increase social value.’

rely on reactive responses. The industry needs to embed a consistent approach to strategic workforce planning to inform recruitment and training strategies and ensure it has the capacity to operate efficiently.

On an organisational level, businesses should undertake efforts to understand the skills and competencies of their workforce and develop strategies to address them –such as training and recruitment plans. Manager and supervisor development should form part of this planning. Skilled leaders improve employee retention and enhance productivity by providing the right support, motivation and direction to their teams.

Building a workforce for the future

With a commitment to training, apprenticeships and a diverse and skilled workforce, the rail industry is well-positioned to overcome its current challenges and continue to play a vital role in the UK's transportation infrastructure. I encourage all rail businesses to consider how training, apprentices and diverse recruitment practices can be incorporated into their business plan. This training should not be delivered in isolation – it should form part of a wider industry plan providing opportunities for both new recruits to the sector and for those already in the sector to access upskilling. By investing in the right training, the rail industry can address its skills shortages and build a resilient and adaptable workforce for the future.

Tel: 0203021 0575

Email: support@nsar.freshdesk.com

EDWARD HUGHES is Head of Policy and Engagement at The National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR).

15 NSAR flexi-job apprentices started their Project Management Level 4 apprenticeship in September.

Track to the Future

Here, The Talent Foundry’s CEO, Jenni Anderson, explains why early employability interventions in schools can bring benefits to students and the rail industry

Social mobility charity, The Talent Foundry has been working with the rail industry for four years developing the skills and confidence of the next generation of rail professionals. Tech advances, rising demand, and major projects are quickly reshaping the railways. Yet, a critical challenge looms. How to attract fresh talent and bridge the skills gap created by an increasingly aging workforce? Vital for the railways' future, smooth operation and ensuring the industry reflects the communities it serves, is the interactions it has with young talent.

At The Talent Foundry, we have worked with the rail industry for five years. Together, our shared purpose is to build the skills and confidence of the next generation of rail professionals.

This belief is at the heart of our Track to the Future programmes, developed and delivered in partnership with Network Rail and the Rail Safety Standards Board (RSSB). These focus on each organization's goals for growing and empowering their future workforce. They also share our commitment to helping young people find new opportunities.

Last year, together we supported 182 students across England, Scotland and Wales to explore exciting career paths within the rail industry. Students gained vital workplace

skills and a clearer vision for their futures. They learned through hands-on work and face-to-face engagement with industry pros.

A further 1,795 young people had their first introduction to railway careers through the Network Rail Lightbulb Moments programme.

Closing the social mobility gap

Young people from underserved communities face significant barriers when it comes to accessing professional careers. Limited exposure to professional environments and a lack of role models can leave students feeling like certain career opportunities are not open to them. It restricts their aspirations.

This is where programmes like Track to the Future make a real difference. By partnering with major organisations, like Network Rail and the RSSB, we provide students a unique window into industries they might not have considered, let alone felt confident enough to pursue.

These experiences broaden career options and help to close the social mobility gap by equipping students with the skills, knowledge and self-belief needed to succeed. By removing barriers and demystifying industries like rail, we create new pathways to ensure students from any and all backgrounds have equal opportunities to thrive.

The growing need for a skilled rail workforce

The rail industry is facing significant challenges when it comes to securing its future workforce.

According to the NSAR, the average rail worker is now older than ever before, with just ten per cent under the age of 30. In fact, over one third of the workforce is over 50, meaning there is a significant loss of talent looming within the next decade.

Given this urgent need to develop new talent in the industry, our programmes like Track to the Future are vital for the future. By reaching out to students from more disadvantaged areas, Network Rail and RSSB are committing to developing the next generation into a highly skilled workforce. It also guarantees a more diverse workforce, which is currently 84 per cent male and 87.5 per cent white.

Developing the right skills

One element of the programme challenges students to develop new approaches to train station design that engages their local community, celebrates inclusivity and promotes sustainability. Through these activities, they improve their teamwork, leadership and creativity skills.

Teachers praise the programme for developing their students’ confidence and presentation skills – especially amongst

students less likely to speak-up in class. One teacher commented that: ‘I was astounded and very proud of the ideas our students came up with… some of our most quiet and introverted students really delivered.’

Students also visit local rail offices, either with Network Rail or through one of RSSB’s local members– including East Midlands Railway, Govia Thameslink and Northern. Here, they meet professionals working in engineering, project management, operations and more, to understand how a safe, reliable and efficient railway is managed.

Learning from industry experts

A highlight of the programme is the involvement of current rail employees. They volunteer their time to mentor students and these professionals share their varied career paths. They include apprenticeships, degrees, and even late-career switches. Their stories show that there is no single way into the rail industry.

Students also enjoyed a guided tour of a rail depot, offering a rare glimpse behind the scenes. They learned how to maintain trains. They also heard about the complex engineering and logistics that keep the systems running. For many, these activities provide a real link to a future career.

Creating lasting impact

Before participating in Track to the Future, many students have little to no knowledge of the rail industry, or viewed it as a limited set of jobs. By the end, their perceptions were transformed. One student remarked: ‘I didn’t realise how much went into the

railway’ – a sentiment which was shared by many of their peers. Now, 95 per cent of participants agreed they have a better idea of careers in rail.

‘We have been working with the TTF team for over five years to build a programme which excites young people and introduces them to the many diverse career opportunities within rail’ adds Amit Kotecha, Senior Early Careers Manager at Network Rail.

‘It benefits our staff who can volunteer at a school local to them, to teach young people about what we do in rail, why we do it, and how they can fit in. Inspiring young people to pursue STEM subjects beyond their compulsory education and to join our industry is key, and will ensure we have the skills we need in the rail industry in the future.’

For us at The Talent Foundry, this transformation is what drives our work. Through Track to the Future, we aim to not just open doors to new career possibilities, but to fundamentally shift how young people view themselves and what they are capable of. As we work towards our mission of improving social mobility, we know that equipping students with the skills and confidence to pursue careers is the key to a more inclusive and diverse workforce.

When someone listens, people will make the right call.

Thousands of organisations in the transport sector are members of CIRAS. We build a strong listening partnership with our members to improve safety. Our confidential safety hotline provides extra listening to help staff make the right call and report their concerns even when they feel they can’t use other channels. When we listen, we learn.

Learn how you can build your listening partnership with CIRAS at ciras.org.uk/rightcall.

Building the Future of Rail

Elev8 Training is developing the next generation of rail engineers through hands-on apprenticeships, supported by the Apprenticeship Levy and the latest technology

In the rail industry, the importance of training cannot be overstated.

At Elev8 Training, we understand that developing the next generation of skilled professionals is vital to maintaining and advancing the infrastructure that keeps the nation moving. Our mission is simple but essential: to provide apprentices with the knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience they need to become the backbone of the railway's future. However, it's crucial to remember that training is just the starting point of a much larger journey towards competence, confidence, and long-term success.

At Elev8 Training, we specialise in rail apprenticeships, helping young engineers start their journey by mastering the basics— like starting with understanding electricity and how it powers signalling systems and the historical development of our principles of how we have developed a safe and reliable railway. From there, apprentices build specific expertise, whether in installation, testing, or maintenance. Apprenticeship pathways are carefully designed to relate directly to the work the apprentices will perform, ensuring their education is not just theoretical but highly practical.

One of the key benefits of apprenticeships is that they combine

learning with real-world experience. But this process doesn’t end once an apprentice completes a course. As many in the rail industry know, training only provides the foundation, true mastery comes with time, practice, and mentorship.

A Pathway to Competence

Apprenticeships aren’t just about classroom learning; they are about gaining on-thejob experience under the guidance of skilled professionals. Mentorship is a vital component of the process. When apprentices return to the workplace after training, they need the support of an experienced mentor to help apply their new knowledge to real-world scenarios. Mentors are there to answer questions, guide decision-making, and provide feedback; ensuring apprentices are on the right track. As apprentices build confidence, mentors can gradually step back, allowing their mentees to take on greater responsibility while ensuring the highest standards are maintained.

This combination of structured training and mentorship builds competence. In the rail industry, competence is the ultimate goal, an apprentice who is both knowledgeable and experienced becomes a skilled professional, who can be trusted

with the safety-critical tasks that keep our railways running. In signalling, for example, apprentices can begin as assistants but, with the right training and mentoring, work their way up to become certified professionals, holding licences that demonstrate their expertise.

The Apprenticeship Levy – Funding the Future

In England, funding for apprenticeships is made more accessible through the Apprenticeship Levy, a scheme designed to encourage investment in training by employers. For businesses with a paye bill of over £3 million, the levy requires a contribution of 0.5% of their total payroll, which goes into a fund that can be accessed to cover apprenticeship training costs. For smaller businesses, the levy provides generous government support, covering 95% of training expenses. This system ensures that funding is no barrier to developing the next generation of rail engineers.

At Elev8 Training, we’re proud to support employers in accessing this funding, making it easier than ever to invest in apprenticeships and build a skilled workforce. The levy not only helps cover the cost of training but also provides

long term value by developing talent from within, ensuring that apprentices gain the knowledge and experience they need to excel in their roles.

Innovation Meets Tradition

The rail industry is steeped in tradition, but it’s also an industry driven by constant innovation. At Elev8 Training, we’re proud to combine the best of both worlds. We respect the established pathways of training and mentorship that have built generations of engineers, but we’re also excited to embrace cutting edge technology to enhance our apprenticeships.

Already, we’re leveraging tools like online learning platforms, digital portfolios, and video call assessments to make training more accessible and efficient. Virtual reality (VR) allows apprentices to practice in simulated environments that closely mirror the real-world challenges they’ll face on the railway. These tools provide apprentices with safe, immersive learning experiences that can be repeated and refined before they step

experienced trainers and mentors. Even when we use online tests and digital assessments, personal feedback remains crucial, ensuring that apprentices understand why they’ve made a mistake and how to improve.

Looking Ahead – A New Era of Rail Training

As we look to the future, the possibilities for enhancing apprenticeship training are endless. Tools like Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are poised to take railway apprenticeships to the next level, offering even more interactive and immersive training experiences. These technologies can simulate real-world conditions more accurately than ever before, allowing apprentices to learn and practice in environments that feel almost identical to the live railways.

But even as we integrate these advanced technologies, our core mission remains unchanged: to develop the skilled, competent, and safety conscious engineers

Leading the Way

At Elev8 Training, we are proud to be at the forefront of this evolution, combining the rich tradition of hands-on training with the latest technological advancements. Our commitment to excellence ensures that the future of rail engineering is as strong as its past. Through our apprenticeship programs and our support for employers accessing the Apprenticeship Levy, we are building a future where skilled engineers are not only trained but nurtured, ready to take on the challenges of an ever-evolving railway industry.

As we continue to innovate and adapt, one thing remains constant: our dedication to producing the best engineers for the railways of tomorrow. By investing in apprenticeships today, we are investing in the rail of the future. At Elev8 Training, we’re not just training apprentices; we’re shaping the future of rail engineering.

We believe in revolutionising the apprenticeship experience Unlike traditional apprenticeships that offer day release, we offer block release that fits in with railway working, and offers a more immersive and concentrated learning experience Scan the QR code to find out more!

Dr David Crosthwaite

Chief Economist at the Building Cost Information Service

Sam Sherwood-Hale spoke to Dr David Crosthwaite about the future of infrastructure projects, focusing on cost forecasts, sector growth, and strategies for addressing industry challenges

SSH: How might the forecasted 18 per cent increase in civil engineering tender prices over the next five years affect the feasibility of planned infrastructure projects?

DC: It is something for the project sponsor to be aware of in terms of potential increases to the outturn cost of projects, but the forecasted uplift in the Tender Price Index is not excessive at about 3.5 per cent per annum and around the long-term trend.

An inflation allowance should be included in any cost estimate and, given that construction inflation often runs higher than wider economy inflation, a construction-specific index should be used to more accurately represent the inflationary impact.

Indeed, on major projects we recommend that a bespoke project index should be created which will predict the inflation impact based on the specificities of the project.

SSH: The forecast shows strong growth in the electricity sub-sector. What factors are driving this growth, and how might it reshape the infrastructure landscape?

DC: Electricity and power will be one of the strongest growing utilities subsectors over the next few years as the need for sustainable generation and the infrastructure to connect them ramps up. Investment in this sub-sector is not reliant on direct government funding so is unlikely

to be constrained by the lack of public finance.

Demand is being driven by three new nuclear power stations at Hinkley Point C, Sizewell C and Wylfa.

There is also expected to be ongoing investment in offshore wind projects and solar farms, increased EV charging points and upgrades to the national grid to strengthen existing transmission networks as more sustainable generation comes on stream.

SSH: Given the cooling of materials cost inflation from its 2022 peak, what strategies can companies adopt to manage costs effectively in this evolving economic environment?

DC: Materials cost inflation has declined significantly from its peak, but there are still areas where there are some cost pressures. Planning ahead is crucial, which the industry is used to – ordering early and stockpiling scarce resources where needed to mitigate against shortages, delays or price spikes.

SSH: You mentioned the need for new skills and roles, particularly for decarbonisation efforts. What specific skills do you foresee being in highest demand, and how can the industry prepare for this shift?

DC: All heating engineers and electricians need to be retrained to install and maintain heat pumps, dual fuel (hydrogen) gas boilers,

solar panels etc. To reach net zero we will need more wind farms, solar farms, biomass generators and the designers to design them and the technicians to install and maintain them.

SSH: With labour costs remaining elevated, what impact do you foresee on project timelines and overall infrastructure delivery?

DC: Labour cost increases are predicted to stabilise this year, so we don’t see any major impacts going forward.

SSH: You mentioned that decreased demand has masked skills shortages. As demand potentially increases, how can the industry address these hidden shortages proactively?

DC: Construction has an innate way of reaching equilibrium, with supply and demand in balance. However, when demand recovers, as we predict it will, the supply position is likely to tighten again, unless action is taken now to improve labour and skills availability for the future. It’s fair to say that construction has an image problem and we need to make the sector more attractive to work in.

Delivering construction projects leaves a lasting legacy, an aspect that isn’t highlighted enough when trying to attract new talent who are seeking purpose-driven careers. More direct employment, defined career paths and less reliance on subcontracting would help in the long-run. In the short-run, migrant labour should be encouraged to allow additional workers from overseas to work in the sector.

Construction in the UK has historically relied on migrant labour to satisfy peaks in demand.

SSH: How do you see the balance between public and private infrastructure investment evolving over the next five years, given these forecasts?

DC: Construction needs investment. We need more major projects to stimulate the economy and get Britain growing again. However, given the state of the public finances I doubt that there will be much additional public investment in infrastructure going forward.

Attracting private investment to support construction is crucial, and something which has been lacking through recent years of challenging economic conditions and instability.

Private investment relies on a thriving wider economy, a favourable corporate tax regime and borrowing costs that are not prohibitive; conditions that currently don’t exist in the UK.

We need to make the environment more attractive for private investors to ensure that they realise a return on their investment.

The Digital Future of UK Rail

Network Rail High Speed and HS1 are spearheading the digital transformation of British railways through a successful proof of concept using AI-powered digital twin technology

Network Rail High Speed, which operates and maintains the UK's only high speed rail line, has demonstrated how it is paving the way on the digital transformation of British railways, following a successful proof of concept to test the capability of an AI digital twin model, originally conceived for the aerospace sector, on HS1 infrastructure that connects the UK to Europe.

After identifying an opportunity to utilise artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in driving forward and developing the maintenance and renewals planning process in the High Speed 1 supply chain, the Network Rail High Speed team appointed business performance improvement firm, Hexagon Consultants, and Aerogility, a specialist provider of AIbased digital solutions, to undertake the project.

Hexagon Consultants and Aerogility have an established partnership, with the Aerogility team previously developing an Enterprise Digital Twin model within the aerospace industry. The firms were selected to work on High Speed 1 after collaborating and successfully providing a proof of concept on how this automated solution can be effectively adapted to a fixed, linear asset, such as a rail network supply chain.

Using HS1 as a test bed for the innovation, the teams showcased how the process and data associated with the digital twin technology can make rail operations, maintenance, renewals and inspection more efficient. The project also demonstrated how the Enterprise Digital Twin model can drive down the cost of asset management.

The project has acted as a catalyst for improvement in efficiency across the rail network, allowing HS1 to drive through refinements in every area that interacts with the AI solution to achieve its digital vision. In turn, the automated model supports Network Rail High Speed’s wider target to reduce the number of systems and processes it uses across its business concerning

‘Most industries can be very inward-looking and not realise the opportunities that outward collaboration can bring. Working with Hexagon Consultants and Aerogility brought a fresh challenge to the way we in the rail industry plan and deliver work and opened our eyes to the benefits of an Enterprise Digital twin.’

Richard Thorp, Chief Operating Officer for HS1

the efficient operation, inspection and maintenance of the railway through the application of data-led strategies.

Richard Thorp, Chief Operating Officer for HS1, said: ‘Most industries can be very inward-looking and not realise the opportunities that outward collaboration can bring. Working with Hexagon Consultants and Aerogility brought a fresh challenge to the way we in the rail industry plan and deliver work and opened our eyes to the benefits of an Enterprise Digital twin.

‘The trial was steeped in the value that it could return, and with the help of the Hexagon Consultants and Aerogility teams understanding our processes, showed the transformation that we could achieve and the steps we needed to take to get there. It can be a daunting journey, but with an honest external view of where we are, we were able to plot a path that is efficient and

achievable. I look forward to seeing the project progress and see the benefits in cost, performance and safety.’

Hexagon Consultants and Aerogility have, through the success of the Enterprise Digital Twin project, further aided the HS1 team in the development of its first Research and Development Strategy for 2025-2030. This also requires the HS1 network to have a developed and detailed technology-focused strategy, including applied Enterprise Architecture, so that the business can support the roll out of the R&D project.

Sue Williams, Managing Director at Hexagon Consultants, comments: “It has been fantastic to work with Aerogility on this project to effectively prove how a best practice concept devised for the aerospace sector can be successfully transferred and tailored to an alternative industry.

‘Planning is the first step on a ‘digital journey’ and we worked closely with the HS1 and wider Network Rail High Speed operational teams to ensure the AI model aligned with and reflected their real-world requirements, so they are now in a position to implement the model in a real-world environment.

‘The capabilities of the technology we recommended in partnership with the Aerogility team means the Enterprise Digital Twin strategy can help support the HS1 team’s ongoing growth and improvement aspirations.’

HS1 is the UK’s only high-speed railway. The 109 km rail line runs between St Pancras International in London and the Channel Tunnel, connecting the international highspeed routes between London and Paris, London and Brussels and London and Amsterdam, as well as the domestic route from London to Kent.

Commenting on the project, Simon Miles, Head of AI at Aerogility, added: ‘We are incredibly proud to be a part of the digital transformation journey of British Railways. Working with the expertise from Hexagon Consultants, Aerogility’s AI digital

twin will give access to a powerful decisionsupport tool, proving that you can optimise process, people and data to enhance operational success and help deliver the HS1 Digital Vision.’

Hexagon Consultants is a specialist performance improvement firm, which provides business management, strategy and optimised growth solutions. The team diagnoses the critical issues restricting business growth, profitability or that create pressure points; it delivers and implements practical solutions, which combine experience and innovation, to fix them and provide tangible results.

About Hexagon Consultants

Hexagon Consultants is a specialist performance improvement firm, which provides business management, strategy and optimised growth solutions.

Established in 2015 by Peter Ahye and Sue Williams, Hexagon Consultants diagnoses the critical issues restricting business growth, profitability or that create pressure points. It then delivers and implements practical actions, which combine experience and innovation, to fix these issues and provide tangible results. Hexagon Consultants works side by side with a company’s workforce to continuously improve its business performance.

Hexagon Consultants’ team of expert, hands-on associates work alongside businesses as an extension of internal teams to deliver each and every recommendation made to achieve growth. The team implements a diagnosis approach underpinned by cutting-edge technology innovation and broad industry experience.

More information on Hexagon Consultants is available at www.hexconsultants.com. Further details on Aerogility can be found at www.aerogility. com, while additional information on HS1 can be sourced via www.highspeed1.co.uk.

NEWS IN BRIEF

DRIVER TRAINING PROGRESSING WELL AT TFW

Driver training for Transport for Wales’ brand-new tri-mode trains is progressing well ahead of their planned introduction later this year. The Class 756 trains, built by Stadler, are now regularly being seen on the network in South Wales as drivers complete their final training ahead of their introduction into passenger service over the coming months. They have the ability to run on Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) or battery power, or as a diesel/ battery hybrid. The Class 756 trains will initially be introduced onto the Merthyr to Aberdare loop, followed by the Treherbert line shortly afterwards.

Upskilling in the Digital Age

Learning Technologists are revolutionising workforce development in the rail sector, designing digital-enhanced training solutions that balance innovation with inclusivity, Leigh Pickard-Morrish talks about Frazer-Nash’s approach

Digital technology has become a vital part of daily life, from using smartphones and laptops to smart home devices and contactless payments, the digital age continues to greatly benefit our lifestyle. Because of this, digital mediums have brought significant opportunities for learning and education. Traditional education is being challenged by improved access to information, data-driven

insight, and multi-media integration; this places increased pressure on educators and training providers to adapt and innovate.

Educators and training providers continue to assess how learners of today are interacting with digital technologies, in identifying this, new learning solutions can be designed and implemented, further preparing learners and employees to live and work in the modern world. As education and training providers continue to adapt

to the digital age, balancing innovation with inclusivity and safety remains a vital challenge.

It is recognised that across the Rail sector considerable investment in digital technology has been accelerated. At FrazerNash Consultancy we seek to identify how challenges can be identified and overcome. Our senior Further and Higher Education professionals are experienced in working closely with clients so that the training

solutions we design complement existing Learning and Development strategies. This article explores the role of our learning technologists and the impact they have on designing inclusive and digitally enhanced workforce training interventions.

The role of the Learning Technologist, leveraging learning technologies

The Learning Technologist plays a crucial role in enhancing educational experiences through the effective use of technology. This evolution moves away from the traditional recognised role of a training designer and reflects the digital transformation in education. While traditional designers focus on classroom-based instruction and print materials, learning technologists embrace a wider technological ecosystem. They integrate digital tools, online platforms, and multimedia resources to create more dynamic, interactive and personalised learning experiences.

Compared to a traditional training designer, a Learning Technologist requires a broader skill set, including proficiency in eLearning authoring tools, learning management systems and data-analytics. A Learning Technologist must also stay abreast of emerging technologies like AI and Virtual Reality, adapting their approaches to leverage these innovations. This shift emphasises continuous learning, adaptability and a deep understanding of how technology can enhance pedagogical strategies and learning outcomes.

Workforce development and upskilling

Rail course revalidation, analysis and design – the first step focuses on ‘Analysis’, it is here where our Learning Technologists strive to determine what is going to be taught and how it is to be delivered.

Within the Rail sector the training interventions we have designed have involved a form of mapping activity that clearly presents learning goals, objectives and learning environment. Our learning technologies are experienced in completing the full range of activities associated with a Learning Needs Analysis (LNA), this includes but is not limited to: Difficulty, Important, Frequency (DIF) analysis, Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes (KSA) analysis, Task Scalers and Competence Statements. Within the analysis step there is also a requirement to focus on the learning experience from the viewpoint of the learners themselves. This is particularly important where digital technology is identified as a potential option to supplement learning and/or where access to digital resources or digital literacy is identified as a potential barrier to learning. Our philosophy is to create active and collaborative learning interventions that place the learner at the heart of all activities. This takes into consideration different learning styles and abilities, further personalising the learning journey.

In the provision of a Design Report, Step 2 Design recommendations on the training structure and content will be presented to support the development of training materials; this is where our skilled specialists take the information collected from the Analysis step to allow the learning technologist to design a learning intervention that is engaging and interactive.

Development of Rail eLearning solutions: Following on from the Design phase, the training intervention begins to come to life in following steps: Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. This is where the training solution that is designed materialises. When an eLearning intervention is deemed to be required (leveraging digital technology to supplement training) our learning technologists follow the Digital Learning Institute (DLI) recognised multimedia course design steps depicted in the image below.

journey, empowering them to take control of their learning and engage with the material in a meaningful, relevant way. What you find might work in the classroom training environment, may not in all instances, work digitally or indeed online. Our experience has identified that digital solutions work best when blended as an approach, to compliment both digital and face-to-face learning methods. Our team has a strong belief that eLearning solutions are a fantastic way to consolidate learning and teaching content as a single self-paced online activity. Specific data that is planned to be collected and used to inform learning programmes can ably support decision making and improvement strategies.

Conclusion

As we rapidly progress through the digital age, training and education sectors have adapted to ensure workplace training remains relevant and effective

Rail Digital Twin

Frazer-Nash is a pioneer in Digital Twin technology and understands the importance of learner-centred design. As an example, our rail client had started as a strategic long-term commitment to transform the way their staff learn though the use of technology. Their aim was to enhance learning experiences by transforming the way they design and deliver training. Independent analysis was required of a Digital Twin simulation that had been created as a tool for learning. Our rail client was able to gain a clear understanding of the strengths, weaknesses and development needs of their Digital Twin.

Our skilled Learning Technologists are experienced in analysis, design and development of all forms of digital training interventions, including simulators, e-learning, augmented reality and virtual reality. Critical to adapting traditional classroom methods of training and developing upskilling programmes that use digital methods of learning is the review and development of learning objectives in applying a digital taxonomy.

This recognises the importance of tailoring learning objectives to meet the accessibility of the training solution and applicability of use allowing learners to apply their newly learned skills in a digital way.

Learner centred digital solutions

Learner centred technology involves placing learners at the centre of their educational

by leveraging technology such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Artificial Intelligence. The integration of technology into the workplace training is crucial to enhance workplace productivity and performance, while also enabling remote training to allow the workforce to learn at their own pace and convenience.

At Frazer-Nash our Learning Technologists specialise in integrating technology into the training environment. From analysis to design, development, implementation and evaluation our certified practitioners work to equip organisations with up to date and relevant training solutions, critical to organisational success. We design learner-centred solutions, and ensure that the solutions we design cater for the diverse needs of learners allowing learners to progress according to their unique learning styles. We encourage active participation through interactive and playful elements like gamification, making learning more engaging. This approach not only supports workforce training achievement but also builds confidence and independence among learners.

Tel: 07892 705 449

Email: rail@fnc.co.uk

SCAN ME

Transforming Safety Culture in Freight Operations

The OPC and Freightliner share news of a sector-leading, NonTechnical Skills (NTS) initiative that has significantly impacted the safety culture and operational performance in the organisation

Rail freight plays a vital role in the UK economy, transporting essential goods like construction materials, fuel, and consumer products. Freightliner is the UK’s largest maritime intermodal logistics operator, and is a leading player in the rail freight market. With growing commercial pressures and the challenge of sharing infrastructure with passenger services, maintaining high safety standards is crucial.

Freightliner’s commitment to safety is hugely evident through its focus on continuous improvement throughout all levels of the organisation and its significant investment in its employees. One standout

initiative is the recent Non-Technical Skills (NTS) development programme devised in collaboration with the OPC. This comprehensive programme covers the breadth and depth of its driver population and ground staff teams to help enhance safety and performance, positioning Freightliner as an industry leader. So, what is the programme and why now?

A deep and all-encompassing change programme

Freightliner has implemented a comprehensive Non-Technical Skills (NTS) programme starting with a two-day workshop for senior leaders and an overview

for the Executive team. This initiative expanded to include a three-day workshop for operational trainers last year, closely followed by an immersive ‘Train the Trainer’ programme. Specifically tailored and delivered by the OPC, these sessions were designed to fully equip the internal team with in-depth knowledge of NTS, enabling them to lead and implement the internal change programme effectively.

Chris Fowler, Professional Head of Competence and Assurance at Freightliner said: ‘This is an important internal change programme for our drivers and operational frontline teams. It represents significant organisational buy-in and investment with

‘I really enjoyed the course. It was well-delivered and effectively connected to train driving, highlighting the importance of NTS for everyone working in a safety-critical environment.’

Driver Manager

the introduction of a specific NTS training manager and plans to expand that to a team. We are going ‘all out’ for NTS. This initiative goes far beyond just a surface-level effort for a select group of drivers. It encompasses all frontline staff, including every single driver, ground staff, and the engineering teams, as well as our Driver Managers, assessors, and mentors.

In total, nearly 1,200 people will be NTS trained over the next twelve months. For us, this wasn't simply about meeting an industry standard; it’s about genuinely empowering our teams to set new benchmarks in the industry – becoming not just safer and more effective, but truly leading the way as top-performing freight operators.’

Developing a bespoke programme

The NTS programme was developed specifically for Freightliner’s unique needs— not a generic NTS solution, but one tailored to reflect the specific demands of freight operations.

While all 26 NTS are important, the OPC conducted an internal survey to identify the most critical NTS, ensuring the programme was bespoke. The survey identified six key NTS.

To successfully rollout the program, Freightliner appointed Samantha Boucher as the new Training Manager for Safety and Non-Technical Skills, reflecting their ongoing commitment to investing resources in this change initiative.

Training programme overview

Having identified the top six key NTS, Laura Hedley, and Freightliner’s new Training Manager developed tailored training programmes.

Laura Hedley, Head of Consultancy and Talent Services at the OPC, highlighted the need to tailor NTS training programs to the unique challenges faced by freight

drivers. ‘Unlike other roles, freight drivers navigate diverse routes over long distances, often with varying frequency, making some routes less familiar. They must be ready for unexpected changes and disruptions, letting other trains pass. They frequently encounter restricted signals, requiring heightened vigilance and anticipation of evolving risks.’

She added: ‘Overfamiliarity with routes can lead to a diminished ability to anticipate potential risks. Adapting to varying train lengths is crucial; for example, a passenger train driver might stop short at a station when driving a longer train, while a freight driver may mistakenly attempt manoeuvring a longer train into a terminal, highlighting the importance of customising Freightliner’s NTS training.’

Manager's NTS workshop

The two-day NTS workshop was designed for Driver Managers (DM’s), supervisors, mentors, and assessors. It provides an indepth understanding of NTS, highlighting their foundational role in improving driver safety and effectiveness and the fit alongside technical skills. The course offers reflective strategies to help managers support their teams in applying NTS and using them for development or incident investigations.

Chris Fowler said: ‘It’s really essential that all our DMs, mentors and assessors have an extensive, in-depth understanding of NTS and the practical execution of our top six. This has been essential for the application of NTS across the driver teams. They are the backbone of the implementation, providing crucial support to drivers as they apply NTS differently, out on their routes, every day. This forwardthinking, empathic team will allow our drivers to truly grasp the benefits of NTS.’

Driver's NTS workshop

The one-day workshop for drivers emphasises the impact of NTS on their roles,

‘Very, very useful skills to use at work. Definitely worth doing!’ Ground staff

doing a deep-dive into the six key NTS and their practical applications.

Samantha Boucher said: ‘The driver’s workshops are very reflective. They help them to create personalised development plans that identify specific improvement areas in their day-to-day driving and any safety performance improvements. Participants work on an NTS reflection log for each of the top six skills, outlining their focus areas, action steps, and new techniques to use representing a real commitment to their performance development.’

Achievements to date

Since the programme's launch, the team has delivered over 118 training days, averaging up to three sessions per week since January. Initially focused on the driving team including shunter drivers, the programme is quickly expanding to include other frontline operational teams.

Chris Fowler said: ‘Out of 750 drivers, managers, and mentors, we've trained over two-thirds of the team, with course feedback being over 98 per cent positive.’ He added: ‘We’re really proud of what we’ve achieved in such a short time. Many teams have come together to successfully promote and deliver the NTS programme, it’s really exciting to be leading the way in the industry with the implementation of this initiative across our entire operational teams.’

Sam Boucher said: ‘As you’d expect not everyone was on board at the start of the programme. Naturally, there are always some who feel their NTS are already good

‘I didn’t know half of what you talked about and now I have lots of really good techniques to help me be a better driver.’

Driver

enough and that a training programme ‘doesn’t apply to me.’ However, I’ve had some of those same drivers come back to me afterwards and say, ‘I thought it would be really boring, but it wasn’t at all – it’s completely changed how I approach my driving. No doubt about it.’’

The impact on daily driving

Sam Boucher expressed enthusiasm about the progress in safety culture surrounding the NTS programme, noting that both trained drivers and those awaiting their turn are engaged: ‘There's a remarkable attitude emerging among our drivers – NTS is now a hot topic of conversation in the mess room and the wider operations community.’

Regular briefings are communicated to driver managers and assessors and displayed in team rooms, alongside NTS techniques and shared learnings. NTS now features in quarterly team briefings, each focusing on a different category with reflective questions and practical tips.

Sam Boucher said: ‘For drivers who’ve completed the training, it’s about building on their skills and expanding their knowledge of NTS. For those yet to attend, they’re already getting a head start, with some eagerly looking into the earliest available course slots.

‘I’m hearing stories of drivers proactively discussing NTS with their managers and reflecting on how to approach situations differently. This proactive mindset is evident before they start work, as they think about risk anticipation, and apply their new personalised NTS techniques to enhance their driving performance. We're witnessing tangible improvements in safety, driven by the attitude and actions of our drivers and managers. It's inspiring to see people openly discussing their mistakes as learning opportunities, and willingly giving them as ‘case studies’ for their peers.

‘On the flip side, when a driver experiences an incident or near-miss, they often hold themselves to high standards and feel the weight of that responsibility. They’ll grab me in the corridor or reflect on their actions with their manager, looking for new techniques to avoid repeating mistakes. In these situations, DMs are quick to get them on my course, or arrange additional tailored support. If a driver is temporarily stood down, and concerned about returning to driving, they might proactively seek NTS

re-training or ask for a cab-buddy, which our mentors and assessors fully support.

‘Incident reporting is viewed not as a punitive measure but as a pre-emptive strategy for improvements across the entire team. Drivers are now using innovative techniques to enhance their safety practices. For instance, some will step away from the cab driver's seat during long waits, before returning to perform thorough checks and sequencing to ensure they’re ready to go safely. Especially when moving off a restricted signal. This commitment to learning and change are transforming our safety culture.’

Laura Hedley noted: ‘This positive approach to open discussion and continuous learning about safety, indicates a continually developing strong safety culture at Freightliner.’

Where next?

NTS is now embedded in safety briefs and forms part of new, and experienced driver training. It’s become an integral part of what Freightliner trains and how they train, alongside integrating NTS with technical assessments.

‘The next step is to fully integrate NTS into the daily routines of all our operational teams, while continuously supporting and tracking the programme's effectiveness. We also want to explore ways to capture positive KPIs, particularly where incidents or accidents have been avoided thanks to NTS. Encouraging proactive reporting of these successes will allow us to share best practices across the operational team and support one another.’ Chris Fowler explained.

Sam Boucher added: ‘Word is spreading, and we’re swiftly incorporating other divisions, like maintenance and engineering, once we’ve expanded the training team. We’re already forward planning the next NTS training. At each course, we survey drivers to identify their top six NTS priorities, ensuring the programme is dynamic, evolves with their needs and empowering them to focus on the safety issues that matter most to them. A rolling program will help drive continuous development and upskilling, contributing to genuine internal change.’

Chris Fowler encouraged the Freightliner team, saying: ‘For those who’ve completed the course, keep using your reflection logs and applying the techniques learned. Even small changes can significantly impact how driving and operational tasks are approached with greater safety and effectiveness. Share your experiences with colleagues – it's not what you do, but it’s the way that you do it that counts!’

He acknowledged the OPC’s invaluable support in the development of the programme, saying: ‘The OPC has a proven track record in making significant contributions to the rail industry for NTS.’ He continued: ‘Their safety-critical expertise has been hugely beneficial for us. Collaborating with this experienced team

from initial concepts through to rollout and review has allowed us to establish a highly effective programme. This initiative will upskill our teams, enhancing safety performance on the ground and reinforcing a stronger safety culture across the business.’

Laura Hedley added: ‘It’s been incredibly rewarding to see how Freightliner has fully embraced NTS. Their commitment not only enhances safety and performance but also sets a benchmark for the wider rail industry. By investing in this tailored approach, they’ve shown how NTS can drive positive change within Freightliner and the sector. We’re really proud to have partnered with them on this journey, putting safety at the forefront of their operations.’

To learn more about how NTS could transform your operation’s safety performance, get in touch with the friendly OPC team today.

Tel: 01923 234646

Email: admin@theopc.co.uk

Visit: www.theopc.co.uk

Workforce protection barriers avoiding all line closures with adjacent line open

Large ballast bays with walls constructed from our Legato interlocking blocks

Rockfall prevention with our multi-purpose Jersey barriers

Large scale embankment retention using the versatile Legato blocks

Hoarding stabilisation utilising Elite Duo interlocking blocks

Workforce safety refuges built from Elite Duo blocks

For more information phone 01952 588 885 or browse www.eliteprecast.co.uk or email sales@eliteprecast.co.uk

Norbar is a UK manufacturer of battery, electric, pneumatic and manually operated torque multipliers, wrenches, torque measurement equipment and bespoke torque control solutions specially developed for the rail industry

Contact Norbar and speak to The Voice of Torque Control

Safeguarding Awareness Day

Key members of the rail community supported Railway Children on Thursday 1 August to raise awareness of safeguarding across the West Coast Mainline route from Glasgow to London as part of a Safeguarding Awareness Day

Staff from Railway Children, Network Rail and Avanti West Coast set off from Glasgow Central Station at 8am, stopping at Preston and Birmingham New Street before finishing in London Euston at around 5:30pm.

At each station, Safeguarding Action Groups (SAGs), part of Railway Children’s Safeguarding on Transport programme, ran public engagement activities, including how to spot vulnerable young people and how to refer them to British Transport Police.

Over the course of the day, Railway Children staff also spoke to members of the public to help inform them about the issues young people face and the part they can play in keeping them safe.

Seen, safe and supported

Safeguarding Action Groups bring together those responsible for the physical spaces at stations and areas of high vulnerability on rail lines, including BTP, retail managers, security firms and others. Together, they look at how and when spaces are used and make changes so they are hostile to those who would do harm and become safer for vulnerable children and young people.

Joe Clay, Safeguarding Partnerships Programme Manager at Railway Children, said: ‘It was great to see so many of our SAG partners supporting us with this event up and down the country. SAGs play a crucial role in raising awareness of safeguarding within the station community while implementing local initiatives to ensure vulnerable young people are seen, safe and supported on transport. Through bringing together the rail community in this way, we're improving community response to children and young people who may be vulnerable to risk and exploitation.’

Every day, 28 children are found alone and at risk on the UK rail network and, across the country, almost 200 children go missing each day*. And the longer a child is missing, the greater the risks become.

Many of the children the Railway Children charity supports have run away from situations that have become unbearable at home. Others are being groomed by county lines gangs or are simply in need of a listening ear and the support of an adult who can speak up for them and their family and ensure they receive the care they need.

Working with safeguarding action groups, Railway Children staff can identify children at risk on streets and in railway stations early and get to them before they come to serious harm. Then, working with other support services, staff can ensure children receive the help they need when they need it most, and for as long as it takes.

highlighting how our customers can spot those at risk when travelling we hope to keep even more people safe.’

With the number of SAGs growing across the country, Railway Children is reaching more and more of these young people and supporting them to build brighter, safer futures.

Everyone’s responsibility

A huge thank you to everyone who took part in the day: Avanti West Coast, Network Rail, BTP, West Midlands Trains, Camden Council, Community Rail Lancashire, Preston North End and everyone else who made the day such a success.

Dave Whitehouse, Director of Safety and Sustainability at Avanti West Coast, said: ‘Teaming up with Railway Children and industry partners to dedicate a day to speak with customers about safeguarding is a great opportunity to reassure our communities we’re here to look out for them. We’ve seen first-hand the positive difference we can all make to those at risk who find themselves on our stations or trains and hope this latest activity will encourage others to act. Everyone has a role to play in protecting vulnerable people on the railway and by

Railway Children have SAGs in nine locations around the UK and anyone interested in joining is encouraged to get involved by contacting Joe Clay at j.clay@ railwaychildren.org.uk

Railway Children also has a handy Risk Spotting Guide available here, which helps members of the rail community (rail staff, retailers, commuters, passengers and more) to understand how to spot vulnerability on the rail network and what to do to help.

Together, we can all play a part in keeping vulnerable children and young people safe, secure and supported.

For further information about the work Railway Children do, visit: www.railwaychildren.org.uk

For key statistics on missing children in the UK, visit: www.missingpeople.org.uk/forprofessionals/policy-and-research/informationand-research/key-information

MATTIAS HOLMDAHL

SENIOR MANAGER, GLOBAL PRODUCT & SERVICE MANAGEMENT, CONCRETE SAWING & DRILLING, HUSQVARNA CONSTRUCTION

Mattias Holmdahl joined Husqvarna Construction as a Mechanical Engineer in 2004. He is today globally responsible for the product category where power cutters are included, and this covers the technical and commercial responsibility for the offering designed for the rail industry. Mattias also oversees the global product service team with the ambition of ensuring maximum uptime of equipment for Husqvarna Construction’s valued customers.

One year ago, Husqvarna Construction launched a new battery rail cutter, what was the inspiration behind developing this new machine?

We saw a strong interest from our customers in the rail industry for more sustainable solutions. When we made the decision to invest in this battery model, the Husqvarna K 1 PACE Rail specially adapted for rail cutting, we had a successful launch behind us with our battery model for concrete cutting, the K 1 PACE power cutter. So, for us, it was a natural step to bring our new technology and electrification offer on the PACE battery platform further to the rail market.

Besides the obvious when we move away from fossil fuelled equipment, no exhaust emissions at the job sites, what other benefits are there for those who are looking at battery powered fleets?

If you look at it from an efficient fleet management perspective, a big advantage is of course that the operators can use the same machine regardless of whether they are working inside closed spaces, in tunnels

or if they are outdoors. They don't have to have several, different machines to do their job. So, it's the freedom, and having fewer machines in the fleet.

Another aspect is the cost of ownership, because customers can build up their fleet with more machines on the same battery platform, the PACE battery system, which of course makes it more cost-effective for contractors who want to be able to take on assignments where they meet environmental demands on zero emission job sites, like we start to see examples of in some of our markets. With equipment on the PACE battery system, we have a powerful range of machines as a strong alternative for customers who prefer all the benefits that a battery product can offer, but need high power for heavy-duty applications.

The new rail cutter comes with a lot of smart features and benefits, which one are you most proud of?

It’s really hard for me to pick a few features. But I am very pleased to present an electric model for this application, the Husqvarna K 1 PACE Rail is specially designed for work on railways, tram tracks and metro systems.

It has the characteristics required to make a vital contribution to projects in these areas. We know that cutting a rail track requires power, precision and speed. The K 1 PACE Rail delivers all this and more by combining efficiency and a powerful motor with new advances in technology.

At Husqvarna Construction we design our products with safety in mind and personally I am very proud of the X-Halt™ blade brake function, it’s a feature that is capable of stopping the rotation of the blade in fractions of a second. And when it comes to ergonomics, I would also like to mention the excellent power-to-weight ratio provides optimal balance, allowing the operator to cut more efficiently, enjoy greater control and work with less strain on the body.

And, let’s not forget that our R&D team has developed a new blade for rail cutting, a blade that we also recommend to use with the existing petrol fleet. It is a premium ceramic disc optimised for rail cutting based on the latest technology. It provides longer disc life, improved performance and a reduction in operating costs.

The RA 11 attachment is supplied as standard. As well as allowing cutting from both sides of the track, the attachment also delivers perfect right-angled cuts when fastened to the track. And it leaves no marks on the rail after the job is done.

What is the market response so far?

We have received a very positive response! I recently spoke to the first customer we sold the machine to just over a year ago, who is extremely satisfied and of course that makes us very happy. I hear that one reason it's received so well by the machine operators, is that it's so similar to our previous model so the handling is familiar. They can work the same way with this machine as with the previous model, but with no exhaust emissions which contributes to a cleaner, more pleasant working environment.

How is it that you invest in a tailored rail industry product, with the construction industry and concrete applications being your key market?

We have collaborated with the rail industry long before I even started at Husqvarna Construction, the company launched its first custom rail cutter around 30 years ago.

It may be worth mentioning in this context that our history with regard to power cutters goes even further back in time. Our cutters are built with more than 60 years of field proven design experience and are trusted and appreciated all over the world.

The world's first hand-held product of its kind was a rescue cutter from 1958 and it was launched by Partner, a company that later became part of Husqvarna. Since then, we have developed a variety of cutters for the concrete industry and related industries, where the rail industry has become a significant part.

How closely do you work with clients throughout the projects?

We maintain a continuous dialogue with customers to ensure we understand their pain points and needs. That's how we started building our business, and it's still the foundation of success.

We monitor technological, regulatory and user centric trends with the goal of

offering a product range that delivers the greatest possible benefit at the lowest total cost, while contributing to a work environment where safety and sustainability are prioritised.

And as I mentioned earlier, we have a long history with rail cutting. Our petrol based Husqvarna K 1270 Rail is an established tool in this market, so in this case there was a lot of user experience to build on.

Can you describe how this dialogue works in practice?

In this particular case with our new K 1 PACE Rail, we have collaborated with a few selected customers within the UK rail industry who were heavily involved in the development phase.

End users of these customers tested early prototypes, we've shown ongoing updates during development and our product specialist in the UK has visited them to demonstrate the machine and gather feedback. We have also ensured that the machine meets the customers' internal quality requirements, i.e. that it is approved according to these customers' specifications, and we have trained machine operators on site.

We’ve also worked closely with an educational institute in Sweden to get a better understanding of what the next generation of rail maintenance workers want and expect from the equipment they will eventually be working with.

What are your plans going forward, to ensure Husqvarna will be around for another 300 years?

We are part of a Group with a long heritage of innovation, we have kept innovating and re-inventing our business for more than three centuries and we intend to continue that way.

We look forward to continuing to support the rail industry in lowering its fossil-fuel dependency, which we do by enabling our

customers and partners to adopt a more energy-efficient way of working.

We expect the market for electrification of the rail industry to broadly follow the same pattern as we see in many other industries, the changeover going at different speeds in different markets and in different segments. But the rail industry in particular is interesting because it is an industry where we see that demands for electrified job sites can come from the client via procurement rules, and then it is an advantage to have a partner who is one step ahead and is ready to meet the needs when they arise.

We want to inspire change, and this is why exploring opportunities with partners like we have done in the UK is so important – as is gearing our efforts toward customer needs as they develop.

A final question, do you commute by train, tram, subway?

To be honest, not as much as I should but where I live, in the countryside, more railway tracks are needed first. There’s definitely some room for improvement!

HUSQVARNA CONSTRUCTION

Husqvarna Construction, part of Husqvarna Group, is a leading manufacturer of innovative equipment and diamond tools within the light construction industry. Our portfolio includes machines, solutions, services and diamond tools made for professionals who work with hard materials like concrete and stone to shape urban environments of tomorrow. We sell and service our products worldwide in more than 100 countries.

Our goal is to be our customer’s trusted business partner and to keep them at the cutting edge.

Want to know more about Husqvarna Construction?

Tel: 0344 844 4569

Email: husqvarna.construction@ husqvarna.co.uk

Visit: www.husqvarnaconstruction.co.uk

HUSQVARNA K 1 PACE RAIL

HEAVY DUTY. WITHOUT THE HEAVY.

Just push the button and go. The clock is always ticking for rail work and the K 1 PACE Rail is designed for powering through precise repairs and maintenance at faster speeds. Instant, reliable power from the PACE battery system allows you to work faster and longer to minimise delays and stay on schedule. With very low weight and less noise, an impressive power-to-weight ratio and zero direct emissions, you get the freedom to work in tunnels or wherever your work takes you.

MARK BONNER

MANAGING DIRECTOR AT PBH RAIL GROUP

Mark Bonner is the Managing Director at PBH Rail. With over 25 years of experience in the rail industry, Mark is passionate about providing innovative and sustainable full-service solutions for rail network development, focusing on efficiency, safety, and long-term industry growth. With an unwavering commitment to a 'people first' ethos, Mark empowers the team at PBH Rail and focuses on nurturing and growing talent across all disciplines to drive the industry forward.

How did you get started in the industry?

I found the job through my careers advisor at Selby College. I was keen to embark on a career that would allow me to gain onthe-job training whilst still furthering my education. I was put on a Permanent Way Trainee programme which provided day release university study.

What is your role within PBH?

My role is Managing Director, which has now developed to a group-wide responsibility.

How did your journey with PBH begin?

I joined the newly established PBH in 2004, working alongside the three founding directors. We built the company from the ground up. However, there's a twist to my story. In 2012, I needed a new challenge, so my journey with PBH was temporarily paused. I decided to get back into the world of large consultancy with the hope of exposure to more diverse projects and to enhance my knowledge. Having worked at a very agile company, it was difficult to adjust to a slow-moving corporate organisation, so my time back in that world was shortlived. I then decided to go it alone and start a small consultancy business, Bonner Rail, which was then acquired by PBH in 2021, completing the circle.

Tell us about your career before you joined PBH?

I started my railway career with Gibb, who eventually became Jacobs. I was given the opportunity by one of the founding Directors of PBH Rail, Paul Harper (the H). As mentioned earlier, this was on a day release training programme. I was very lucky to have been involved in the programme as I have met and worked alongside some people on the same journey and have been able to grow alongside them, all of whom have gone on to great and good things in the rail industry. One of those people was Darren Pudsey, another founding Director of PBH (the P).

What challenges have you faced in the industry?

As an SME that has been in business for over 20 years, we have faced many challenges.

One of the pivotal moments in our history and for lots of people currently in the industry was the demise of Jarvis. PBH learnt some valuable lessons from this, and it helped shape our business. From this point on, we diversified, and it was a turning point to get to where we are now with a wide spread of clients.

What success have you experienced in the last 12 months and how do you measure success?

The last twelve months in the industry have been challenging for all companies, particularly SMEs who are often the first to suffer in a downturn of work. We are proud that we have been able to maintain our steady growth of the team in this uncertain period.

What does sustainability mean to you?

Rail transit is crucial to drive sustainability in the UK. Our team is committed to pushing the railway in the right direction, supporting initiatives to develop sustainability. We, as designers, play a vital role in highlighting opportunities to improve how we operate and design our railway infrastructure, ensuring that we provide a sustainable, reliable, and environmentally considerate service to all rail stakeholders.

How has technology developed since you started in the industry?

It's come a long way. The principles of design remain the same, but we are now able to develop more integrated design solutions in significantly shorter timescales than when I started in Rail. The collaborative tools that are used to deliver projects have taken time to get a foothold in the industry, but the benefits to larger multidisciplinary projects are profound, particularly when compared to sitting round a table looking at paper copy drawings.

Can you tell us about the origins of PBH Rail and what inspired its creation?

PBH Rail was formed in 2003, so we've been in business for 22 years now. The inspiration behind starting PBH Rail was to provide something different, an alternative to the traditional large Tier 1 design consultancies. The founding directors, all having worked in these larger organisations, saw an opportunity to provide quality products to the rail industry with more efficiency and value. PBH Rail was established to provide value and quality, something that we have applied to all aspects of our business since.

Tell us about PBH Rail

PBH group is an SME Rail Specific Survey and Design Consultant. We provide an end-to-end service in rail systems design

along with all complementary rail-specific disciplines. We believe in quality over quantity; our team members are all handpicked on merit, and we pride ourselves on creating a family atmosphere for our people whilst being able to compete with companies much larger than ourselves.

What sets PBH Rail apart in the industry, and what is your focus?

We work exclusively in the rail sector, which allows us to concentrate our expertise. This focused approach is our biggest strength. We provide comprehensive rail infrastructure at the highest level in the form of an agile, innovative, long-established SME that provides true value to the industry. By specialising solely in rail, we've developed a deep understanding of the sector's unique challenges and opportunities.

What types of products and services do you offer?

• Rail infrastructure Surveys

• Permanent Way Design

• Overhead Line Design

• Civil Engineering Design

• Design Assurance

• Full multidisciplinary design utilising our trusted SME design partners

How have the products and services you offer developed over the years?

We have fine-tuned the delivery of our services through 20+ years of process development and innovation. Whilst there is a push for the industry to provide efficiencies in times of budgetary constraints, PBH have built this into the very ethos of how we have operated since day one.

How passionate are you about sustainability in the rail sector, and how do you go about sourcing the materials for your products?

Considering sustainability in everything we do is critical for creating and maintaining a reliable, robust rail infrastructure that has the minimum impact on the environment as possible. For our organisation, this ranges from selection of modes of transport to carry out our daily duties right through to influencing the decision process in early design stages, challenging the norm and, where possible, specifying the reuse of materials or specifying materials and/or construction methodologies that reduce carbon emissions.

What are some major projects you're currently working on?

We have recently been appointed as the Permanent Way designer for the ES4 design for Midland Mainline Route Section 4 to 6. SPL have created a pioneering team of

smaller enterprise companies to deliver this section of MML, moving away from the conventional Tier 1 consultant. This is a welcome and exciting opportunity to showcase the level of expertise that lies in these types of organisations.

We work on a multitude of renewals work banks for track and OLE projects. Some of the longest-standing projects are the CRSA Track Renewals and Network Rail Works Delivery Track Renewals.

What are some standout projects you've been involved in over the years?

There are so many to choose from; however, one of the more interesting ones was Ely Stabling Facility. Whilst in the traditional sense this was a relatively low-key project, it delivered massively with its approach to reusing and recycling materials. The scheme recycled materials from various out-of-use sidings to create a large stabling facility for cascaded rolling stock, with circa 90 per cent of the materials being serviceable reused assets from other locations.

What types of companies do you collaborate on projects with?

We collaborate with a full spectrum of companies, from Network Rail, Tier 1 Consultants & Contractors, and Medium and Small Enterprise companies. Our exposure to the industry for 20+ years has resulted in a wide and varied client and supplier base.

When a client comes to you with a particular problem, what's your process for coming up with a solution, and how closely do you work with clients throughout the projects?

We first need to understand the problem by reviewing and understanding the information provided to us, along with the outline scope of works, and apply our engineering judgement to ensure that the scope of works is appropriate and, most importantly, that it will solve the problem. Once we have this understanding, we then work towards a solution, taking the client on the journey with us. After all, this is their asset, and they have essential knowledge to feed into the design process.

What new developments/strategies do you have?

We have recently added a civil engineering team into the group of companies, driven by a need from our clients. We have and always will shape our business around the needs of our clients. We are in the business of solving problems.

How do you develop your action plans?

We prefer to grow in a considered and sustainable manner, taking time to ensure

the steps we are taking to improve and develop our business are not knee-jerk reactions and that they will provide a longlasting benefit to our clients and the future of our company.

What kind of challenges did you face in the early days?

We faced a perception challenge; it was not the norm to utilise an SME to deliver large high-risk services such as Permanent Way design (the formation stage of PBH). We had to fight this perception and reassure the industry that a privately owned small company could be trusted to deliver this type of work. Of course, it was made possible by some early adopters; however, the business survived and thrived as a result of the dedication to prove that it could be done.

Has the market grown since the company was established?

The market fluctuates, and we fully understand this, having been operating for several control periods. We have been able to acquire more of the market share, however, as a result of our expansion and efficient approach to delivery.

What are your plans going forward to ensure PBH Rail services are still around for years to come?

We will continue to grow in a sustainable manner. We will add services that complement our existing team. We will listen to our clients to understand their needs and shape our company to fulfil those needs.

What do you have planned for the year ahead?

We are embarking on some exciting partnerships with other like-minded SMEs that will bolster our position within the industry. We recognise the courage and expertise required to create, maintain, and grow an SME organisation in the rail industry, and we plan to help support and promote the use of SMEs so the industry can embrace the value and knowledge that exists within these organisations.

What would you say is the most exciting technology in the industry?

Having defined ways to assess and measure a project's Carbon Impact. Quantifying something often crystallises how we think about it. The development of the RSSB Carbon tool has allowed us to measure how different options/approaches impact carbon emissions. Further developing this tool has allowed us to assess varying design options, feeding into the earlier design phases, therefore having more chance of impacting the development into later design phases. The more data that is available, the more

accurate this will become, and no doubt in time it will become second nature to build carbon assessment into our deliverables.

With the coming launch of Great British Railways, how do you anticipate your place within the supply chain changing?

We hope that the hard work and dedication our team have poured into PBH over the last 22 years will mean that we will be a robust part of the supply chain. We hope to promote the benefits of the use of SMEs and that our position will be unchanged as a crucial delivery partner.

What are some of the biggest challenges this sector currently faces, and how is PBH Rail addressing them?

It is no secret that budgetary constraints will be a problem for CP7; however, we don't see this negatively. In times of change, the approach needs to change; therefore, we see this as an opportunity to showcase what we can do and where we can add value to the taxpayer. Budget is undoubtedly the biggest challenge facing the rail industry currently. At PBH Rail, we're addressing this by focusing on efficiency and innovation, finding ways to deliver high-quality services while keeping costs manageable for our clients.

How have you seen the industry change over the years?

The industry has changed, but I believe for the better. We operate an incredibly safe network, deliver projects and construction always with a focus on safety, and we are moving towards sustainability, social value, and inclusivity being standard practices within the industry. To see the shift over the 25 years working in the industry has been a privilege.

How can the industry tackle its skills shortage and how do you recruit/retain/ train your staff?

PBH Group is acutely aware of the skills shortage; our core business is rail systems, which is significantly impacted by this. We are actively involved with local schools, working as STEM ambassadors to spread the word to schools and education providers about the benefits of a career in rail. We

employ people on merit and see potential by assessing people's ability to learn and work ethic. We recently took someone on within the Track team who was a manager of a wellknown supermarket; he decided he wanted a change, we spoke with him, understood his aspirations, and explained how we could help him. Adam has been with us for three years now and is flourishing in this position.

Where do you think the industry will be in the next 10-15 years?

We hope that the workforce is more diverse and has a lower age demographic; the work we and the wider industry should be doing should be paying dividends by then.

Do you think the rail industry could be greener and what is your organisation's green strategy?

We echo NR's sentiment on this one: where possible, move to low emission propulsion, create a reliable, more environmentally robust network, and reuse or upgrade green credentials of materials and delivery methods.

How can we get more use of the rail assets and what is your vision of rail in 10 or 20 years?

Freight has a huge part to play in this and, more importantly, the interaction and thinking around routing and interfacing with Passenger stock.

If you were in charge of the UK rail industry, where would you target investment and/or look for improvement?

I would target delivery of larger projects and question their efficiency. Every large-scale project seems to cost more than double the anticipated cost. I would investigate the root cause of this, which could be in the design and planning phase or the construction phase, or a combination of both. We have the oldest rail network in the world; money lost on big projects could be used by asset managers that are trying to balance the books.

How can we make the rail industry a place people want to work in?

The rail sector rarely gets positive media coverage; often it's bad news about an incident, strike, or a project that is overspent or not happening anymore. This has a negative impact on the general public and drives perception around what we do. This is a real shame given the immense hard work and dedication that the vast majority of people in the rail industry show to keep the nation moving.

We need to do better as an industry and start to deliver high-profile projects as planned; we need to create a network that allows for on-time running of trains.

We need to manage industry action better to try and limit the impact striking has on failed construction and running of trains. We need to build back the confidence of the passengers and improve perception. If we do this in conjunction with engaging with education providers and continuing to drive diversity and inclusivity, we will get to a better place.

How do you make your business a good place to work?

We spend much of our adult lives working, so why not do that in a place where you feel valued, respected, and cared for? At PBH, we are a family, and we have created an environment that breeds trust and promotes autonomy. If you work for PBH, you aren't a number on a spreadsheet; you are Colin with two young children and a family that needs your attention and support. You are part of our family, and we have your best interests at heart, and you have ours at heart too. If the core values of a company are wrong, it doesn't matter how many welfare campaigns are put in place; it's a sticking plaster and unfortunately often for external perception. We genuinely care about our people, and we make the workplace work for them and their situation. They trust us, we trust them, the rest is easy.

Have you changed your approach to work at all since Covid?

We have always been flexible, so Covid didn't really impact how we operated internally. It did, however, make us more efficient. We had to find ways and improve how we operated and facilitated meetings and design reviews. Necessity drives innovation, and the industry as a whole had to embrace this and find a way. This has led to significant savings in travel time and fewer delays to projects due to people's diaries, etc. As an industry, we just need to be careful that with the ease and flexibility, meetings remain targeted and valuable.

At some point, every company will face the question of how to continue maximising earnings from their current business practice whilst also investing enough in innovation so they can turn a profit in the future. How can a company achieve the necessary creativity to innovate without compromising their existing business?

We have found that moving out of your comfort zone often creates opportunities to innovate. After all, process and effective ways of working are established to finetune a service or product; therefore, the possibility to innovate reduces as this becomes more refined. We will continue our steady growth into complementary disciplines, taking learning from the past and applying a fresh set of eyes on how that discipline operates. Who knows, the PBH way may work for them too.

In terms of technology, how do you anticipate things might change in the next five to ten years?

It is clear that the advent of AI technology will have a significant impact on most industries. I see this being no different in rail. Given the rate of development we see in other industries, I have a feeling that this will start to have an impact on the rail industry in the short-term future. Whilst we have to be cautious with any new technology, particularly in an industry that is heavily safety-focused, we cannot overlook it and say it will not apply to rail; it is inevitable.

PBH RAIL GROUP

PBH Rail, established in 2003, is a specialist SME offering comprehensive rail infrastructure services. With over two decades of experience, they provide endto-end solutions in rail systems design, including Permanent Way, Overhead Line, and Civil Engineering. PBH Rail prides itself on delivering high-quality, efficient, and innovative services, focusing on sustainability and value for clients across the UK rail sector.

Want to know more about PBH Rail Group

Tel: 01904 655 666 Email: info@pbhrail.com

BOB PHELPS KEY ACCOUNTS MANAGER FOR RAIL AT DEXECO LTD (SUBSIDIARY OF DEXTRA GROUP PLC)

Having worked within the lightingindustry for close to 20 years and with twelve of those dedicated to providing innovative solutions for the rail-sector, Bob has built a solid reputation with clients across the UK and Ireland. He is a passionate advocate for all things green and committed to ensuring that his customers receive the correct products for every application.

DEXECO LTD

Dexeco Ltd, founded in 2007, is a subsidiary of Dextra Group plc. The company manufactures LED lighting products in North Dorset, UK. It serves sectors including rail, warehousing, and manufacturing. Dexeco offers services from design to installation and recycling. The company has supplied lighting for railway platforms, stations, and maintenance facilities.

Want to know more about Dexeco?

Tel: 01747 858100

Email: sales@dexeco.co.uk

Visit: www.dextragroup.co.uk

‘We pride ourselves on our unrivalled level of service and we have invested heavily in the finest manufacturing equipment and facilities to help us reach and maintain that goal.’

What types of products and services do you offer?

From platforms and station buildings to train care depots and car parks, Dexeco has lighting solutions to cover all areas across the railway estate. Dexeco has also provided bespoke solutions to heritage stations, maintenance pits, gantries and sidings using a combination of retro-fit gear trays and specific designed products. We offer an extensive range of professional services including on site surveys, bespoke luminaire design, lighting design, power monitoring, reporting, timed deliveries and the disposal of end of life luminaires. In the belief that every customer is unique we work in partnership with clients to develop solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of their business.

Tell us about Dexeco Ltd.

Dexeco Ltd is a subsidiary of Dextra Group plc, formed back in 1978 Dextra Group are now one of the UK’s largest privately owned lighting manufacturers employing over 500 members of staff at our purpose built production facility in North Dorset. Dexeco was established in 2007 and we rapidly built a strong reputation for service with a number of high profile clients. We use the latest LED technologies to create unique and bespoke lighting solutions for warehousing, logistics, food production, manufacturing, storage and transport applications. Working directly with Network Rail and a number of TOCs, Dexeco has a long history of providing innovative lighting products into the rail sector. Where reliability and ease of install are paramount we have gained a reputation for being a trusted solutions partner.

What is your Unique Selling Point?

As a UK based JIT lighting manufacturer we can respond very quickly to our clients’ needs with typical lead times of just five to seven working days from receipt of an order. We pride ourselves on our unrivalled level of service and we have invested heavily in the finest manufacturing equipment and facilities to help us reach and maintain that goal. We operate our own liveried fleet of vehicles that transport our products across the UK and into Europe on a weekly basis with the ability to offer timed deliveries for our clients. These vehicles can also uplift and backhaul end of life product which we can process through our own in-house fully accredited recycling company.

Our commitment to service extends beyond the design and delivery of the fittings, we believe that supporting every installation throughout the warranty period is equally important. All our products are therefore covered by a comprehensive warranty to provide peace of mind that you are purchasing a quality product from a reputable UK manufacturer with an enviable reputation for customer care and over 45 years of experience in the lighting industry.

How have the products and services you offer developed over the years?

With over 45 years in the lighting industry Dextra Group has experienced multiple technological changes from switch start T8 and T12 fluorescent, through high frequency T5, to LED and wireless technology in the present. Alongside this the company has evolved from a single industrial unit with basic metal forming machinery to one of the UKs largest lighting manufacturers with over 500 employees and high levels of vertical integration producing everything from our own LED circuit boards through to delivering on a dedicated fleet of lorries across the UK and Europe.

We test and certify our products in our independently accredited test laboratory, operate a WEEE recycling centre with nationwide collection and even manufacture our cardboard packaging. Our product range now encompasses 150 ranges with 20,000 individual SKUs covering the vast majority of lighting applications. Our service has evolved from manufacture and supply of a simple product range to a total service ethos where we take each project from first concept providing technical guidance, lighting design and controls specification, payback and carbon calculations through bespoke product design, manufacture and supply, to delivery, recycling of waste and aftersales support for the lifetime of the installation.

How passionate are you about sustainability in the rail sector, and how do you go about sourcing the materials for your products?

Sustainability has become the single most important consideration in recent years, we believe the measures we have taken to date demonstrate our commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our business in all areas.

Through investment in energy efficiency machinery and solar installations we reduced our carbon emissions by 25 per

cent from 2022 to 2023 alone. We have eliminated all single use plastics from our packaging and use plain unprinted cardboard boxes that are easily recycled. In a year-long project we have calculated the CIBSE TM65 embodied carbon of every single product SKU we manufacture and make this information available to customers whilst also using this data to target embodied carbon reduction as a primary goal in product redesigns and new product launches. Energy efficiency is key when considering carbon emissions, a high wattage luminaire with long operating hours per day can often produce 10-20 times the embodied carbon though its lifetime energy consumption. We continuously strive to improve the energy efficiency of our products by using the latest and most efficient LEDs and updating our optical designs ensuring that a minimum of light is wasted.

We only source our components from premium European brands ensuring that all our LED drivers offer 100,000 hour lifetimes and LEDs depreciate by just 10 per cent over 60,000 operating hours. This longevity brings environmental benefit ensuring that luminaire replacement cycles are extended as far as possible, whilst also minimising the lifetime operating cost of our client’s installations.

What are some standout projects you’ve been involved in over the years?

We have been fortunate enough to work on substantial route wide roll outs with several TOCs including Southern, Southeastern, Greater Anglia, London Overground and Translink supplying open platform and under canopy luminaires across their estates. Alongside platform work we have supplied luminaires for applications from station interiors and car parks through to maintenance depots and sidings.

Our diverse product range allows us to tackle every rail application, both passenger and non-passenger facing. During our fifteen years working with the railways we have placed approximately 20,000 column top luminaires into platform and car park applications alone along with tens of thousands of vandal resistant and linear IP65 luminaires.

When a client comes to you with a particular problem, what’s your process for coming up with a solution, and how closely do you work with clients throughout the projects?

One of our greatest attributes is our ability to develop customised solutions with rapid turnaround time, large parts of our business growth have been focused in these areas and outside the rail sector we have supplied hundreds of thousands of customised luminaires into the market. With our own in house design and engineering teams as well as our accredited test laboratory we typically take a project from concept to sampling within a fortnight, and once approved delivery is often within seven to ten days.

We believe our service abilities in this respect are unique, and we have undertaken several projects with Train Operators in the past including customised solutions for pit lighting in maintenance depots and retrofit gear trays for platform canopy luminaires. With an increased focus on repair and upgrade rather than replacement we believe that bespoke retrofit trays offer an ideal solution for operators seeking to reduce their climate impact.

Close liaison with the client is key in any bespoke commission to ensure that the product is not only functional, easy to install, compliant and efficient, but also that aesthetic expectations are met. We provide dedicated commercial and technical contacts to handle such projects from concept to

completion without compromising any of our usual complete service offer including lighting designs, carbon and payback calculations, on site delivery, WEEE recycling and aftersales support.

What are your plans going forward to ensure Dexeco services are still around for years to come?

The lighting market is constantly evolving and as a UK manufacturer we are always looking to ensure that our products and services are at the forefront of that change. We have been fully committed to UK manufacturing for over 45 years now, never shifting our emphasis from the importance of producing high quality products on home soil whilst delivering an industry leading service to our clients. With companies now proactively looking to reduce their impact on the environment and with an increased focus on embodied carbon the tide is starting to turn on the lower cost imported products from the far east. We will continue to research, develop and invest in new technologies to ensure that our products are as efficient as possible, helping to minimise their operational carbon and environmental impact.

What’s next for Dexeco?

We are always looking for new opportunities and we are proud of the many long standing relationships that we have forged over the years. We listen carefully to our clients needs and following various requests we are in the process of launching a number of new products to further enhance our offering for the Rail sector.

The new IP65 rated Forteco range offers a powerful and versatile high level solution for use in buildings that are likely to be exposed to the elements. This IK10 rated luminaire is available in a wide range of

Forteco

lumen outputs and control options to suit a variety of applications including rail depots and maintenance sheds.

Our popular Tanek Family is about to get bigger with the launch of our new Tanek Glass which has been specifically designed for pit lighting applications. Designed with a 1.2mm steel housing, a salt spray tested all weather paint finish and a 6mm toughened glass diffuser its ideally suited to areas where there is a high risk of accidental impact and chemical attack.

In addition to the above the new Opus Bollard will soon be here, offering our clients a high quality lighting solution for car parks, concourse areas and driver walkways. With two body sizes, various beam angles, multiple mounting options and a wide range of integrated controls this new family of products will complement our existing portfolio of exterior LED lighting solutions.

Where do you think the industry will be in the next 10-15 years?

LED is likely to be the de facto light source in the lighting industry for the foreseeable future. Whilst other technologies have been developed including plasma, laser and OLED, none of them offer the efficiency and longevity that LED provides. The huge investment made in LED technology by large global companies such as Nichia, Osram, Lumileds and Seoul Semi-Conductors has given LED a technological advantage over other sources which looks unlikely be overtaken in the next decade. Although LED efficiency gains have plateaued in recent years we still see small annual efficiency improvements, typically of one to two per cent, which will likely continue for several years to come.

Wireless technologies have certainly come of age and will without doubt dominate the industry in coming years, first and foremost to allow simple energy

monitoring, fault reporting and emergency testing, but also to gather operating data such as burning hours and operating temperatures to allow pre-emptive maintenance of luminaires and components as end of life nears. This looks set to extend beyond the lighting sphere to include environmental data such as air quality, temperature and humidity as business seek to improve working environments for both employees and customers.

Without doubt the key focus of the lighting industry will be the environmental issue including reduction of embodied carbon, minimising the use of materials with harmful impacts, the introduction of organic materials and a design emphasis on repair, upgrade and reuse of both luminaires and components to extend product lifecycles and ensure the bare minimum enters the waste stream at end of life.

‘Sustainability has become the single most important consideration in recent years, we believe the measures we have taken to date demonstrate our commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our business in all areas.’

Tanek Glass

The Tanek has been designed for a wide range of rail applications including open platform, under canopy, over and underpasses as well as multi storey car parking and maintenance facilities.

The range encompasses four styles and is available in 600mm, 1200mm and 1500mm lengths, a wide range of lumen outputs, integral emergency, dimmable and wireless options and black and white housings as standard. Custom colours can be offered to match ToC branding where required. With IK10 impact rating, IP65 ingress protection and marine grade paint finish the Tanek range is ideally suited to installations where protection from the elements, vandalism or accidental damage is required.

the elements with both IP65 and IK10 ratings.

Available in 4 housing styles, Standard, Slim, Cornice and Bulkhead in black or white finishes.

Available in a range of sizes, lumen outputs and a selection of dimming, emergency, wireless and sensor controlled variants.

BULKHEAD

CORNICE

JOHN BROOKS

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AT CINTEC INTERNATIONAL LTD

John has worked at Cintec International for over 25 years and during that time has accumulated extensive specialist knowledge on building defects and failures in structures. This enables him to work with the structural engineer to produce an effective and economic scheme to preserve the structure in a sympathetic way without affecting its function or appearance.

He is frequently called upon by both engineering practices and building owners who are seeking an opinion on and solution to their structural problems. He is a regular speaker at conferences, universities and professional institutes on the topics of structural repair and conservation both in the UK and in China. His paper on the stabilisation and repair of heritage structures was published in the Journal of Building Survey, Appraisal and Valuation in Volume 9 Number 1 in summer 2020.

CINTEC INTERNATIONAL LTD

Based in Wales, UK, Cintec™ International Ltd has been a leader in innovative thinking Engineering Research and Development since 1984. Originally called Cavity Lock Systems, Cintec™ International Ltd now provides TurnKey design and installation of Masonry Anchoring Stabilization systems and Explosion Blast Mitigation Protection products and services globally.

Want to know more about Cintec?

Tel: 01633 246614

Email: hqcintec@cintec.co.uk

Visit: www.cintec.com www.cintec.co.uk

What is your role within Cintec International Ltd?

My current role is that of Business Development as that being my background with previous companies in the construction industry. My initial role with Cintec was as an area technical advisor working with professional engineers and architects on schemes.

Later my role was expanded on a national and international basis with the remit to expand the business into new markets and areas through marketing and forming new connections in the industry. Over the last ten years I have also been involved in initial project management and design coordination as more and more clients want a package deal, this has certainly been advantageous in obtaining more contracts.

Tell us about Cintec International Ltd.

The company was founded by the current owner and managing director, Mr Peter James over 30 years ago. His historical job was in property maintenance for a large city council where he was responsible for day to day operations for all the property portfolio of the council.

Many structural problems were encountered and he had to devise workable and economic solutions for them.

As the only structural repair solutions in the marketplace at that time relied upon mechanical or resin fixings, there were many instances where this type of system was inappropriate or simply did not work. Consequently, when he came across a new system devised in Germany which did not rely on either mechanical or resin to work, but simply a high strength cementitious grout encased in a sock surrounding a stainless steel member. He proceeded to acquire the licence to use it and eventually purchased the patented rights of the system to manufacture and use worldwide.

Which sectors do you work in?

We work in both private and public sectors with particular strengths in heritage work, sea defences, highways and rail work. Cintec regularly works for local authorities, environmental agencies, defence and military establishments, highways agencies, Network Rail, Transport for London including London Underground and London Overground.

What is your USP Unique Selling Point?

The USP of the company is that the unique Cintec system, with the benefit of an encapsulated cementitious grout, provides a complete structural solution for clients across a wide variety of structural challenges. Working in collaboration with our clients and their advisors, we are able to formulate a solution to almost any structural

problem that they are faced with. This can include desktop studies of options available to the client along with early establishment of budgets.

What types of products and services do you offer?

The product affords an almost and endless number of bespoke structural solutions designed to satisfy each and every structural issue faced by the client. This is brought about by being able to engineer a bespoke solution using the unique Cintec anchor system as it comprises such a vast range of structural anchors. Manufactured from high quality stainless steel to almost any size and length, these anchors typically range in size from 10mm to 39mm + in diameter and in lengths from 200mm to over 40 metres.

The anchors can be designed to take loads from a few kilonewton to many hundreds whether acting in tension, shear, bending or compression.

Beyond this we often provide a turnkey package for a global solution for structures. For example strengthening under capacity masonry or concrete bridges, providing seismic protection to buildings or seismic repairs retrofitted, and finally blast protection.

What are some major projects you’re currently working on?

We are currently working on repairs and strengthening of Huddersfield Viaduct, for Network Rail, along with pier strengthening and underpinning of Whalley Viaduct. Work has also commenced on the TransPennine route electrification commencing with repairs to be followed by installation of gantry and OLE support works.

We are at the inception stage of a major retaining wall stabilisation adjacent to a highway for a county council where we are taking on the design in addition to the complete construction works.

What are some standout projects you’ve been involved in over the years?

One that readily comes to mind is the electrification of the Gospel Oak to Barking line. As a significant part of the UK Network Rail electrification programme, the Gospel Oak to Barking line, some 13 miles long, required Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) for the cabling system. As the track is routed through a mainly urban environment a substantial part of the track was elevated on brick built viaducts. The OLE therefore needed to be supported by a durable and reliable fixing system to secure the steelwork supports to the brick structures. For this reason the Cintec anchor system was chosen by the client and their engineers AECOM.

Another recent very interesting and challenging project was stabilisation of Wall 642 at Surrey Quays station for TFL/

LUL where we had to design and carry out drilling and anchoring in close proximity to the operational railway.

What types of companies do you collaborate on projects with?

Collaboration with TFL, county councils, major construction companies and framework contractors is quite common and sometimes with design consultants as our product & services are so unique.

Cintec also works with other specialist contractors who provide services such as stone masonry, structural steelwork, underpinning and demolition, piling and abseiling. With such collaboration where exists a synergy of purpose, we can often jointly offer clients a real value added solution at a cost and time saving.

No matter who we work with we firmly believe in total transparency and frankness, even when we need to say no. What is important is satisfaction of the end user in terms of time, quality and cost.

When a client comes to you with a particular problem, what’s your process for coming up with a solution, and how closely do you work with clients throughout the projects?

Typically we would engage with the client on a face to face basis to discuss what the problem is and to identify their expectations to ensure we can assist them in the most effective way possible.

We will examine the problem to get at the root cause, otherwise there will no point in trying to suggest suitable solutions.

Once this is identified at various options of remedial action can be considered in terms of practicality, suitability, cost and time constraints both for design and construction. When our in-house team are satisfied that the options are achievable, we will then present them to the client and their team to ascertain if we have arrived at an acceptable solution for them in principle.

Once this stage has been reached we then agree all parameters with the client in order to meet their cost and time requirements along with any external limiting factors such as access limitations, working hours etc.

How do you work with the supply chain within this sector?

Normally we work with framework contractors or main contractors as a specialist supplier or subcontractor depending on the nature of the project and its size and complexity.

Occasionally projects are so demanding in some of our in-house skills and capabilities then we need to be the sole specialist contractor on specific contracts. In such circumstances we work on an open book basis which in fact, is our usual way of working.

How have you seen the industry change over the years?

Having been with Cintec International for nearly 30 years I have seen an enormous change in the culture and structure of the industry, mostly good, but on occasion too much administration and paperwork is involved. Keeping it simple is the best way and to maintain good communication at all times. Even if unwelcome news needs to be imparted it should be told immediately.

Nowadays although costs are still important, we see more focus on quality and innovation which is good for us. A number of years ago it was often the case that a few ‘cowboy’ sub-contractors would suddenly disrupt expectations by switching specification and offering silly prices to main contractors which would later on lead to big problems when cheap options did not give the desired performance or quality required. Thankfully, with more emphasis on both safety and quality, this is more of a rare occurrence. The other major change is that more projects now require us to take on board the design process in some way. This may be working as a subconsultant to the clients’ consultants or by working direct for the client as designer.

What are your views on collaborative working?

We are very much in favour of this approach and endeavour to work this way with as many people as possible. Most companies and consultants seem to welcome this and are happy to share the burden.

Anything else you would like to add?

In conclusion, the system has been tested to verify the products suitability for a whole range of substrates and applications. The initial research was to provide a grout that could be used universally and could provide the safeguard that engineers required. This included using recognised testing authorities to prove its long term use by accelerated age testing, two hour fire testing freeze Thaw testing.

Once these tests were completed successfully a range of further tests were carried out to prove the practical use of the product.

The first practical application was for Newcastle Cathedral in Australia where the 32 metres long anchors were installed to rectify damage sustained in an earthquake.

The next substantial tests were in the Transport Research Laboratory where

two complete masonry arch bridges were tested to destruction to meet the new EU requirements for increased axle weights for vehicles to conform with the new requirements. These tests were completed successfully and over four hundred bridges worldwide have been strengthened by this method. This was recognised by The Queens Award for Enterprise in 2002 and an historic bridge award for the Telpin bridge in Ruthin. Other research and development applications have been undertaken including parapet wall strengthening over masonry bridges, blast mitigation of structures to resist high explosions, and a dissipative device that is attached to the anchor as it is installed. This provides the anchor to resist seismic movement during an Earthquake. With the cooperation with Bath University, University College London and Cardiff University two PHD students were produced!

Cintec has a substantial reputation for solving strengthening problems and continues to expand it range of products to meet fresh challenges.

Platform to Success

A young Sussex man who lost his retail job during the pandemic has found a promising new career on the railways, thanks to an innovative work academy programme that's opening doors for jobseekers

Blake Willimott was made redundant from his role as a retail assistant during the pandemic, but bounced back and joined the world of rail through a Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP). Now a Platform Dispatcher for Southern Rail, Blake, 23, is sharing his story following World Youth Skills Day earlier this Summer.

‘In 2020 I was out of work for six months, but determined to get back on track, I looked into careers in the railway because my dad has been part of the industry for a long time, and he always made it sound interesting. I went down to my local Jobcentre and they recommended me for the SWAP scheme, which included a placement with Southern, so I put my best foot forward and haven’t looked back since!’

Southern launched its first SWAP scheme in 2020, in conjunction with East Sussex

College and Jobcentre Plus. The three-week programme gives candidates the opportunity to develop essential employability skills while gaining qualifications.

‘The SWAP was great because the teachers at East Sussex College helped me create a standout CV and I learnt some fantastic interview tips, which came in handy because during Covid a lot of interviews were done virtually. During my placement at Barnham station, I was on the gateline helping passengers with their tickets and queries. I loved every minute of it, and my customer service skills really improved in those three weeks.’

Blake impressed his managers so much that he was offered a Gateline Assistant role at Barnham following his interview. He started working for Southern in January 2021, where he got more experience under his belt, before successfully applying for a Platform Dispatcher role in 2022.

SWAP

A Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP) gives jobseekers who are 16 and over, and claiming benefits, the opportunity to apply for jobs. This programme can last up to six weeks and includes:

• Pre-employment training, matched to your business sector and delivered by you or a local training provider.

• A short work placement with your business.

• A guaranteed job interview or help with your application process.

‘I love helping hundreds of customers with their journeys every day and there's always something new to learn at Southern, so I couldn't recommend the railway enough to young people.’

Blake, who lives in Barnham, is encouraging more young people to consider a fulfilling career on the railway.

‘I love helping hundreds of customers with their journeys every day and there’s always something new to learn at Southern, so I couldn’t recommend the railway enough to young people. If it wasn’t for the SWAP scheme, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today. It really helped me gain that vital experience, so I’d recommend it to anyone who’s looking to kickstart their career in rail.’

To follow in Blake’s footsteps and sign up for job alerts, visit GTR | Careers (gtrailwaycareers.com).

AARCPS Enhances its Service Offerings

Rail consultancy AARC Professional Services adds Rail Infrastructure and receives ISO 9001 recommendation, enhancing its industry support on its tenth anniversary

Rhas enhanced its support to the industry with the addition of new service offerings, as well as being recommended for ISO 9001 quality certification.

Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, the business, which initially focused on Rail Operations, Safety & Assurance, Rail Operations Training and Projects & Engineering, has now added Rail Infrastructure to its arsenal and specifically the management of operational assets including rail engineering and rail maintenance.

Steve Derrick, AARCPS Founder and Managing Director, explained: ‘Whilst we have been providing SME (subject matter expert) support on rail maintenance and asset management for some time, it always formed part of our operations and project offerings. Having been lucky enough to have had several highly experienced people from the world of rail maintenance and rail asset management join the team, we felt now was the right time to restructure the business to create a dedicated Rail Infrastructure section.’

• Advise on/develop asset management strategies.

• Undertake standards, policy and process reviews.

• Provide technical advisory assistance.

• Support asset performance management.

• Support maintenance readiness, helping take new/changed assets into operational use.

Alongside this, AARC can assist third party contractors with the development of robust asset protection documentation, interface (e.g. Contractor Engineering Management activities) with rail asset owners e.g. Network Rail and handover requirements/ compliance.

Steve added: ‘With Rail Infrastructure as a stand-alone heading, it will now be clear to existing and prospective clients that AARCPS has the knowledge and expertise to be able to support asset and maintenance strategy requirements, along with SME advisory support and readiness.

‘We also believe the restructuring of our service offerings will make it easier

ISO 9001

ISO 9001 is a globally recognized standard for quality management, designed to help organizations of all sizes and sectors improve performance, meet customer expectations and demonstrate commitment to quality, with those achieving it required to demonstrate how to establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve a quality management system (QMS).

for potential clients to readily find and see the knowledge and expertise our team can provide across a range of rail disciplines. With most members of our team having over 30 years of industry experience to draw from, we can seamlessly integrate with client needs and provide the support they require from the moment we are engaged.’

As part of the restructure, AARCPS has also rebranded Projects & Engineering to Business Change & Projects, moving the focus to all activities associated with project change, from small procedural issues to whole scale organisational restructuring across all stages of the project lifecycle.

This also ties-in closely with the work AARCPS already delivers on operational and maintenance readiness, helping to highlight the need to recognise and implement change requirements in direct support of various standards and procedural changes, in turn underpinning the necessary outcomes.

In addition to the enhanced service offerings, the rail consultancy has also been recommended for ISO 9001 certification for its quality management systems, further cementing its credentials as a supplier of high-quality consultancy services to the rail industry.

Commenting on the certification, Steve Derrick said: ‘As an organisation committed to delivering outstanding outcomes, it’s essential that we are able to illustrate our understanding of what good quality management systems look like, sharing this best practice with our clients.

‘As such, I’m delighted to announce that after months of hard work which included certification audits carried out by awarding body BSI in June and September

2024, we have now been recommended for full ISO 9001 certification – a further demonstration of our professional credentials and commitment to the highest standards possible for our clients.’

Also welcoming the certification was Transport Systems and HSQE Specialist Liz Parkes, who led the ISO9001 workstream. Liz said: ‘AARC Professional Services is already committed to providing its clients with outstanding outcomes to keep the wheels of continuous improvement turning, working hard to embed quality into everything that we do, whilst helping to not only meet but exceed client expectations. We also enjoy working with all of our stakeholders to encourage innovation and a strong safety culture, not only within our own business, but across the various services that we provide. In direct support of this, our journey towards ISO certification has certainly been the right thing to do and the right time to do it.’

AARC Professional Services Limited (AARCPS) is a rail consultancy drawing from over five decades of experience to provide expert support to the industry. It brings together likeminded rail professionals with a common aim to deliver outstanding outcomes by:

• Helping clients achieve their goals.

• Through strategic and technical expert advice.

• Across a range of disciplines.

From the frontline through to the boardroom, from high level advice and guidance through to project support, AARCPS helps deliver excellent outcomes. For further information about AARC Professional Services Limited, get in touch via the contact information below.

Tel: 07841 611657

Email: info@aarcps.co.uk

Visit: www.aarcps.co.uk

Run by railway people, for railway people

AARC Professional Services Limited draws from over five decades of experience to provide expert support to the industry.

We are a railway consultancy bringing together likeminded rail professionals with a common aim to deliver outstanding outcomes by..

• Helping clients achieve their goals...

• Through strategic and technical expert advice...

• Across a range of disciplines...

• From the frontline through to the boardroom

Whether you’re looking for high level advice & guidance or direct project support, we’re here to help you deliver excellent outcomes.

GeoAccess Celebrates Ten Years of Innovation

Saturday 22 September 2024 marked the 10th anniversary of GeoAccess, ten whole years – and what an adventure it’s been so far

It all started back in Leyland, just north of Chorley, following a series of night shifts on a steep railway cutting. They had been clearing vegetation with hand tools on ropes to facilitate a topographic survey whilst working for a large well known civil engineering company. The weather was not in their favour and the vegetation was thick with rhododendron. They had teams up on the slopes and a team on the track clearing all the vegetation falling from above as the teams were hacking away to create strips on the slope ready for the surveying equipment.

At the end of a tiring week, a few of them decided to celebrate the completion of the job by utilising the spa area of the hotel they were staying in. Also sat in the hot tub, reflecting on the week, were Mark Coleman and Dave Frost.

Although the week was a success, discussions were based around how it could have been done better, doing things slightly differently to make a positive difference to not just the teams and the workers, but to the end product for the client. These very conversations lead to the foundations and beginnings of GeoAccess.

The first few years saw GeoAccess providing rope access trained Geotechnical Engineers and Engineering Geologists to several clients, particularly focussed on tricky to access locations, building a loyal workforce, and gaining the required railway accreditations, whilst learning the market.

Then the first tender opportunity came along to work directly for Network Rail. GeoAccess had been growing and waiting for this day. But the sad truth was, the tender requirements had set such a high turnover threshold they were unable to compete. The team had to dust themselves down and continue to be patient.

When Network Rail renewed their focus, encouraging SMEs to join their supply chain and the next round of frameworks came up for grabs, GeoAccess were ready, they were in the game this time. This was a David and Goliath moment though, putting all their focus into those bids, GeoAccess was hungry!

Finally it happened, the hard work, patience and drive paid off. GeoAccess had secured themselves onto major framework contracts in three large Network Rail Regions as the sole supplier delivering earthwork inspections directly to Network Rail. The hard work didn’t stop there though, in fact this was just the beginning. They were able to reinvest in the business and focus on growing their team.

From the hot tub moment back in 2014, they have now grown their senior management team to 20 staff, engaging with a loyal contingent labour force of over 150. All this recruitment and growth fully aligning with their core values.

As well as working directly for Network Rail, GeoAccess have also been building solid business relationships with other Tier One suppliers, supporting them with difficult to access areas and geotechnical inspections, also winning work with other large asset owners, such as the Coal Authority. Very recently their hard work paid off again, and GeoAccess were offered a place on the framework contract for NW&C Region, supporting the delivery of earthwork inspections there too. They now cover earthwork inspections throughout four of the six Network Rail Regions, and have their eyes firmly set on the other two regions when the opportunity arises.

So, what do the next ten years hold for GeoAccess? Exciting opportunities and continued hard work. The focus will be on continuing to deliver the current contracts to a high standard, building and developing relationships with the client and introducing new technologies and innovation to support the challenges ahead. GeoAccess will be ready and eager as usual to secure future contract renewals and other regional opportunities, as well as leaning on their newly formed strategic council, and continued guidance from their business coach, all working to support the direction that GeoAccess is heading.

As well as developing the team as the business continues to grow and sourcing the best people to join their GeoAccess

family, what they have found is that the best people are beginning to seek out GeoAccess, because everyone wants to be a valued member of a winning team on an inspiring mission.

Work has already started on the up and coming GeoAccess Academy project, developing a digitised training platform to be used across all aspects of the business and in fact the industry. The pilot scheme has both Mark and Dave buzzing with excitement, it is totally revolutionary. They are looking forward to sharing more news on this over the coming months.

So, as the new earthwork season approaches and the newly recruited senior managers become fully onboarded, all hands are now on deck to get everything ready for the Earthworks Kick Off Meeting towards the end of October 2024. Work has been happening in the background already with detailed desk studies on supplied task lists, building these into a resource count ready for the baseline program of over 22,000 earthwork inspections for the 20242025 season.

Of course, emphasis will always be on safety first so the teams will be preparing all the documentation, briefings and workshops ahead of the start-up date. Lots to do, lots to prepare but all with the single goal in mind, to make a difference and be the best!

For more information on GeoAccess and its services please visit geoaccess.co.uk.

Cutting-Edge Power Supply Solutions

In the dynamic world of rail transportation, the demand for reliable and efficient electronic systems is paramount

Trains, subways, and trams are not just modes of transport; they are moving ecosystems requiring sophisticated electronic support.

Cincon Electronics, a leading name in industrial power supply solutions, and represented in the UK by Relec Electronics, stands at the forefront of this technological evolution.

The backbone of railway electronics

The railway industry is a complex network of systems – from Passenger Information Systems (PIS) to emergency communication and operation monitoring. Products for each of these systems demand a power supply that is not only efficient but exceptionally reliable. Cincon, understanding these needs, has developed a comprehensive range of converters from eight watts to 600 watts. These products are designed to cater to

all international traction voltage systems, including 24V, 36V, 52V, 72V, and 110V DC, ensuring global applicability and compliance.

Adherence to EN50155 standards

Cincon’s commitment to quality and safety is evident in its strict adherence to the EN50155 standards. These standards are critical for electronic equipment used in railway vehicles, focusing on aspects like input voltage range, safety, and overall power supply requirements. Cincon’s latest power supplies boast ultra-wide input voltage ranges as wide as 8.5-160VDC, accommodating all the diverse needs of the global railway system.

Safety and reliability

In an industry where safety cannot be compromised, Cincon’s power supplies excel with reinforced insulation, achieving

high isolation which is required by railway standards. This design is particularly beneficial for high-altitude and cold area applications, surpassing the standard 1500VAC insulation voltage requirements.

Innovative design for enhanced performance

Cincon’s CQB100W14 series, a highlight in its railway power supply range, is a prime example of the level of innovation. They feature active hold-up time protection technology, ensuring 10ms hold-up time with a simple peripheral circuit and using as little as 470uF/100V capacitors across the entire input range. The CQB100W14 series is designed to operate efficiently across a wide temperature range of -40°C to +105°C, with low no-load consumption and compliance with EN62368, EN50155, and EN45545 standards.

One-stop power solutions

Cincon’s 8-600W Railway Power Supply series is a testament to its commitment to providing comprehensive solutions. These products meet the rigorous EN50155 certification standard and are equipped with features like wide voltage input and reinforced insulation. They are ideal for various applications, including PIS systems, HVAC control systems, and communication systems. Cincon through its partners at

Relec Electronics, also offers customisation services to meet specific needs, simplifying the challenges of electronic systems in railway applications.

The UK gateway to excellence

In the UK, Relec Electronics proudly represents Cincon Electronics, bringing its cutting-edge power supply solutions to the British railway industry. Relec's expertise in the field, combined with Cincon’s innovative

products, ensures that the UK railway systems have access to some of the most reliable and efficient power supplies in the market.

Cincon Electronics, through its comprehensive range of power supply products and its partnership with Relec Electronics in the UK, is setting new standards in the railway industry. The company’s commitment to safety, reliability, and innovation makes them an indispensable ally in the ever-evolving world of rail transportation. In addition to standard Cincon parts, Relec also offers modified and customised solutions tailored to your specific requirements.

Tel: 01929 555 800 Visit: www.relec.co.uk

What is the Railway Industry Association?

The Railway Industry Association (RIA) is the national trade association for UK-based suppliers to the rail industry and is active across the nations and regions of the UK

Established nearly 150 years ago, RIA has 360+ member companies from across the supply chain.

As the champion of a dynamic rail supply sector, RIA supports the delivery of a bigger and better rail industry, representing the sector as an essential generator of economic growth, jobs and investment as well as supporting a low carbon form of mass transit for communities across the UK.

RIA advocates, campaigns and lobbies to highlight the value of UK rail and engages with politicians from all parties and civil servants in the UK and devolved governments in addition to regional authorities. The association works closely with all the major rail clients across the country including Network Rail and Transport for London and collaborates with a range of industry partners and stakeholders to make the case for investment in rail. Key focus areas for lobbying include:

• The need for a visible and certain pipeline of rail work.

• Clarity on major rail projects and significant enhancements.

• Decisions on rolling stock manufacturing and refurbishment.

• Rail decarbonisation including electrification and battery traction.

• The benefits of leveraging potential retail solutions and data advances to improve customer experience and railway performance.

• Highlighting export opportunities for UK rail suppliers.

• Supporting SMEs.

Why join RIA?

RIA offers its members a whole host of benefits, helping to improve visibility of their business and products. RIA represents members' interests to Government, political decision-makers, major clients, regulators, and industry bodies. It holds regular events

with politicians, engages with government and industry consultations, and runs campaigns on major issues affecting rail.

RIA facilitates industry dialogue and knowledge sharing through a comprehensive events programme. This includes Member Interest Groups covering technical and policy-based subjects, providing forums for in-depth discussions on specific areas of rail industry development. The association also organises flagship conferences, such as the RIA Annual Conference and the RIA Innovation Conference, which bring together industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators. Additionally, RIA arranges specialised workshops and meetings, enabling members to engage directly with key industry stakeholders and decisionmakers, fostering collaboration and driving forward the interests of the rail supply chain.

The association keeps members up to date with industry news and information, supporting the development of key industry workstreams and promoting innovation and sustainability. RIA provides a platform

for members to showcase news or business developments through its website and social media channels.

Additionally, the association promotes exports of members' products and services by hosting trade missions and events, working closely with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), and attending overseas trade shows in countries such as India and Australia.

If you are interested in joining RIA, please get in touch via the contact information below.

Tel: 020 7201 0777

Email: membership@riagb.org.uk

Visit: RIAGB.org.uk

LinkedIn: Railway Industry Association

Twitter: @railindustry

Discover RailSmart

Transform your operations with the RailSmart platform. A range of digital solutions that manage operational safety, compliance and risk whilst reducing incidents and improving performance. Make. Change. Work.

Data Driven Insight for Your Rail Operation

The decisions we make in the rail industry have a direct impact on how safe, efficient and customer focused a rail business can be

Effective decision-making is crucial in railway operations, particularly in how it performs at delivering goods on time, getting passengers to their destinations, and maintaining the rail network and infrastructure.

That’s why data-driven decision making in rail is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s the key to a successful future. The challenge for rail companies lies in gaining clear insight from their operational data to inform decisions. If data is held in siloes, management is left with no option but to painstakingly piece together information from multiple sources and systems before they can see a complete operational picture.

A better way to gain insight from data

It was these data challenges 3Squared set out to address when we first developed RailSmart Insights. Customers talked to us about the type of information they needed to make strategic decisions about their business, and how they wanted to see it joined up. They described their frustrations about how they struggle to collect and analyse the data they need today. What rail businesses wanted was a more personalised and streamlined way to access, pull together and gain meaningful insight from their data – and we knew we could help.

A personalised approach to data analytics

While all rail businesses share certain common goals around safety and efficiency, each operation runs in a way that’s unique to them. They have their own individual sets of priorities, projects and pain points, so access to their data should reflect this.

With RailSmart Insights, operators no longer have to spend time connecting data from different places to distil it into useful information. The latest version of the software draws data from multiple sources to offer a personalised and comprehensive overview of their teams and organisation. Every 24 hours, the platform pulls together essential data from across the

entire suite of RailSmart products – not only RailSmart EDS as previously. It can even be configured to import data from other TOC or FOC software, such as HR information systems, and combine it in a single place.

Senior staff can then cherry pick the critical data they need for their decision making, and display it on an interactive dashboard.

Deeper understanding of your rail business

The beauty of having handpicked data displayed visually on a dashboard is that it allows managers to see patterns and stories emerging, giving them more insight into the performance of their network. Something which is much harder to do when all your time and energy goes into deciphering data that’s stored in different formats.

For instance, a COO who is looking to improve driver performance can access data on a driver’s competency and combine it with data from the incident logging software, the document communications platform and the HR information system, enabling them to build a complete picture of an employee’s skills and risk profile.

Previously, if a driver’s record contained one major incident, two minor incidents, a meeting with HR and a missed safety assessment, this information would have been stored in separate files and formats. The developing risk around this individual could therefore have been missed.

RailSmart Insights brings all this data together, allowing operators to create a single driver overview dashboard with all the facts behind it.

With this information at their fingertips, operators can see if there is a developing problem which needs to be addressed and intervene before an incident occurs. It also provides insight for longer-term staff development planning. This is data-driven decision making in action.

Learn from the past to inform the future Rail businesses can choose how to configure RailSmart Insights to display a daily snapshot of their operational status. This could include employee competency, records of incidents, safety critical communications and other operational metrics to create a fully comprehensive overview of their organisation.

This personalised approach to data analytics eases the burden of hunting through systems to find the answers to business questions.

RailSmart Insights is the key to unlocking your treasure chest of data and extracting the golden nuggets you need to make the decisions which matter the most.

To find out what RailSmart Insights can do for your organisation, visit https://3squared.com/products/railsmartinsights/

Visit: www.3squared.com Social: @3squared

The Smart Solar Lighting Revolution

With rising fuel prices, increasing road congestion, and the urgent need for greener transportation, rail travel has become more essential than ever

Modern railway stations must not only accommodate the growing number of passengers but also enhance commuter confidence, reduce operational costs, and support sustainability efforts. Well-designed and energy-efficient lighting plays a vital role in achieving these objectives, offering both financial savings and a vastly improved traveller experience.

At Urbis Schréder, we believe optimising lighting in every station area can significantly impact the efficiency and safety of railways. Whether it's platform lighting that improves visibility or smart systems that help manage energy use, the right lighting solutions can transform stations into more welcoming, functional, and sustainable spaces.

A powerful solar alliance for railways

Through our partnership with Photinus, Urbis Schréder now offers a range of solarpowered lighting solutions tailored to the unique needs of railway environments. These off-grid lighting products combine high efficiency, durability, and sustainability, helping rail operators and local authorities significantly reduce their environmental impact.

Additionally, they offer significant savings on energy costs by relying on renewable solar energy.

Railway stations often require robust lighting for outdoor applications like platforms, parking areas, footbridges, and even tunnels. Our solar lighting solutions meet these demands with reliable, highquality illumination without the need for extensive electrical infrastructure. This makes them ideal for both urban railways and remote or underserved areas, ensuring every station can be well-lit and secure regardless of location. As fuel prices rise and the world looks for greener solutions, solar lighting becomes an essential tool for forward-thinking railway systems.

Smart, efficient, and green for rail networks

Urbis Schréder’s new solar lighting range integrates seamlessly with our cuttingedge Schréder’s EXEDRA system, enabling dynamic control and real-time monitoring of lighting networks across railway stations. Authorities can use this intelligent system to optimise lighting levels based on several factors such as foot traffic, location, and time of day. This ensures energy is conserved during low-traffic periods, while safety

and security are never compromised when lighting is most needed.

For railway stations in remote or offgrid locations, where traditional power infrastructure may not be viable, our advanced solar technology ensures that consistent, sustainable lighting is always available. Solar lighting systems are not only eco-friendly but also reduce installation and maintenance costs, providing long-term savings for railway operators. By offering both flexibility and reliability, solar lighting allows rail networks to operate efficiently, even in areas with limited resources.

This integration of solar-powered systems into railway lighting networks is just one example of how Schréder is leading the way in smart, sustainable technology for transportation infrastructure.

Supporting decarbonisation with smart lighting

Sustainability is a key priority for every sector, and rail transport is no exception. As governments and local authorities look for ways to meet carbon reduction goals, energy-efficient solutions become paramount. Schréder’s EXEDRA system plays a critical role in helping railways achieve these objectives. The system enables

real-time monitoring, energy metering, and the management of lighting networks, allowing for significant reductions in both energy use and carbon emissions.

By integrating smart lighting technologies like Schréder’s EXEDRA, railway stations can achieve up to 85 per cent energy savings while delivering excellent lighting performance. This not only contributes to the financial savings of rail operators but also aligns with global decarbonisation initiatives. The shift toward smarter, more efficient lighting is a major step forward in the effort to create greener, more sustainable transportation systems.

Tailored solutions for every area of the station

From platforms and car parks to tunnels and footbridges, Urbis Schréder offers custom lighting solutions designed to meet the specific needs of every part of a railway station. These tailored systems not only enhance the safety and security of passengers and staff but also reduce maintenance requirements and improve the overall travel experience. By providing reliable, well-designed lighting, we help railway operators create spaces that are inviting, functional, and safe.

In line with our commitment to sustainability, many of our solutions now include solar-powered options. These offgrid systems offer reliable, energy-efficient lighting for areas that may not have access to traditional electrical infrastructure. Solar lighting is particularly beneficial for railway

stations with large outdoor areas, offering an eco-friendly alternative that still delivers the same high-quality illumination.

Smart lighting improves visibility, reduces crime, and fosters a sense of safety, giving passengers peace of mind.

LED technology ensures lower energy consumption, increases the lifespan of fixtures, and minimises maintenance costs, reducing the long-term burden on railway operators.

Expanding beyond rail

While our expertise in railway lighting is extensive, Urbis Schréder’s innovation goes far beyond rail systems. Our lighting solutions can be found in a wide range of urban environments, from busy roadways and architectural landmarks to university campuses, sports facilities, and public parks. Each of these environments benefits from the same principles we apply to rail stations: energy efficiency, safety, and sustainability.

Thanks to our new solar solutions, powered by our collaboration with Photinus, we are now able to provide offgrid, energy-efficient lighting to even more areas. Whether it’s enhancing the safety of a busy intersection or illuminating a public park, our lighting solutions are designed to create vibrant, safe spaces that are environmentally responsible. With solar-powered options, these benefits can be extended to areas that previously lacked reliable lighting, opening up new opportunities for urban and rural environments alike.

Innovating for a greener tomorrow

Schréder has always been a leader in integrating cutting-edge technologies into our lighting solutions, and our commitment to sustainability remains stronger than ever. The Schréder’s EXEDRA system exemplifies our focus on innovation, offering seamless control and monitoring of lighting networks. By continuously gathering and analysing data, this system allows railway operators to optimise performance, reduce costs, and enhance the passenger experience.

Additionally, features like remote dimming, motion sensing, and realtime energy monitoring enable smarter, more responsive lighting systems. These technologies make it easier to manage large-scale lighting networks, ensuring that energy is used efficiently, and waste is minimised. With solar options now part of our offering, we are proud to deliver solutions that not only improve functionality but also significantly reduce the environmental impact of lighting infrastructure.

Improved aesthetic and functional value for railways

Schréder’s lighting solutions are designed to seamlessly blend with the architectural and environmental context of each station, enhancing both the visual appeal and functionality of railway spaces. Whether we’re highlighting the architectural features of a historic station or creating a welcoming atmosphere in a modern transit hub, our lighting enhances the overall experience for passengers.

Better-lit environments make navigation easier, improve safety, and create a more pleasant commuting experience. By providing high-quality lighting solutions that align with sustainability goals, Schréder helps railway operators build stations that are not only functional but also environmentally conscious and aesthetically pleasing.

Together, we can create smarter, safer, and more sustainable urban environments. To explore how we can support your vision for connected, safe, and sustainable environments, contact us at sales@urbis-schreder.com

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)

Formed on 1 April 2011, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority is run jointly by the leaders of the ten councils and the Mayor of Greater Manchester

The ten councils (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan) have worked together voluntarily for many years on issues that affect everyone in the region, like transport, regeneration, and attracting investment.

Over the last decade several devolution agreements have been signed between Government and the GMCA. These agreements brought new powers and responsibilities to the region, including transport. To deliver these devolution agreements, it was decided that Greater Manchester should have an elected Mayor to act as a directly elected point of accountability for the GMCA.

The GMCA is both a political entity and an organisation in its own right. The political part of GMCA provides direction, governance, and oversight of the work they do on behalf of the city region for

our residents and businesses. GMCA as an organisation translates that political direction into action through teams of dedicated experts across a range of functions and services.

As a political entity, GMCA comprises the ten local authorities that make up the city region. The Authority is Chaired by the Mayor, Andy Burnham and is led by the Chief Executive, Caroline Simpson. Functional executive bodies, such as Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), are responsible for the delivery of services with the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee (TfGMC) and its sub committees managing the TfGM and creating the transport policy on behalf of the GMCA, however some decisions still require approval by the GMCA. TfGM delivers the GMCA’s transport policies, by coordinating transport networks across the region, deciding where to invest transport funding, and owning and running the Metrolink tram service. TfGM is a key partner in Rail North and Transport for the North.

The GMCA gives local people more control over issues that affect their area. It means the region speaks with one voice and can make a strong case for resources and investment. Their corporate objectives include:

1. Deliver core and devolved services for the public.

2. Secure, and manage, funding and investment at Greater Manchester level for agreed activity.

3. Work with the ten local authorities in Greater Manchester to drive collective activity that puts Greater Manchester at the forefront of tackling social, economic, and environmental issues.

4. Ensure Greater Manchester is speaking with one voice – developing, leading and implementing our evidence-based strategies, building our networks and partnerships and influencing policy.

GMCA coordinates transport services through the public body Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040

Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040 sets out Greater Manchester’s longterm ambition for transport. The vision is for Greater Manchester to have ‘Worldclass connections that support long-term sustainable economic growth and access to opportunity for all’. It sets out a strong commitment to provide a transport system which: supports sustainable economic growth and the efficient and effective movement of people and goods; improves the quality of life for all by being integrated, affordable and reliable; protects the environment and supports the target to be net zero carbon by 2038 as well as improving air quality; and capitalises on new technology and innovation.

The Five-Year Transport Delivery Plan provides the detail of the schemes to be delivered to support progress towards the longer-term ambitions and targets. As additional funding is secured in the future, subsequent updates of the Delivery Plan will identify the schemes that provide the detail for the broad interventions identified in the 2040 Transport Strategy document.

KEY PERSONNEL

Mayor: Andy Burnham

Chief Executive: Caroline Simpson

Head of Communications: Sarah Keaveny

CONTACT INFORMATION

Address: Tootal Buildings

56 Oxford Street, Manchester M1 6EU

Tel: 0161 778 7000

Email: enquiries@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk

Visit: www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM)

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is a not-for-profit local Government body responsible for delivering the transport strategy set by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)

More than 5.8 million journeys are made across Greater Manchester’s transport network each day (excluding walking and cycling). TfGM coordinates transport networks across the region, works with the GMCA and the ten local authorities on the development and delivery of new projects, and owns and runs the Metrolink tram service (the UK’s largest light rail network). It is developing the Bee Network – a high volume, low fare Londonstyle transport system integrating buses, trams, walking and cycling and – ultimately – local rail services.

TfGM builds and manages bus stations and transport interchanges, provides travel planning and timetable information to passengers, and promotes walking and cycling as safe and healthy choices.

TfGM assets include the Metrolink network, with 99 stops and 147 tram vehicles, 36 Park & Ride sites (including rail and guided busway), twelve Free Buses and 52 Yellow School Buses, the Cycle Hire scheme, more than a dozen transport interchanges, and many other properties.

The Greater Manchester rail network is now used by around forty million passengers a year. This is an increase of thirty per cent over the past decade and TfGM has an influential voice in developing the best possible rail services in Greater Manchester.

Following the Trailblazer Deeper Devolution Deal, which was agreed between Greater Manchester and the Government in March 2023, TfGM and the Great British Railways Transition Team are working to deliver a more locally accountable and integrated rail network in the city-region.

Mayor Andy Burnham and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, along with the Bee Network Committee make the decisions for Greater Manchester travel. They aim to make travel easy to use, accessible and affordable, with enough seats and services for everyone, by 2040.

Bee Network

The Bee Network is Transport for Greater Manchester’s vision for a joined-up travel

network that works for all passengers, making it easier to get around Greater Manchester on safe, affordable, reliable services. Around half of Greater Manchester’s buses are now under local control and the rest – in Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and parts of Manchester and Salford – will join the Bee Network on 5 January 2025. Transport for Greater Manchester plan to also bring eight local commuter train services into the Bee Network by 2028.

Since Government announced proposals for the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) in 2021, GM has embarked on the roll-out of a long-term infrastructure pipeline that will see delivery of the schemes set-out in GM’s Transport Strategy 2040.

Whilst the infrastructure pipeline is funded primarily through the CRSTS, other funding streams including Active Travel Funding (ATF), Local Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (LEVI) funding and Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) funding take the overall programme funding to £1.5 billion over the period to March 2027. Coupled with Government’s recent announcements regarding CRSTS 2, GM has the basis of a £4 billion infrastructure pipeline to March 2032.

The principles that underpin the pipeline are built upon Government’s and GM’s shared vision for driving growth and productivity through infrastructure investment; levelling-up services towards the standards of the best; and decarbonising transport, especially promoting modal shift from cars to public transport, walking and cycling.

The programmes that make up GM’s integrated and sustainable transport investment pipeline within the current CRSTS investment period to March 2027 include:

• Development of schemes to expand the Metrolink network, together with Tram Train and guided busway routes.

• Working alongside rail industry partners, to improve the reliability, capacity and customer experience of rail travel –including work to progress and deliver GM’s Access for All (AfA) programme and the first contactless pilot for touch-in/ touch-out pay-as-you-go rail services in Greater Manchester in 2025.

KEY PERSONNEL

Chief Operating Officer: Bob Morris

Managing Director and Finance and Corporate

Services Director: Steve Warrener

Head of Rail Programme: Simon Elliott

Communications Officer: David Stevenson

CONTACT INFORMATION

Address: Shudehill, Manchester M4 2AF

Tel: 0161 244 1000

Email: hello@beenetwork.com

Visit: www.tfgm.com

North East Combined Authority (North East CA)

The North East Combined Authority (North East CA) is the legal body that brings together County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland

The North East CA was formed on 7 May 2024. It is led by an Elected Mayor and Cabinet and covers the seven North East local authority areas of County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland.

The combined authority champions the North East region by collaborating with its partners and the local authorities. It is jointly run by the first North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness and the leaders of the seven councils, meaning every part of the region is fairly represented. The Cabinet also includes a business representative and a voluntary and community sector representative.

Devolution has helped the North East make their own decisions about their own future, so the CA can target investment where it is needed most. It means decisions being taken as near as possible to where they will have an impact.

Under devolution, local leaders will have greater control over funding across this area and be able to take decisions normally made by central government locally on issues such as transport, skills and support for business.

North East Transport Plan

The North East Transport Plan is the North East CA’s current core strategy for transport and sets out the region’s transport aspirations up to 2035. At the time of writing in October 2024, the authority is refreshing its Local Transport Plan and accompanying Delivery Plan to set regionwide ambitions for transport up to 2040.

Projects in the plan include major improvements to regional walking, wheeling and cycle routes, new train stations, investments in bus infrastructure, an extension of the Tyne and Wear Metro to Washington, the re-opening of the Leamside Line and a variety of other major road and rail investments.

Rail plays an important part in the dayto-day lives of many local people. The Rail and Metro Strategy outlines the combined authority’s ambitions up to 2035.

Some of the main actions which the region will take forward include:

• Obtaining a government commitment to increasing capacity of the East Coast Main Line for passengers and freight.

• Upgrading existing networks, adding new stations and routes – including re-opening the Leamside Line and Northumberland Line.

• Extending the Tyne and Wear Metro to Washington.

• Working with Great British Railways to form a new partnership which represents the North East, ensuring local needs are taken into account.

• Introducing new trains – including a more efficient electric fleet on Metro and electric / battery / hydrogen local rail trains.

• Improvements to several regional railway stations including Newcastle and Sunderland and new stations such as Gateshead East.

• A new signalling system for the Metro.

Metro

The Tyne and Wear Metro is a light rail system that serves Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, South Tyneside, North Tyneside and Sunderland. When Metro opened to the public in August 1980 it was Britain’s first light rapid transit system and was the first railway in the country to be truly wheelchair compatible.

The system was progressively opened in phases through to 1984 when the full 34 miles of the original network became operational with the opening of the line into South Shields. In its first year of full operation there were more than 60 million customer journeys. The local rail network was privatised in 1994, however, Tyne and Wear Public Transport Executive (PTE), Nexus as it is now called, kept responsibility for the operation of Metro. Metro was extended to Newcastle International Airport in 1991 and to Sunderland in April 2002.

In November 2017, Nexus secured funding from the UK Government for a new fleet of Metro trains. Stadler, the Swiss train

manufacturer, is building 46 new trains Metro trains, which are set to transform the system for customers.

Leamside Line

The Combined Authority is currently leading a major campaign to reopen the Leamside Line, a disused 21-mile railway line which runs from Pelaw to Tursdale, where it connects with the East Coast Main Line.

The Leamside Line is the most important piece of infrastructure for the economic future of the North East, which is why the Combined Authority is leading the campaign for its re-opening and funding work to kickstart the project on what will become an important part of the national rail network.

The Leamside Line is a project of national importance as the line could provide a diversionary route for the East Coast Main Line – greatly increasing capacity in the North East region.

The reopening of the Line would also provide critical connections – both passenger and freight – to towns and cities across the North East including Washington, the fourth largest UK town without direct rail access.

The Leamside Line would help to drive major economic growth in the North East and enhance opportunities for local people. In 2024, the North East Mayor Kim McGuiness announced £8.6 million to kick start business case work required to re-open the Leamside Line and bring the Metro to Washington.

KEY PERSONNEL

Mayor: Kim McGuinness

Chief Executive: Dr Henry Kippin

Transport Director: Tobyn Hughes

Interim Director of Finance: Mags Scott

Assistant Director for Communications: Huw Lewis

CONTACT INFORMATION

The Lumen, St James' Boulevard

Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 5BZ

Tel: 0191 211 5695

Email: enquiries@northeastca.gov.uk

Visit: www.northeast-ca.gov.uk

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT)

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) is the Regional Transport Partnership for the west of Scotland

The Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive (GGPTE) was created in 1972 to oversee all suburban railways in the Glasgow area. In the 1980s it was replaced by Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive (SPTE). In 1996, the Executive was reincorporated as a body consisting of councillors drawn from the twelve Council Areas which succeeded Strathclyde Region.

In 2006 Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive (and Authority), along with the WESTRANS voluntary regional transport partnership, was replaced by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT). It is part of the transport framework created by the Scottish Government, which is made up of a national transport agency, Transport Scotland, and seven Regional Transport Partnerships. As part of this reorganisation SPT gained responsibility of the region’s transport planning; analysing all travel needs and developing the transport system for now and the future.

The SPT area comprises of the following council areas: East Dunbartonshire, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and the Helensburgh and Lomond area of Argyll and Bute.

SPT’s role involves planning and delivering transport solutions for all modes of transport across the region, in conjunction with our member councils and industry partners. It runs the Glasgow Subway, a host of specialist bus services and is responsible for delivering public transport.

Their aim is to bring together local authorities and other key regional stakeholders to strengthen the planning and delivery of regional transport, better serving the needs of people and businesses across the west of Scotland.

The Partnership consists of 20 elected members representing the twelve constituent authorities in the west of Scotland and between seven and nine appointed members.

Regional Transport Strategy

The Transport (Scotland) Act 2005 placed a statutory duty on the seven Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs) in Scotland to produce a Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) for their area. The RTS influences all of the future plans and activities of the organisation and informs future national and local transport strategies.

The Strategy sets out a strong Vision for transport in the region: ‘The west of Scotland will be an attractive, resilient and well-connected place with active, liveable communities and accessible, vibrant centres facilitated by high quality, sustainable and low carbon transport shaped by the needs of all.’

Rail

Glasgow has the largest network of suburban railway lines in the UK outside of London. SPT is no longer involved in the everyday operation of the rail network. The rolling stock was operated on behalf of SPT by First ScotRail (also part of FirstGroup) until March 2015, since April that same year Abellio ScotRail has operated rail services under the ScotRail brand.

Subway

The Glasgow Subway is the only underground metro system in Scotland. Originally built for the Glasgow District Subway Company, the railway first opened in 1896. The Subway is generally recognised as the world’s third oldest underground railway, after London and Budapest. And the only one that has never been expanded from its original route.

The Subway forms a circle in the centrewest of Glasgow and carries 13 million passengers each year. The entire route is underground, contained in twin tunnels, 15 stations are distributed along the route length of over six miles. Eight of the stations are north of the River Clyde which dissects the circular route.

The Subway is the easiest way to get around the City Centre and West End of Glasgow. Running every four minutes at peak times, it takes just 24 minutes to complete a circuit of the fifteen stations.

'A world-class sustainable transport system that acts as a catalyst for an improved quality of life for all.'

In 1977, Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive closed it for major modernisation works. The railway in its present form reopened for operation on 16 April 1980. Now part of SPT, the railway is one of the few in the UK remaining in public ownership and is ‘vertically integrated’, which means SPT’s responsibility covers all aspects of operation and infrastructure.

In 2016, SPT took a significant step forward in improving its Subway and is currently undergoing its biggest modernisation programme in more than 30 years. A £288 million funding package for the work is being supported by the Scottish Government. As well as the new trains, the Subway’s signalling equipment, control systems and control centre will all be replaced, and the upgrade will include new platform screen doors. Glasgow Subway modernisation continues at a rapid pace. Having now completed all 15 stations including two city centre flagship stations all with the intent to; improve accessibility, introduce more smart technology ticketing, and provide a fresher look to its stations, all while minimising disruption.

Once the modernisation plan is complete, and it has been fully tested, the Subway will move from its current partially automatic trains to Unattended Train Operations (UTO). SPT administers a range of integrated travel tickets, such as ZoneCard, Roundabout and Daytripper giving discounted fares on buses, trains, ferries and the Subway.

KEY PERSONNEL

Chief Executive: Valerie Davidson

Director of Finance & Corporate Support: Lesley Aird

Director of Transport Operations: Richard Robinson

CONTACT INFORMATION

Address: 131 St Vincent Street

Glasgow G2 5JF

Tel: 0141 332 6811

Email: enquiry@spt.co.uk

Visit: www.spt.co.uk

West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA)

Led by the Mayor of the West Midlands, the WMCA brings together 18 local councils and three Local Enterprise Partnerships to oversee the transfer of powers and funding from Whitehall to the West Midlands

West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) was set up in 2016. It aims to make the West Midlands a happy, healthy, place to live by:

• Making it easier and safer to travel in and around the region.

• Using derelict land to build homes.

• Protecting green spaces.

• Making sure young people have education and employment opportunities.

• Working together to support communities and build a fairer, healthier and more inclusive West Midlands.

• Tackling climate change through the WM2041 pledge.

The authority consists of 18 local authorities and four Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) working together to move powers from Whitehall to the West Midlands and its locally elected politicians. It includes the seven metropolitan West Midlands councils (constituent authorities), ten nonconstituent authorities/councils and one observer council, as well as the Mayor of the West Midlands.

The transport arm of the WMCA is Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) which coordinates investment to improve the region’s transport infrastructure and create a fully integrated, safe and secure network. To achieve this WMCA are investing £5 billion across 200 transport projects between 2024 and 2026.

TfWM are also responsible for assessing and planning for the region’s future transport needs so the network can meet the demands of businesses and a growing population. The expansion of the Midland Metro tram system is just one of the many projects that TfWM is delivering to help meet those future needs.

West Midlands Metro tram extensions

Transport for West Midlands are a part of the Midland Metro Alliance (MMA). The MMA also includes design experts and rail construction specialists. Together they are building £1.3 billion of new tram extensions in the West Midlands.

TfWM lead the development of plans for new Metro extensions within the region. They find potential new routes and progress business cases to secure funding and approvals for construction.

The new extensions, expanding the existing network, will improve the region's transport links, as part of wider regional transport strategies. They'll make it easier for passengers to get the tram, from Edgbaston, Digbeth, Dudley, and Wednesbury. They'll also help to support economic and social regeneration in the areas adjacent to the new tramway.

HS2 Connectivity Package investment

The WMCA has been a strong advocate for the planned HS2 line and has put in place a £4.4 billion HS2 Growth Strategy to make the most of HS2 arriving in the West Midlands. As part of this Growth Strategy there is a Local Connectivity Package of 20 transport schemes to effectively ‘plug-in’ the two new HS2 stations to local transport network.

These schemes include the transformational East-West Metro with tram extensions to Dudley/ Brierley Hill and through East Birmingham to North Solihull and the HS2 Interchange station.

West Midlands Rail Executive

The region is looking to reverse some of the Beeching cuts by reopening rail lines to passenger services for the first time in decades. These include the Camp Hill line serving suburbs in South Birmingham and the line between Walsall and Wolverhampton. University station in Edgbaston, is undergoing major redevelopment with new station buildings, bridges and platforms to accommodate the 3.5 million passenger journeys it sees every year. Doubling the capacity of what is already considered one of the busiest railway stations in the country will provide huge safety benefits, improve customer experience, and enable the station to meet future demand, whilst also contributing to tackling the climate emergency.

Local rail services are co-managed by the West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) – a

partnership of 16 local transport authorities – and the Department for Transport under the West Midlands franchise. Services are run by West Midlands Trains (a joint venture between Abellio, East Japan Railway Company and Mitsui) but branded West Midlands Railway.

Levelling Up Growth Prospectus

The blueprint setting out what is needed to level up the region was launched by the West Midlands Combined Authority in October 2022. The Levelling Up Growth Prospectus sets out how the West Midlands Combined Authority is working as a region to tackle the various challenges they face, and how they aim to fire up the regional economy by driving forward a new, green industrial revolution while attracting major private sector investment.

The prospectus looks at ways to expand its existing levelling up programme with:

• New ways to encourage people onto public transport through mobility credit schemes, new e-mobility powers, and a dynamic role in Great British Railways.

• The Levelling Up Growth Prospectus serves as long term vision for the West Midlands.

KEY PERSONNEL

Mayor: Richard Parker

Executive Director of Transport for West Midlands: Anne Shaw

Director of Communications: Siobhan Bassford

Director of Policy, Strategy and Innovation: Mike Waters

CONTACT INFORMATION

Address: 16 Summer Lane, Birmingham

West Midlands B19 3SD Tel: 0345 303 6760

Email: customer.services@tfwm.org.uk

Visit: www.wmca.org.uk

Greater Anglia appoints new Managing Director

Martin Beable has joined Greater Anglia (GA) as its new Managing Director. Martin returns to GA from Transport UK, where he has been the New Trains and Fleet Director since October 2023. He previously spent nearly five years as GA's Engineering Director, where he helped to oversee the full fleet replacement programme and boost GA’s performance. He also led the upgrades for key train maintenance depots at Ilford and Norwich Crown Point and secured excellent commercial relationships with suppliers.

Heathrow Express Appoints New Business Lead Heathrow Express has appointed Aoife Considine, as their new Business Lead. A chartered engineer, Aoife previously worked at Heathrow Express between 2018 and 2020 in the role of Professional Head of Engineering. In this role she oversaw the safe maintenance of the previous fleet of trains, managed the leasing of trains to TfL Rail prior to the introduction of the Elizabeth Line, and supported preparations for the closure of Old Oak Common depot.

New Chair appointed to drive forward major rail reform

The Transport Secretary has appointed Laura Shoaf as Chair of Shadow Great British Railways (SGBR). In the role, Laura will help drive the Government’s overhaul of the railways, bringing senior leaders together to deliver improvements for passengers and work towards a more unified rail system. SGBR will also help design Great British Railways – a permanent body that will oversee railway infrastructure and services.

Arriva Group appoints new management board member

Arriva Group has announced the appointment of Chris Hardy to its management board as Group Business Development Director. Chris joins Arriva having spent 11 years at Mobico (formerly National Express Plc) where he was Managing Director of the Coach Division and prior to that Group Commercial Director.

Kilborn Consulting Limited is an independent railway engineering consultancy and design business, with over 21 years of railway experience.

We specialise in the design of new and altered railway Signalling & Telecoms systems for the UK railway infrastructure.

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