Rail Professional October 2022

DIGITAL RAILWAY

of

& GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

IN

INDUSTRY

Sam Sherwood-Hale editor@railpro.co.uk

Jamie Tregarthen sales@railpro.co.uk

recruitment@railpro.co.uk

subscriptions@railpro.co.uk

Cherie Nugent info@railpro.co.uk

Lisa Etherington admin@railpro.co.uk

DESIGN

Alicia Bannister Lukasz Saczek production@railpro.co.uk

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EDITOR’S NOTE

One of the busiest months in news has just passed by, fresh off the shortlist for the Great British Railways HQ being announced we had a leadership contest for the Conservative party and the subsequent cabinet reshuffle. The Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan was appointed Secretary of State for Transport at the start of last month and Kevin Foster MP appointed Rail Minister just the day before writing – whilst the entire rail industry was occupied with Innotrans in Berlin. Then the morning of writing the new Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng released The Growth Plan 2022 – with many in the media commenting on this government’s positive, ‘go big’ approach. One such comment I saw came from Chief Executive of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) Alasdair Reisne who said ’Ahead of today’s Fiscal Event, we called on the Government to publish an updated pipeline of schemes to enable our members to plan for growth, and it is to be welcome that today’s announcement provides some of the clarity industry requires.’

Stephen Marcos Jones, CEO of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) said ‘Ahead of the statement we called for an assured programme of projects from the public sector to drive growth and support jobs across the UK. This is why we were pleased to see positive steps announced on expediating 100 infrastructure projects and the establishment of new investment zones.’

Following on from that, Rail Partners’ Chief Executive, Andy Bagnall, said ‘Rail Partners welcomes a focus on accelerating delivery of rail infrastructure projects and look forward to detailed proposals.’

Could these detailed proposals include the Eastern leg of HS2 and Northern Powerhouse?

Within these pages you’ll find advice from Marie-Claude Hemming of the CECA who examines the challenges facing the new government and how it will impact the supply chain alongside Chris Cheek who reflects on the composition of the new Government and the likely implications for public transport.

We are focussing on Surveying and Geotechnical Engineering in this issue, with articles from the British Drilling Association and Allan Jamieson of Ordnance Survey. We also focus on Digital Railway with stories from Dyan Crowther of HS2 Ltd, Jo Lawrence of the OPC and Steven Tompkins of Inmarsat.

SAM SHERWOOD-HALE EDITOR

Quality products for modern overhead contact lines

Quality products for modern overhead contact lines

In this issue

11 NEWS

Railtex 2023: A Clear Focus on the Rail Industry of Tomorrow, RIA Urges New PM to Adopt Six-Point Plan for the Future of UK Rail, Rail Wellbeing Live 2022, HS2 Celebrates Chiltern Grassland Transformation, New Transport Secretary, Digital Container Summit, Balfour Beatty VINCI Digitises HS2 Construction Workflows with New Drone Software, Jobs Boost for West Midlands with New HS2 Station Construction Contract, MidWales Railway 10,000 Tonne ‘Rock Armour’ Defence, Swing Bridge Work in East Anglia to Take Place This Autumn

VIEWPOINT

25

Marie-Claude Hemming of the CECA examines the challenges facing the new government and how it will impact the supply chain

27 THE CHEEK OF IT

Chris Cheek reflects on the composition of the new Government and the likely implications for public transport

31

LAYING DOWN THE LAW

Martin on the UK Government's new pensions regulations

39 Eliot Gillings, Policy Analyst at Public Policy Projects believes rail could save supply chain, but first it needs to get its own house in order

41 Chris Hitch of COWI explains why collaboration and reuse will be key to the Transpennine Route Upgrade

45 Andreas Wibowo, Head of Business Development at RedCabin examines the results of the Future of Rail Interiors Survey

FEATURES

47 ELIZABETH LINE

The Nichols team looks back on over three decades of working on Crossrail, having held multiple strategic roles throughout the life of the programme

51 SURVEYING & GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

Richard Fielden, Director of the British Drilling Association describes what the Association’s audit entails

23 INTERVIEW

David Girdler, a seasoned Executive within the Civils sector, joined McCulloch Group in 2021 as CEO. Here he tells us what the McCulloch Group has achieved and how they’re driving the business forward

55

58

SURVEYING & GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

Geospatial data has the potential to change our lives for the better says Allan Jamieson of Ordnance Survey

SURVEYING & GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

When an employee enters a confined space, how can you be sure they will come out alive and well? Fall protection specialist, Alfonso Fernandez explains

FEATURES

60 SURVEYING & GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

Hannah Bailey, of Intoware on unlocking drone image data for Network Rail’s maintenance teams

61 SURVEYING & GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

Andrew Lees, Senior Application Technology Manager at Tensar International on a new design method for geogridstabilised trackbed

65 DIGITAL RAILWAY

Jo Lawrence of the OPC on digital initiatives to help identify quality recruits and improve training success

69 DIGITAL RAILWAY

Peter Prater of Hexagon’s Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial division explains why innovation spending should go towards safety transformation

71 DIGITAL RAILWAY

Dyan Crowther, CEO of HS1 Ltd explains how a new tech partnership is helping HS1 to improve the passenger experience

73 DIGITAL RAILWAY

Steven Tompkins of Inmarsat explains how the Internet of Things is strengthening global supply chains

75 DIGITAL RAILWAY

Fleet downtime can impact transport operators, causing delays which can result in dissatisfied passengers

77 DIGITAL RAILWAY

From IoT sensors and smart monitoring to paperless records and ticketless gate lines, rail is experiencing a tidal wave

81 FIBRE OPTICS IN THE RAILWAY INDUSTRY

Antonio Sequeira, Vice President Market Management Railway explains how to overcome unprecedented demand in the railway industry

84 COMMUNITY RAIL

Jools Townsend, Chief Executive of Community Rail Network explains how the grassroots network is putting social value at the forefront

FEATURES

98 MACHINERY

Ambitious sustainability targets require greener solutions like McCulloch Group’s TRTe™️

101 STATIONS

With Barry Eagle, founder and CEO at GripClad leans on his experience of making train stations safer over the past 20 years to provide insight to current rail professionals

BUSINESS PROFILES

105 Dovetail Games

FEATURES

106 TRAM & LIGHT RAIL

Pre Metro’s Charlie Merrell on how Very Light Rail could assist with the restoration of railway patronage and enable increased connectivity across the county

BUSINESS PROFILES

109 Railway Industry Association

112 Forbo Flooring

115 SPOTLIGHTS

Transport Scotland (Còmhdhail Alba)

North East Combined Authority Transport for Wales

Transport for Greater Manchester Department for Infrastructure (An Roinn Bonneagair) National Infrastructure Commission

BUSINESS PROFILES

122 PEOPLE

Kelly Pepper

Peter Hogg Anneka Hendrick

James Hobson

Rob Taylor

Steve Richardson-Frankton

Marc Donald

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Sustainable Development

Infrastructure Taking Safe Decisions Passenger and Public Safety Workforce Health Rolling Stock and wellbeing Safety Intelligence

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RSSB’s huge body of knowledge is used daily by thousands of our members. So when you want to get up to speed on anything rail-related, make RSSB your first stop.

To explore what’s on offer or register for access, visit rssb.co.uk/firststop

Railtex 2023: A Clear Focus on the Rail Industry of Tomorrow

Taking place from 9 - 11 May 2023 at the NEC, in Birmingham, the UK’s number one event for the entire railway industry will bring together the whole rail community. Railtex 2023 offers a unique opportunity to experience state of the art equipment and innovative systems and solutions. The show will include live demonstrations, as well as an extensive seminar programme focusing on hot-button topics for the industry, such as sustainability, digitalisation, maintenance and passenger experience, alongside the well-established On-Track Display area.

The UK’s railway sector has embarked on a transformational journey, in tandem with the UK Government’s aims to create a greener and more sustainable rail industry. Railtex is the ideal platform for the whole railway industry to meet under one roof and to experience products and equipment in action. The exhibition serves as a forum for attendees to discuss all aspects of infrastructure, technological innovations, digitalisation, safety, and sustainability

across the entire rail supply chain. Exhibitors and visitors attend Railtex from the UK, across Europe and the wider world. ‘Railtex is the place to source new products and usher in business opportunities. The show allows you to discover the latest development in all the areas of the railway industry and an excellent cross-section of technologies and solutions to facilitate the safe, efficient, and sustainable operation of rail transport’ comments Martin Clarke, Railtex Event Manager, on behalf of MackBrooks Exhibitions.

The one-stop-shop event covers all aspects of railway technology and represents more than 180 categories of products and services including rolling stock technology, track and infrastructure, signalling and communications, passenger information systems, vehicle maintenance, fare collection systems, cable technology and many other rail-related sectors.

‘The next edition of Railtex in Birmingham, a city in the heart of the

RIA Urges New PM to Adopt SixPoint Plan for the Future of UK Rail

The Railway Industry Association (RIA) has set out six key priorities for the future of rail, which it is urging new Prime Minister Liz Truss to adopt. Taken together, these priorities would boost economic growth and levelling up, create jobs and facilitate the UK’s journey towards Net Zero.

RIA’s call comes after two challenging years for the industry, with the Coronavirus pandemic impacting both passenger and freight levels on the national network. However, with demand for both passenger and freight journeys returning quickly and passenger numbers now regularly hitting over 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, continued government support and investment is essential to ensuring the necessary increase in rail capacity – both infrastructure and rolling stock – in the years ahead.

RIA’s six key priorities for the incoming Prime Minister to support the rail supply sector are:

1. Ensuring certainty of the work pipeline.

A pipeline of work is the best way to keep

costs down and deliver value for money for the tax and fare payer. The industry needs a clear investment plan for Control Period 7 (2024 – 2029), which, allowing for inflation, is funded to at least CP6 levels, as well as publication of the Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline, the last iteration of which was published well over 1,000 days ago, as at mid-July.

2. Committing to deliver major rail projects. The industry is ready to deliver transformational rail projects, but it needs commitment from the Government to ensure the rail supply sector can gear up and ensure it has the capabilities to deliver. For example, projects such as HS2, including the Eastern Leg and the Golborne Link (or an effective replacement) needs to be delivered in full to get the full benefits of the scheme, and Northern Powerhouse Rail, Midlands Rail Hub, East West Rail and Crossrail 2 all need to be delivered too.

3. Ensuring the transition to Great British

exciting rail developments, will shape up to be another successful show where the rail industry professionals can exchange knowledge and gain more insights about the latest developments within the industry’ says Martin Clarke, Railtex Event Manager, on behalf of Mack-Brooks Exhibitions.

Railtex provides an excellent opportunity to rekindle contacts and will bring prominent industry experts, stakeholders, and decision-makers in attendance, along with the exhibitor presentations and an extensive conference programme. The programme will accentuate not only the opportunities but also the challenges that the industry has been going through, and it creates a chance to expand in-depth discussions about the latest developments in the rail industry.

With an extensive three-day agenda, the conference and seminar programme will bring together key players in the rail industry and will focus on the following topics:

• Passenger Experience

• Sustainability

• Net Zero

• Digitalisation

• Infrastructure

• Maintenance

• Women in Rail

Railways (GBR) is completed to schedule and there is no work hiatus. It is essential the Government ensures that there is no hiatus in current work as GBR is completed. Doing so will ensure projects are delivered promptly and mean that the positive economic impact of the rail industry is maximised.

4. Supporting digitalisation. The industry needs the backing of the Government to digitalise signalling – 65 per cent of current signalling needs to be replaced in the next 15 years – and also to exploit digital opportunities to improve customer service.

5. Decarbonise rail by accelerating electrification, hydrogen and battery trains. For the industry to phase out diesel-only trains by 2040 and decarbonise the railway network by 2050, it needs a commitment from the Government to accelerate plans on rail electrification, as well as support for hydrogen and battery trains on less intensively used parts of the network.

6. Invest in R&D and innovation roll out. R&D and innovation funding and support for its rollout is essential to developing cleaner and more efficient ways of operating the railway. In particular, there needs to be a focus on the deployment of innovation in order to realise benefits.

Rail Wellbeing Live 2022

Rail Wellbeing Live is the brainchild of the Rail Wellbeing Alliance, a crossindustry rail group, made up of train operating companies, suppliers, and industry bodies. The free two-day online event offers everyone in the rail industry the opportunity to come together and connect with industry and high-profile speakers to get inspiration, tips and guidance on how to tackle a wide range of health and wellbeing issues.

Following the huge success of the event, and third year running, the rail industry's largest free health and wellbeing event returns online on 2 to 3 November and is set to be even bigger and better. Like last year, it will be open to Britain’s 240,000-strong rail workforce for free, where results revealed that rail employees experienced 1.5 times higher rate of anxiety compared to the rates seen in the general population.

John Halsall, Chair of the Rail Wellbeing Alliance and Managing Director for Network Rail’s Southern Region, said: ‘The aim of the two days isn’t to say to go to the gym three hours a day, but more if you dial this up, dial that down, do that a little bit different and you will be happier. As well as the impact on the individual, it also saves the organisation a lot of money as sickness costs businesses a fortune, so why not invest in health and wellbeing and stop those things from occurring.

‘We often talk about health and safety on the railway, but what we really mean is “safety”. We haven’t got to the point where we say that health and wellbeing is more important, even though by any metric you care to measure these things by, improving wellbeing will result in staff taking less time off work and often being happier as well. For employers there is a compelling

HS2 Celebrates Chiltern Grassland

Transformation

The transformation of HS2’s largest construction site into a haven for wildlife reached a major milestone with the millionth cubic metre of chalk laid out around the south portal of the Chiltern tunnel. The ambitious environmental project will eventually see 2.6 million

cubic metres of chalk excavated during the construction of the ten mile long tunnels used to create one of the largest areas of chalk grassland in the Chiltern hills. Instead of removing the material by road, it is being used to landscape the site as part of plans to create 127 hectares of new chalk

New Transport Secretary

The Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP has been appointed as Secretary of State for Transport. Anne-Marie was Secretary of

State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade from 15 September 2021 to 6 September 2022. Previously she

Digital Container Summit

The Digital Container Summit (DCS) is the ultimate networking event for the container logistics industry worldwide. This year’s theme is ‘Build your network

reason for investing in health and wellbeing initiatives and the underlying point for me is that a happy workforce is an efficient and a hardworking workforce.

‘So, it doesn’t matter where you work in the rail industry, so long as you have a mobile device or access to a computer, you can join us 2 to 3 November and we really hope you do. All the content is free, so please spread the word as we’d like as many people to benefit from this event as possible.’

Like last year, Rail Wellbeing Live 2022 will address all aspects of health and wellbeing in an engaging, fun way. Simon Weston, a Welsh veteran of the British Army who is known for his charity work and recovery from severe burn injuries suffered during the Falklands War, will be talking about finding opportunity in adversity. Scottish television personality, former model and actress, Gail Porter will discuss her experience of mental health illness, ups and downs of her career, and how she deals with reoccurring bouts of depression. This year there will be sessions in the evening which will cover a healthy cook-along, nutrition for night shifts and mental health.

and tackle global disruptions head on’. The event will feature demos, sessions and talks by industry leaders along with some of the most interesting product announcements

grassland, woodland, wood pasture and wetland habitats. Ninety hectares of chalk grassland will be seeded into re-profiled soil layers. This will sit alongside new areas of woodland, wood pasture and wetlands, including almost 65,000 trees and shrubs of 32 species and nearly 3.5 kilometre of new hedgerows. Around 4.5 kilometre of new footpath, cycling and horse-riding routes will give the public areas to large parts of the site, which sits between the Colne Valley Regional Park and the Chilterns AONB. Field trials are in preparation ahead of final seeding, and planting of trees and shrubs in 2025.

was the UK International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience for the COP26 Presidency between 7 November 2020 and 6 September 2022. She was Minister of State (Minister for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change) at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from January 2021 to September 2021.

by Container xChange which will truly make this year the most ground-breaking for the container logistics industry.

Balfour Beatty VINCI Digitises HS2 Construction Workflows with New Drone Software

carry out drone site surveys, manage aggregate stockpiles and monitor progress of construction. Various 2D and 3D outputs are being generated for sharing with multiple stakeholders, including highdefinition imagery and 3D terrain models. The new software was rolled out across the BBV business to almost 400 users in autumn 2021, including 13 drone pilots.

The major civil infrastructure project spans from Long Itchington Wood tunnel in the south to the West Coast Main Line tie-in near Lichfield in the north, with a major junction into Curzon Street Station in central Birmingham. The main works civil engineering contracts will deliver earthworks, ground engineering and many structures including bridges, viaducts and tunnels along a 90 kilometre stretch of the UK’s new high speed rail line.

We needed the right software to manage an increasingly complex and varied use of drones and meet the needs of multiple teams, from logistics to site managers to engineers’ explained Dan Fawcett, Innovation Director at Balfour Beatty VINCI. ‘New digitised workflows are rapidly replacing traditional, physical working practices and introducing new levels of efficiency, accuracy and safety. On major projects such as HS2, the ROI achieved is significant.’

Esri UK has announced that BBV has rolled out its Site Scan for ArcGIS drone flight management and image processing software, to support its drone deployment strategy on its Midlands section of HS2.

Faster and more efficient drone surveys are already saving around £20,000 a year on monthly construction progress surveys on a single site, instead of using physical surveys and the subsequent updating of CAD models. BBV estimates this could save around £1.6 million if the same workflow

was applied across 80 sites in the first year.

Another benefit has been the removal of 800 ‘working at risk’ days and a cost saving of £30,000 per year from monitoring aggregate stockpiles, using a single drone operator to carry out 3D volumetric measurements in 20 minutes. Previously, contractors would take a full day to physically measure stockpiles and calculate transport requirements, often working in steep and difficult environments.

Site Scan for ArcGIS is being used to

Businesses ‘All Aboard’ for Rail Improvements Shows Survey

Sub-national Transport Body Midlands Connect recently surveyed local businesses representing over 12,500 employees across the region, in a bid to understand how proposed rail improvements could affect local businesses.

A massive 83 per cent of businesses also

agreed that rail improvements would result in them and their employees using services more frequently, even more so than having better station facilities and cleaner trains. Businesses were asked also whether the proposed rail improvements would benefit them, with over 62 per cent of businesses

Other applications of the new software include helping to show compliance with design tolerances in built structures against BIM and CAD models, speeding-up design cycles, particularly in earthworks and excavations design and monitoring the installation of utilities. Site Scan supports RTK drones to ensure highly accurate data capture and point cloud creation. Super-user training for Site Scan is being provided by Esri UK partner Heliguy, the drone consultancy, hardware and training specialists.

Site Scan for ArcGIS is Esri’s cloudbased drone flight management and image processing software, offering flight planning, hardware management, scalable image processing and unlimited data storage, plus seamless integration with BBV’s Esri enterprise GIS system.

agreeing that the proposed improvements would ‘Help the business grow’, 'Support company’s carbon reduction targets’, 'make it easier to meet customers’ and ‘Shorten the commute for employees’.

Just under half of businesses also said improvements would make recruiting new staff and doing business with communities in Wales much easier. The rail enhancement programme would boost line speed to 90 miles per hour with two minor track alignments, as well as signalling improvements along on the line.

Jobs Boost for West Midlands with New HS2 Station Construction Contract

homes and 650,000m2 of commercial space, generating £6.2 billion GVA per year and bringing 1.3 million people to within a 45-minute public transport commute of the station. The station site covers an area of 150 hectares within a triangle of land formed by the M42, A45 and A452. Significant progress has already been made on the site, including the construction of modular bridges over the M42 and A446 as part of a remodelled road network in the area to facilitate access to the new station.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street announced that the contract to build HS2’s eco-friendly Interchange Station in the West Midlands, recently awarded to Laing O’Rourke, will support around 1,000 jobs over the next five years.

This new jobs boost heading for the West Midlands will include 22 new apprenticeship roles, providing exciting training opportunities for local people looking to learn new skills and start a new career on the UK’s biggest infrastructure project.

Supply chain contracts will also be available for businesses in the region,

including construction related services, specialist equipment supply and manufactured components, as well as catering, cleaning, printing and recycling services.

HS2’s Interchange Station will be the catalyst for huge growth plans in Solihull, creating an economic transformation for the region. The plans, being led by the Urban Growth Company, will support 30,000 jobs, up to 3,000 new homes and 70,000m2 of commercial space.

This forms part of the wider UK Central Hub area plans for 70,000 jobs, 8,000 new

In 2023, after an initial twelve-month planning stage, Laing O’Rourke will start the detailed design. HS2’s Main Works Contractor Balfour Beatty VINCI are currently preparing the site, ready for construction to start in 2024. The station is due for completion in 2027 in advance of the railway opening between 2029 and 2033. There will be up to five trains per hour passing through the station in both directions, with an estimated total of 175,000 seats per day, making this one of the best-connected transport interchanges in the country.

ScotRail Boosts High-Speed Cycle Travel

ScotRail is giving more cyclists than ever the chance to travel on its fleet of Inter7City High Speed Trains (HSTs). The train operator’s 25 HSTs are now able to carry up to six cycles, instead of the previous two, which is a trebling of the number of cycle spaces. It means more people will be encouraged to ditch the car and use the train to get out into the open air to experience some

of the country’s most beautiful areas. ScotRail customers who love exploring Scotland by bike have seen a huge increase in the number of cycle spaces on trains. In 2015, there were 932 spaces for cycles on ScotRail trains. Now, there are 1,506, a rise of almost 62 per cent, which means all ScotRail trains now have spaces for bikes.

Mid-Wales Railway 10,000 Tonne

‘Rock Armour’ Defence

A multi-million-pound resilience project has been successfully delivered on the Cambrian Line, making passengers’ journeys more reliable in future. A trio of storms in February 2022 forced the railway between Welshpool and Newtown to close for six weeks while engineers from Network Rail and AmcoGiffen worked around the clock to fix over a dozen washouts caused by unprecedented levels of flood water. To minimise future delays and disruption, Network Rail quickly got to work installing 10,000 tonnes of rock armour along the bank of a-half-mile stretch of the Cambrian

Railway line. The tried and tested extreme weather-buffer had already proved to be a huge success to reduce flooding in other parts of Wales – on the Conwy Valley and near Abergavenny.

Rock armour prevents the ballast – the bed of stones beneath the sleepers - from washing away during extreme storms. It has proven effective in other parts of the railway, such as the flood-prone section of the Conwy Valley railway and near Abergavenny. It means the recovery of the railway following a harsh storm can take days, rather than weeks or months.

Swing Bridge Work in East Anglia to Take Place This Autumn

Network Rail will start work to upgrade electrical and mechanical systems inside three swing bridges this autumn, including for nine consecutive days in late October.

The iconic bridges at Reedham, Somerleyton and Oulton Broad are designed to carry trains over waterways and swing open to let boats through, but they are over 100 years old and their internal parts have become unreliable. During the project,

Network Rail’s engineers will replace these parts, making the bridges less likely to develop faults and reducing the need for costly maintenance.

The upgrade will help Greater Anglia train passengers and boat users get to their destinations on time for years to come, while enabling the historic structures to keep being used in the modern day.

The railway remained open to full service during the resilience upgrades at Welshpool – which involved the installation of locally sourced stone from Cefn Mawr quarry, in Flintshire.

Network Rail is returning, this autumn, to plant short hedgerows in the gaps along the railway boundary, which not only help in slowing flood waters in future, but also provide a continuation to nature’s corridors in the area.

Nick Millington, Interim Route Director at Network Rail Wales and Borders, said: ‘It’s hard to remember how devastating those February storms were, after the recordbreaking temperatures this summer, but we’re always planning ahead to the next extreme weather event, making sure we are prioritising investments that will make our railway more resilient.

The Cambrian Line is a hugely important rail link for the communities it serves, and I am delighted it’s now better protected from the impacts of climate change so we can continue to provide a safe and reliable railway for many years to come.’

Colin Lea, Transport for Wales’ Planning and Performance Director, said: ‘We welcome this investment by Network Rail in making the Cambrian Line safer and more resilient. The work to prevent damage and disruption from flooding will help secure the future of this important route, which provides a vital link for communities in North and Mid Wales. We would like to thank the teams who have been working around the clock on site over recent weeks in difficult conditions.’

Andy Crowley, Operations Director, AmcoGiffen, said: ‘We’re glad we were able to quickly and safely repair the damage caused by the storms in February and, crucially, take further steps to prevent another washout over the coming winter.

The work we’ve just completed at Welshpool means customers will experience better journeys, at a time when reliable public transport is needed more than ever.’

Showcasing the future of

EXPLORE THE INDUSTRY

on industry

perspective of

latest developments and technologies on show as companies look to the future of Britain’s railways.

MEET WITH COLLEAGUES

Modern Railways EXPO brings the industry together to help shape the future of Britain’s railways. The show provides unrivalled networking opportunities, culminating in an exclusive networking reception at the close of the show on Tuesday 22 November, giving exhibitors and visitors a chance to relax and catch up with industry colleagues.

DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF BRITAIN’S RAILWAY

Modern Railways EXPO is the place to discuss the future of Britain’s railways. Conference and panel sessions across the two days will cover key topics, including:

• A keynote address on rail reform from Anit Chandarana, Lead Director at the Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT);

• A session on Train Service Delivery focused on improving operations, sponsored by Resonate;

• A focus on issues around rebuilding revenue and fares and ticketing, including a presentation by Suzanne Donnelly, GBRTT’s Director, Passenger Revenue. the close of the show on

REGISTER NOWfor our excitingnew show!

Britain’s railway

ENGAGE WITH KEY ORGANISATIONS

Modern Railways EXPO is supported by key industry players including Network Rail and the Rail Forum. Engage with these organisations at the show to discover how your organisation can contribute towards the future of Britain’s railways:

• Engage with representatives from a range of Network Rail departments, including seminars, panel discussions and the chance to explore some of the new technology being introduced onto the network.

• Engage with Rail Forum members and join the trade body for a series of workshops covering topics including sustainable supply chains and cyber security issues as well as the inaugural user conference for Hubble, the leading lineside inspection tool used by Network Rail.

Celebrating 60 years

Modern Railways EXPO marks the culmination of Modern Railways magazine’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. For six decades the magazine has been charting key developments in the industry and looking to the future of Britain’s railways. We’ve marked this throughout the year and our show continues this celebration, including opportunities to meet key members of the team behind Modern Railways.

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Growing Rail in a Year of Transition

David Girdler, a seasoned Executive within the Civils sector, joined McCulloch Group in 2021 as CEO. Here he tells us what the McCulloch Group has achieved and how they’re driving the business forward

McCulloch Group has a longstanding reputation for improving work on the rail infrastructure; they’ve been doing so for the last 30 years. With this service milestone looming ahead and the retirement of their previous CEO, founding brothers Billy and Danny McCulloch decided, it was time to appoint an individual with the experience and passion to drive the business forward, building on all they had achieved in the UK and Europe.

David Girdler joined the McCulloch team as Chief Executive Officer in 2021 after holding a range of senior positions in both Scotland, New Zealand and Australia, within Civil Engineering. As a Chartered Professional Engineer, David will testify to his fascination with innovation, particularly within engineering, so McCulloch Group and their products that replace dangerous manual rail tasks were an ideal fit.

Here, David answers questions about his career, the successes of the McCulloch Group, and what he sees for the future of the company.

SSH: Tell us about your career before McCulloch Group – here in the UK and in Australasia

DG: Before McCulloch Group, I mainly operated within Civil Engineering, managing civil infrastructure projects – with almost a decade spent working in New Zealand and Australia. I suppose you could say it was here that I really, ‘cut my teeth’ from the executive side of things. Within my role as Manager for Major Projects in the Northern Region at Downer Group, I took on my first significant opportunity in business development, which led to a role as National Business Development and Strategy Manager for MWH Global (who were later acquired by Stantec). Little did I know at the time, that this decade in Australasia would become so important for my future role at McCulloch!

After a return to Scotland with my family, I took on the role of Chief Officer for Roads at Scottish Borders Council and set up my own consultancy for professional

engineering services. Two roles which I found incredibly rewarding – and brought me back to Scotland, which is home.

SSH: With your more recent experience being in roads, what attracted you to the rail industry?

DG: I had an initial understanding of rail from my infrastructure days in New Zealand and Australia, but nothing too in depth. I’ve found since joining the industry that many of my contemporaries have spent their entire careers in rail – they know it inside out.

I was particularly drawn to McCulloch Group for its focus on innovation. I mean, there are lots of businesses who claim to be ‘innovators’ but McCulloch Group is built on innovation and keep striving to be ahead of the game. Billy and Danny McCulloch saw a problem, created a solution, and the rail industry loved it. They then did it again, and again, and again, solving various problems and 30 years later they have a fleet of

machinery that genuinely improves on-track safety and efficiency.

After fully being across our product capability, the rest was easy. I walked into a company full of collaborative rail specialists; a company where there is a strong sense of team, and everyone is bought into that joint success. It’s something that I find quite special about McCulloch Group as a whole.

SSH: And that strong sense of team is something you want to nurture as CEO?

DG: As I mentioned, McCulloch Group already had a hugely engaged workforce before I joined the team, but with employees up and down the country, in-office and ontrack, we in leadership can never do enough to nurture a strong sense of team within business.

It’s definitely been one of my main priorities for the past year. To bring everyone together we’ve started internal comms programmes, employee reward initiatives and an annual employee

roadshow, where everyone comes together for a day-long event, employee awards show and social event in the evening. We’re also continuing our dedication to employee development. McCulloch Group has a staggering number of employees with long service – stretching across 10, 20 and 25 years. That’s testament to the company, the ethos, and the continual investment in our employees’ futures.

SSH: You mentioned that your experience in Australia was vital to McCulloch’s ongoing strategy. How so? Australia was vital to McCulloch’s ongoing strategy. How so? strategy. How so?

DG: You don’t spend a decade in Australasia without learning about the landscape for projects and how it differs from business in the UK! McCulloch Group had had early signals of international success when I joined – and as soon as I understood the future business pipeline in full, I was certain that Australasia, combined with other international markets, had untapped potential.

Understanding the market over there has helped hugely with the success we’re now experiencing in the Australasian market. With some initial interest in McCulloch products for rail infrastructure projects in

the Sydney area, we exhibited at AusRail –Australasia’s key exhibition and conference for rail infrastructure. We flew out three team members, one TRT™ and one Panel Lifter (4.5 tonnes of kit) to showcase at the event! Success has been such that as of January this year we deployed our first Development Manager to Australia – to make the process for our Australian clients as smooth as we possibly can.

The results of our focused efforts paid off, securing key partners in Australia, including Affective Rail and Laing O’Rourke, both of whom were driving large projects within the wider Sydney Area. We’ve seen similar success in North America – and it’s proving to be transformational for our business.

I’ve spoken a lot about our international business, but I need to mention our domestic success too. Our products are widely used across the UK rail network, as are our contracting services. The UK rail industry has only a few organisations who are responsible for the infrastructure and we’re fortunate to have close working relationships with these companies and key individuals therein.

SSH: With 30 years of successful business now past, what’s next for McCulloch Group?

DG: This one’s simple – our push towards greener rail solutions. Whilst safety has been a huge issue for the rail industry, developments in regulations – and the use of McCulloch products – have seen safety improve exponentially within the sector.

One of the industry’s biggest challenges now, is maintaining the same level of service, across the infrastructure, whilst reaching net zero targets – set out by the responsible organisations and by the government.

That’s why we’ve just launched our first all-electric rail solution – the TRTe™. This machine features all the same exceptional benefits as our TRT™, but with the added bonus that it’s entirely battery powered. Using the TRTe™means a reduction in carbon and a reduction in noise pollution for our partners. It’s a key development in our fleet and one which marks the beginning of something very exciting.

I’ve always been of the mind that you can’t wait for change – you have to be the catalyst yourself. We fully understand the importance of going green and reducing carbon emissions. If we can provide the right, responsible solutions for the industry then we’ll play a big part in that transition. And what better way to mark 30 years of successful business, than investing in the future of the planet?

Marie-Claude Hemming is an experienced communications and policy professional. Having started her career in public affairs consultancy, she moved to a policy role at the Federation of Small Businesses in 2009, before joining as Industry and Public Affairs Manager and undertaking a variety of roles in the business, before becoming Director of Operations in 2021. Marie-Claude is CECA’s media relations and policy lead and has complete oversight of CECA’s communications and public affairs work. She also develops and manages the corporate business plan and is responsible for other operational duties, including the establishment of CECA’s three-year plan.

Economic Impact on the Supply Chain

Marie-Claude Hemming of the CECA examines the challenges facing the new government and how it will impact the supply chain

of the Construction Playbook, the Value Toolkit, Project 13 and other transformative reforms. We also support the principle of Project Speed. As it continues to evolve, we suggest it is also applied to the maintenance and renewals sectors to maintain a growth momentum.

CECA research has indicated that for each £1 billion increase in infrastructure investment, UK-wide GDP increases by a total of £1.299 billion and for every £1 billion of infrastructure construction increases overall economic activity by £2.842 billion.

The Bank of England has predicted that the UK economy will soon fall into recession. This is notably due to the impact of Covid and the war between Russia and Ukraine which is impacting on supply chains and also causing a dramatic increase in energy prices. The impact of Brexit and its effect on the availability of readily available workers, products and materials also plays a role.

New Prime Minister, Liz Truss’ plans to freeze household energy bills this Autumn indicates inflation is unlikely to rise too much further, albeit domestic energy costs will be more than double than last year. Businesses are currently not protected unless they signed a fixed deal earlier in the year. However, a Government announcement on managing energy costs as a business consumer is expected in the coming weeks. At the same time interest rates are rapidly increasing and are anticipated to go even higher at the end of this month.

In response it is likely that businesses and consumers will batten down the hatches and manage as best they can. However, the length of the Ukraine war and energy costs are key to coming out of this recession relatively quickly.

Commentators have suggested that there may be tax cuts in response with little expectation of additional Government spend.

The election of Liz Truss to lead the Conservative Party, and subsequently taking over as the current Prime Minister was announced in early September. In her inaugural speech, Truss prioritised road building and later announced an energy review focusing on managing costs,

committing to new North Sea oil and gas licences and lifting the moratorium on fracking.

Following the period of national mourning, the Government reshuffle will be completed. CECA anticipates that more announcements will be made in the coming weeks with a fiscal event already confirmed for later in September. We are now at a critical time and there is severe concern that with a recession on the horizon, the wrong measures could be taken in an attempt to manage economic challenges.

The construction industry was hit hard by the 2008 recession but generally survived Covid-19. After the crash of 2008, subsequent governments scaled back investment in a range of public infrastructure projects. This led to the collapse of many businesses - and perhaps more importantly – scattered a key workforce into new sectors at home and new roles abroad.

This loss of staff from businesses of all sizes devastated our industry. Furthermore, the then paused projects were more costly in the long term - when governments of the day retrospectively acknowledged their strategic value and were forced to re-procure at much greater cost.

Over the last decade the construction industry has made the case for sustained infrastructure investment. This has been supported by governments and has been reflected in increased spend and the recognition that infrastructure investment goes hand in hand with economic and social growth. At the same time, industry has played its part in the drive to efficient, collaborative and optimum value projects by adopting and implementing the principles

We strongly believe that the new Government must fully commit to existing plans and projects such as the next rail, roads and water settlements and the Integrated Rail Plan. Just as important is continued support in the drive to net zero and energy efficiency. We acknowledge the challenges of arguing for further investment in these difficult times – and we are not doing so – but instead are warning about market decimation and increased long term public cost if existing opportunities and commitments fall by the wayside.

In the short-term we believe that there are three key steps Prime Minister Truss and her team can take now to support our industry and ensure market confidence in the coming months:

• Maintain certainty, consistency and continuity of existing investment programmes.

• Keep faith in recent work to improve commercial relationships and avoid backsliding into adversarial lowestbid culture.

• Work with industry to target business support where it is needed.

We will be attending the main political party conferences this Autumn, where we will be discussing our ideas with Ministers, their Shadows, Parliamentarians and other stakeholders.

If you would like to feed into our policy making process, please email marieclaudehemming@ceca.co.uk

*This article was written prior to the resumption of Parliament but after the period of national mourning.

GO UNDER GO OVER

FURTHER

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Strategic Considerations for Handling Disputes

Ron Nobbs, Partner and Amy Steenson, Managing Associate at Stephenson Harwood examine Disputes under the Access Dispute Resolution Rules

While the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail envisages a –perhaps optimistic – future where there are fewer disputes between industry parties, it is a reality of the operational railway that there will sometimes be disagreements. Where this happens, train operators and Network Rail pre-agree – such as in track access agreements, station access agreements and depot access agreements (Access Agreements) – the process by which those disputes will be resolved. With a few exceptions, this will be the Access Dispute Resolution Rules, or ADRR.

With the process being agreed in advance, it sometimes comes as a surprise that there are still a number of key strategic decisions to be taken when a dispute does actually arise. What are those considerations and what factors might be taken into account in considering the best way forward?

What are the ADRR?

Before considering strategy, it's worth first taking a step back and taking a look at the ADRR. These are a set of rail industry dispute procedural rules annexed to Network Rail's Network Code. Of course, other infrastructure managers have emerged in the industry in recent years – such as HS1 and Rail for London (Infrastructure).

Where the infrastructure manager is not Network Rail, there is usually a similar set of dispute resolution arrangements bespoke to that infrastructure manager which forms part of the Access Agreements. While there will be similar strategic considerations, it goes without saying that it is essential for dispute parties to consider the relevant dispute resolution arrangements, as they may vary from Network Rail’s.

The Access Disputes Committee (ADC) administers the ADRR and appoints the following two key individuals who are integral to the dispute resolution process:

• The Secretary, who supports the parties when the dispute is initiated and allocated to a particular dispute resolution process. The Secretary is also responsible for managing the delivery of the dispute resolution process to which a dispute is eventually allocated.

• The Allocation Chair, who oversees the overall case management of disputes and will determine any disputes which arise in the initiation and allocation stages.

The ADRR include rules which apply to all disputes, such as the ADRR Principles, as well as the rules in relation to commencing proceedings. There are also rules which apply only to the individual dispute resolution processes which are available under the ADRR:

• Mediation.

• Early Neutral Evaluation.

• Arbitration.

• Access Dispute Adjudication (ADA).

• Timetabling Panel.

• Expert Determination.

There are pros and cons to using each of these processes which parties to a dispute will need to consider carefully with their advisors as this will be an important strategic decision to make early on in the dispute process. Sometimes, there will not be much, if any, choice about the route that will be followed.

ADRR Principles

Under the ADRR, all parties – including the Allocation Chair, the Secretary, and

NEWS IN BRIEF

GREATER ANGLIA HIGHLIGHTS RAIL TRAVEL CARBON SAVINGS

To mark Car Free Day on 22 September, Greater Anglia put five of its most popular routes through a carbon calculator to demonstrate the enormous carbon savings that can be made by choosing to travel sustainably.

62.7 MILLION KILOGRAMS OF CO2E

It reveals that over 8.5 million people travelled on the five routes between 1 January and 31 August 2022 and together saved over a whopping 62.7 million kilograms of CO2e from being emitted into the atmosphere. That is equivalent to over ten million tree seedlings growing for ten years.

OVER THREE MILLION PEOPLE AT RISK OF TRANSPORT-RELATED SOCIAL EXCLUSION

New research by Transport for the North (TfN) reveals that 3.3 million people from across the North of England live in areas where there is a significant risk of transport-related social exclusion (TRSE). This study, the first of its kind in the UK, estimates that 21.3 per cent of the population of the North of England live in areas in which there is a relatively high risk of social exclusion because of issues with the transport system. These areas are widely distributed across the North but are particularly concentrated in former manufacturing and mining communities, in coastal areas, and in smaller towns and cities.

3.3 MILLION PEOPLE

Ron Nobbs is Partner and Amy Steenson is Managing Associate at law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP

NEWS IN BRIEF

AMBITION FOR STEP-FREE STATIONS ACROSS LIVERPOOL

Plans to make the Liverpool City Region rail network the most accessible in the UK remain on track as a bid to make ten more stations step free is confirmed. And as part of plans to upgrade the remaining 21 stations, the Combined Authority is nominating 10 of them to be considered by the Department for Transport (DfT) for funding under the next round of its Access for All scheme.

decision-makers such as Hearing Chairs and arbitrators – are required to apply certain principles. These include that:

• Dispute parties must conduct themselves with the objective of resolving the dispute. They must also cooperate with reasonable requests made by the other party to the dispute.

• Every decision-maker must reach their determination with regard to other, relevant, published decisions, and in a timely manner consistent with the nature and complexity of the dispute.

The Allocation Chair and other decisionmakers are required to consider compliance with the ADRR Principles when making any decision in relation to costs, which is intended to make sure dispute parties behave appropriately.

Initiating a Dispute

UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM TO COLLABORATE WITH GLOBAL CENTRE FOR RAIL EXCELLENCE

A new agreement will see railway expertise from academia, government and industry driving forward rail innovation at a world class rail testing centre in Wales. The University of Birmingham’s Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE) and the Global Centre for Rail Excellence (GCRE) have signed an agreement to partner on R&D and innovation activities on the site of the Welsh test centre which is due to open in 2024. The Global Centre for Rail Excellence

KILOMETRE TEST TRACK

was set up by the Welsh Government to establish the facility, in Neath Port Talbot. It aims to offer a ‘one stop shop’ for railway innovation from R&D, through testing and verification, to applied innovation on the mainline passenger and freight rail systems.

BCRRE is the largest specialist railway research, education and innovation centre in Europe and was selected by the Welsh Government to lead the development of a Centre of Excellence for Railway Testing and Validation. This Centre will sit alongside the new 6.9 kilometre test track that is being built at the head of the Dulais and Tawe valleys.

The first step in the ADRR process is for the party wishing to refer a dispute to serve a Notice of Dispute on the other parties to the dispute and the ADC Secretary.

Importantly, the ADRR Notice of Dispute is in addition to any other notice requirements that exist under the Access Agreement between the parties. The parties must comply with all such requirements. For example, under track access contracts, parties are generally required to notify the other as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any event within a year of first becoming aware of the circumstances giving rise to an indemnity claim. A party which has not issued such a notice may face an argument from the other party that the claim cannot be brought because the contractual notice has not been given, even if an ADRR Notice of Dispute has been given. It is vital to ensure all relevant notices are given.

There is no express requirement under the ADRR for parties to engage in preaction discussions before issuing a Notice of Dispute. However, before issuing a Notice of Dispute, parties should be comfortable that:

• A dispute has crystallised between the parties.

• Any other requirements in the underlying Access Agreement – such as entering into negotiations in relation to the claim –have been satisfied.

Allocation Process

An unusual feature of the ADRR is the Allocation Process, where the dispute resolution process is determined:

• Following issue of a Notice of Dispute, the parties have an opportunity and will, impartially, be encouraged by the Secretary to agree which of the dispute resolution processes will apply.

If agreement is reached by the parties to the dispute, this is formalised in a Procedure Agreement.

• If the parties do not agree a Procedure Agreement within 28 days of the Notice of Dispute, an Allocation Hearing will be convened. The Allocation Chair will

seek to facilitate agreement between the parties, provide any view the Allocation Chair has on the most appropriate determination procedure and in some cases determine that the parties have no choice as to the process.

• If there is still no agreement within seven days of the Allocation Hearing, and the Allocation Chair has not determined that there is no choice on the process, the Allocation Chair will determine that the dispute is referred to the default dispute resolution process. This is ADA under the latest version of Network Rail's ADRR, but was previously arbitration.

Strategic considerations

A failure to agree the dispute resolution process could ultimately lead to the default process being adopted – so this should be at the forefront of minds during the Allocation Process. If the default ADA process is adopted:

• After the ADA determination is delivered, key documents from the proceedings will generally be made public, whereas in arbitration or mediation, documents would generally be confidential.

• An ADA determination is binding subject to appeal to arbitration. Unless agreed otherwise in a Procedure Agreement, parties have an automatic right to appeal an ADA determination, whereas in a mediation the outcome would be a nonbinding view as to the likely outcome of the dispute. An arbitration award would be final and binding and subject to appeal in the courts only in very limited circumstances.

• A Hearing Chair in an ADA will normally be supported by two independent railway Industry Advisors, which may be beneficial where the dispute is technically complex in an industry-specific way.

• An ADA process may be more informal and the timetable more compressed than if the parties had agreed to arbitration.

• Commencement of an ADA may not stop limitation – which is the time period within which a party must bring its claim – running, whereas commencing an arbitration would.

While some parties may prefer ADA for its flexibility, there is clearly a wide range of factors to take into account when considering the approach to take to dispute resolution. So, while the ADRR sets out a process by which disputes will ultimately be resolved, there are plenty of strategic decisions which still need to be made. Disputes are rarely an easy period for industry parties and while the ADRR provide a framework within which the dispute will be dealt, there is still plenty for parties to consider.

THE CHEEK OF IT

by Chris Cheek

Uncertain Future for Rail as Tories Swing Right

month consultation on the bill’s contents. This came as something of a surprise since the outline of the government’s plan has been clear ever since the launch of the new plan in May 2021. It was assumed that the fifteen months since had been occupied by drawing up the necessary legislation. Not so, it seems, since June’s consultation sought ‘views of all those with an interest in our railways, to help shape these reforms’. The consultation sought views on three main areas of the proposed legislation, being:

• The establishment of GBR, including its proposed functions and duties and how the government proposed to legislate and work with stakeholders to enable the new organisation to become the single guiding mind for the railways

• How to ensure clear accountabilities in the rail sector through a new governance framework, including the regulator’s role in providing independent scrutiny and challenge

Though swept aside by the death of the late Queen and the period of national mourning that followed, the business of politics has now resumed, and the new Prime Minister Liz Truss can complete the appointment of her administration as well as delivering on her promises to deliver tax cuts and reliefs for small businesses and consumers from the energy price crisis.

These will have been announced by the time you read this article, but what is likely to be less clear are the consequences for the future of public transport of the new Government’s policies. On the one hand, the massive cost of the energy bail-out and promised tax cuts dwarfs any spending supporting public transport; but on the other hand, savings will surely have to be made somewhere in order to appease a very sceptical City and keep the huge borrowings flowing into the government’s coffers.

On the one hand, the signs may not be promising – especially for big projects such as HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail. Truss herself whilst Chief Secretary to the Treasury was famously unkeen on HS2, whilst her new economic adviser Matthew Sinclair was on record as opposing the scheme whilst in a previous role as Director of the right-wing pressure group Taxpayers’ Alliance. During the Tory leadership contest in July this year, she committed to completing Northern Powerhouse Rail but refused to commit to restoring the eastern leg of HS2 into Leeds.

A more interesting question may well be the fate of the Shapps-Williams plan and in particular the promised legislation to establish Great British Railways (GBR), the planned new ‘controlling mind’ for the industry. The Bill figured in the Queen’s Speech (for the third time) on 10 May this year, and in June the DfT began a two-

• Reform of wider industry structures and processes needed to deliver transformation and ‘a new industry culture’, which DfT said should include a new Passenger Champion role for Transport Focus as well as proposals for open data sharing.

So despite the apparent certainty of previous statements on the subject, it seems that significant details concerning the form and function of the new organisation are still up for decision, giving ample room for those voices in the Treasury and on the Tory right who have been sceptical about the whole plan. There is still said to be opposition to the permanent transfer of revenue risk back to the taxpayer whilst also giving GBR sole power over fares and ticketing. The Competition and Markets Authority has already fired several warning shots across the bows of DfT in its response to the consultation, published in August. They noted that the proposed legislation would result in diminished competition for passengers whilst also expressing

Chris Cheek reflects on the composition of the new Government and the likely implications for public transport

concern about GBR’s proposed powers to enforce inter-TOC co-operation, which they considered might be in breach of the competition legislation.

It has also been suggested in some quarters that there may be a touch of foot-dragging going on in Marsham Street amongst civil servants unwilling to relinquish the degree of day-to-day control they currently exercise over the network, or anxious to postpone any action until after their retirement. How accurate such suspicions might be is open to speculation, but it is clear that the whole reform process has progressed at a snail’s pace, especially compared with previous railway legislation in 1993, 2000 and 2005.

To come then is the whole process of getting the Bill through Parliament, which may not prove to be an easy task – especially if a sizeable chunk of right wing Tory backbenchers oppose the Bill, whilst the Government’s majority in the House of Lords is never entirely secure. The previous legislative timetable is bound to slip with the introduction of major Bills to give effect to the government’s capping of energy prices for both consumers and businesses, as well as the procedures necessary to give effect to the promised tax cuts.

Meanwhile, the May and Johnson

governments’ record on and commitment to projects to upgrade and electrify the network in pursuit of Net Zero and modal shift looks decidedly poor, with frequent changes of plan and stop-start projects, especially in the Midlands and the north. The TransPennine upgrade is a good example of what has gone on and was the subject of a highly critical report from the National Audit Office published in July this year.

The current plan was announced in May 2021 after ten years of discussions, scope changes and arguments, after the then Chancellor George Osborne had first announced the electrification of the route. He said in the 2011 Autumn Statement that this would proceed, at a planned cost of £290 million, with a completion date of 2019.

According to a highly critical report published in July by the National Audit Office, work on the upgrade first started in 2015 but was then paused. ‘Since 2017, the Department has repeatedly altered the scope of the Programme to meet differing ministerial priorities and budget constraints’ the NAO noted. As a result £190 million of the £1 billion Network Rail had already spent on the project was on work no longer needed.

The most recent iteration of the plans, published last year in the Integrated Rail

Plan, abandoned the idea of a new line via Bradford to the east of the Pennines, focussing instead on building new alignment between Manchester and Marsden, but thereafter improving the current route via Huddersfield and Dewsbury. In May 2021, DfT forecast that the upgrade would cost between £9 billion and £11.5 billion in cash terms and that it would be completed between 2036 and 2041.

However, during one of the Tory hustings in Leeds at the end of July the new Prime Minister Liz Truss made a commitment to building the full Northern Powerhouse Rail scheme, telling party members that the project was ‘absolutely crucial for the future of the north of England’. Despite the scaling back announced in the Integrated Rail Plan last November, Transport for the North and the local authorities continue to lobby for the full high speed project. If Ms Truss is true to her word, we could well see yet another revision to plans – though how a business case could be made for the project, and where the money might come from, is less clear.

All of which means that there will be plenty to discuss, chew over and speculate about in this column and elsewhere during the coming months. Interesting times, yet again.

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LAYING DOWN THE LAW

by Martin Fleetwood

New Pensions Regulations

Most companies operating in the rail sector will have a company pension scheme in operation for their UK employees. A number of these are defined benefit schemes which are closed to new members and are heading towards maturity. The Government is amending regulations which affect the funding of these closed defined benefit schemes and has recently launched a consultation on its proposed changes to the Occupational Pension Schemes (Scheme Funding) Regulations 2005. These proposed changes are contained in the draft Occupational Pension Schemes (Funding and Investment Strategy and Amendment) Regulations 2023 (‘Draft Regulations’).

Part of the Draft Regulations introduces a specific requirement that deficits should be cleared as soon as the employer can reasonably afford to do so. This is to make sure that sufficient assets are available to cover all relevant pension liabilities of the scheme. Once the new regulations come into force, all relevant employers will need to follow the requirements of these regulations, so it is important that employers take part in this consultation to help shape the provisions that will apply to them.

Schemes to move to a ‘low dependency’ on their sponsoring employer

The Draft Regulations contain a number of specific terms which help to establish a set of key principles which pension scheme trustees must follow when setting the funding and investment strategy of the relevant scheme.

1. ‘Low dependency’ – the scheme is not expected to need further employer

contributions to fund accrued pension rights. This should occur when the scheme is ‘significantly mature’, with the scheme invested in assets which broadly match income with benefit payments made to pensioners under the scheme and for those assets to be highly resilient to short-term adverse changes in market conditions.

2. ‘Significant maturity’ – occurs when a scheme's level of investments has reached a point where it roughly matches the relevant pension liabilities of the scheme. The period to reach significant maturity will be set by the Pensions Regulator (TPR) in a Code of Practice, with the consultation suggesting that this is likely to be a period of 12 years.

3. ‘Relevant date’ – broadly the date on which the scheme is expected to (or did) reach significant maturity.

Limiting scheme risk

The trustees' funding and investment strategy (FIS) will be required to specify the funding level the trustees intend the scheme to have achieved as at the relevant date and the investments the trustees intend the scheme to hold on that date. At each review of the FIS the trustees will be required to review and, if appropriate, revise the relevant date. This may also flow into the funding obligations of the employer to help ensure that the relevant date requirements are met.

Schemes also have a ‘journey plan’, relating to the scheme's planned progress under its FIS as it moves towards the date on which it will reach significant maturity. On reaching significant maturity the scheme should stay at low dependency on the employer, but the consultation seeks

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.

views on whether limited risk taking should be permitted if supported by high quality contingent assets (e.g. cash in an escrow account).

The Draft Regulations set out principles regarding the level of risk that can be taken, both in relation to scheme investments and actuarial assumptions. A key principle is that more risk can be taken when the employer covenant is stronger. This is the financial ability of the scheme's employer to support the scheme, and also the level of support provided via any legally enforceable contingent assets. The length of time before a scheme is expected to reach significant maturity is also a factor.

Forming a Funding and Investment Strategy

The Draft Regulations require the scheme trustees to produce a FIS which must include the following matters:

• The way in which the trustees intend that scheme benefits will be provided over the long term.

• The actuary's estimate of the maturity of the scheme as at the effective date of actuarial valuation, and how this is expected to change over time.

• The proportion of assets intended to be allocated to different categories of investments at the relevant date and along a scheme's journey plan.

• Level of investment risk that the trustees intend the scheme to take over the course of the journey plan, and how investments comply with requirements for sufficient liquidity.

• What action trustees intend to take if identified risks materialise.

• Actuarial assumptions used, how the discount rate may change over time,

Martin takes the opportunity to comment on the UK Government's new pensions regulations

IN BRIEF

MOBILE CONNECTIVITY ON JUBILEE LINE MADE PERNAMENT

BAI Communications (BAI) has completed the first milestone of its rollout of high-speed mobile coverage across the London Underground as it launches a permanent 4G service on the eastern section of the Jubilee Line. Customers of Three and EE are the first to be confirmed to have permanent access to 4G and 5G-ready communications between Westminster and Canning Town. The connectivity has been available as part of a pilot service since March 2020. This follows agreements made last year by both mobile operators to join BAI’s network, making them the first to cement their commitment to providing coverage to London Underground passengers.

and how the level of risk taken complies with the risk principles set out in the regulations.

• An assessment of the employer's covenant strength and any changes since the last review.

• Any comments that the employer has asked to be included in the FIS statement.

Trustees will be required to submit their FIS statement to TPR along with the actuarial valuation. The FIS will need to be reviewed following each subsequent actuarial valuation and as soon as reasonably practicable after any "material change" in the circumstances of the scheme or its employer. Material changes include a change in the value of the assets of the scheme relative to the value of the liabilities, the maturity of the scheme, or the strength of the employer covenant.

The Draft Regulations specifically provide that deficits should be cleared as soon as the employer can reasonably afford to do so. They also require an actuarial valuation to include the actuary's estimate of the scheme's funding level on a low dependency funding basis as at the valuation date.

Timely responses required

The current consultation runs until 17 October 2022, and the changes to be introduced by the new regulations are dependent on TPR's new defined benefit funding code (DBF Code) being in force. A consultation on the DBF Code is due in Autumn 2022 with the new DBF Code becoming operational from September 2023. As timescales may change, the new regime will only apply to actuarial valuations with an effective date after the DBF Code comes into force.

The Draft Regulations signal a move to a more prescriptive funding regime, with schemes that no longer admit new members expected to have a clear ‘end game’ and a strategy for achieving that. The express requirements for DB schemes to target low dependency and to seek to eliminate deficits as soon as affordable mean that employers will not have the power to force trustees to adopt high risk funding strategies.

Although details of the TPR's DBF Code have not yet been published, and the consultation does not address managing a scheme which has no prospect of achieving low dependency before reaching significant maturity, it is still important for all affected employers to get involved in the consultation.

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Eliot Gillings is a Policy Analyst at Public Policy Projects

A Nesting Doll of Supply Chain Disruption

Eliot Gillings, Policy Analyst at Public Policy Projects believes rail could save supply chain, but first it needs to get its own house in order

blockers that will need to be surmounted.

Chief amongst these blockers is the capital cost of upgrading rail freight infrastructure. It goes without saying that the creation of new logistics sites with the capability of handling strategic rail freight interchanges is very expensive – the newest of these sites in the UK (being built by Oxford Properties Group and Logistics Capital Partners) is set to cost around £1 billion. However, the cost of developing new infrastructure should not be an insurmountable obstacle, provided the appropriate policy drivers are put into play.

Severe strike action was a cause for supply chain anxieties across the UK and Germany this summer. However, while the bulk of the media’s attention centred on the public’s fear that goods would disappear from shelves, and that the strikes could precipitate a wave of industrial action across western Europe, discussions of how supply chains could gird themselves against future disruptions seemed to fly under the radar.

While the Ver.di ‘warning’ strike certainly exacerbated disruptions at North Sea ports this summer, the ultimate cause of delays was not the availability of workers. Similarly, amid rail strikes in the UK, Network Rail reacted by giving freight trains carrying critical deliveries priority over passenger trains – opening more opportunities to relieve the pressure on overwhelmed seaports. However, these measures still were not enough to preclude the possibility of food and fuel shortages.

The blame for delays at seaports, and the precarious position of global shipping, ultimately lies with our collective reliance on ‘just in time’ processes. During the Covid-19 pandemic, as increased safety protocols became necessary, many manufacturers temporarily downsized operations. As the supply chain gradually reacted, this created a domino effect that has precipitated significant disruptions, and even greater consumer anxiety. But instituting a more flexible and reliable supply chain will not be possible without rail freight taking on more responsibility.

In the simplest possible terms, any lasting solution to supply chain woes will involve a reframing of logistics. This

may include moves towards increased stockpiling, material diversification, and improved data sharing. It will also demand better cross-sector communication. As the International Transport Forum remarked in a report published earlier this year, ‘combining enhanced rail utilisation with a reduced intermodal dwell time through cross-sector asset-sharing may encourage significant shifts from other modes of transport to rail, thus creating opportunities to lower CO2 emissions.’

As such, while rail has the advantage of being the most efficient land-based transport method by some margin –according to the Rail Delivery Group and Deloitte, each tonne of freight transported by rail produces 76 per cent less carbon emissions compared to road – the rail sector must target significant improvements in communication to make a crosssector impact.

Fortunately, we are at the right time for that discussion. The European Commission’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy is aiming to deliver a 50 per cent increase in rail freight usage by 2030 (and a 100 per cent increase by 2050). To serve these projects, groups like CargoBeamer are looking to build 20 new freight terminals in Europe over the next 10 years. The UK is also in on the act, with the third phase of the Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT) project underway. This transition moment provides a unique opportunity to consider how to maximise communication and asset-sharing and embed these principles into the infrastructure that will serve a reinvigorated rail freight industry. However, there are clear

There is also the matter of improving communication within rail’s supply chain. Train operators currently do not consistently share detailed information about the volume of material used in depots – nor are they required to clarify what that material is being used for. Similarly, requirements for suppliers to flag when parts may not be available, or to pattern stocking levels after the feedback given from customers, are not consistently established as industry standards. Establishing clear standards for asset and data sharing should, therefore, be a priority for policymakers alongside increasing investment inflows. While a significant portion of the infrastructure to collect and share the data needed to offer clarity on the volume and application of material usage is presently amiss, a collective focus on improved data sharing would likely improve efficiency in the short-term.

While the Whole Industry Strategic Plan is still being formed, disruptions within the supply chains should serve as a reminder of the importance of rail freight, and the importance of provisioning for an expansion in demand that can be served by an extensive rail freight network. A key consideration will be the creation of a single voice for the industry, but while such a voice has been promised it remains unclear how that role will function.

What is becoming increasingly clear, however, is that instituting consistent standards for industry-wide information sharing and reviewing will be essential to maximising the utility of rail, and gradually unlocking supply chains. In the simplest possible terms, rail freight has a fantastic opportunity, but also a tremendous responsibility, to grow to deliver a more efficient and more sustainable supply chain. While the capital cost may be high, and awareness may be low, rail freight is the only way to get supply chains back on track.

‘freight transported by rail produces 76 per cent less carbon emissions per tonne than by road’

Chris Hitch is COWI Deputy Geotechnical CRE for Project W2B and W2C on the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) and project manager for COWI. The Upgrade is funded by the Department for Transport and delivered by Network Rail, through dedicated alliances and project teams.

Open Collaboration on the Transpennine Route

Chris Hitch of COWI explains why collaboration and reuse will be key to the Transpennine Route Upgrade

Nine years ago, I was living in York and working in Leeds. Every day, I used the Transpennine line to travel to work and back; more often than not, it was really busy.

It’s hardly a rare story. For me it was only 25 minutes, so a short-lived discomfort but for others it was a bigger issue, and growing, as the number of commuters increase along with the British population, which is now at 67 million.

The Transpennine Route Upgrade is working hard to change the reputation of this commute and improve connectivity across the North. One of the largest investments ever made to rail in the North, the multi-billion-pound upgrade scheme will deliver improvements to the section of railway between York and Manchester Victoria. Improvements will include new faster and more frequent trains to provide increased capacity and reliability. There will also be station improvements to provide passengers a better travel experience and to make them more accessible. The full electrification of the line will also deliver a cleaner, greener way for people to travel, reducing England’s carbon footprint and improving air quality.

The mammoth upgrade scheme includes 76 miles of railway, 23 stations, dozens of bridges and viaducts, six miles of tunnels, and 29 level crossings. COWI is working as part of the supply chain to the TRU West Alliance – one of three alliances working on the upgrade, responsible for delivering upgrades to the line between Leeds and Manchester Victoria. The TRU West Alliance is split up into several geographical subprojects, all of which are at different project lifecycle stages, sitting somewhere between

option selection and actual construction. However, there is one key throughline making sure that every element is uniquely efficient and future-proof in the face of extreme scale and an ever-growing scope: the concept of reuse.

Reuse of infrastructure

Supporting on the project’s technical design, including providing expertise in key areas such as tunnels, geotech, drainage, and lineside civils, COWI’s central guiding principle has been waste-not-want-not: to reuse existing infrastructure where possible. This means a) more efficient use of resources, and b) more sustainable use of resources.

We are also making sure that these structures are around for generations to come, designing the Transpennine Route Upgrade so that the line is resilient to evolving requirements, like accessibility, and future impacts, such as climate change.

For example, anyone who has been to the Pennines will know that the area can get very wet. The section of the route through the Pennines – which is within the project’s remit – is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of high intensity rainfall, with large catchment areas and steep ground. These combined conditions have the potential to cause significant damage to the railway infrastructure. We have considered this at every step of the design, particularly when it comes to earthworks and drainage, to ensure the resilience of the route as temperatures rise and extreme weather events become more frequent.

Of course, upgrading existing infrastructure rather than building afresh brings its own challenges with it; namely, avoiding disruption to existing

rail services during the project’s lifespan. We have supplemented this approach with streamlined, alternative infrastructure solutions to help mitigate the impact to travellers as work continues.

Reuse of ideas

With over 30 years of rail and tunnel experience in Civil and Structural Engineering, COWI was delighted to join the TRU West Alliance in 2017 – to share our own ideas, and leverage the diverse, innovative knowledge of others, embracing collaboration to ensure the best outcomes for the project.

The TRU West Alliance has been working to forge an open, collaborative working environment. If something has worked for someone else, we use it again. This sort of knowledge-sharing breeds efficiency, which means better timelines, delivering outcomes to customers sooner. It also allows for improved problem-solving, which is essential in a project of this scale and complexity.

This has been particularly helpful when it has come to the task of electrifying the full stretch of rail. The topography of the Pennines means that sections of the line are very exposed and remote, which has made for a challenging process. Open collaboration with all partners and stakeholders has been essential to ensuring we account for every possible obstacle and consider every possible solution in the final design.

Making a difference

As of writing I will have been back on the Transpennine line, heading to a meeting in Manchester. It’s always nice to look around and know you are working to improve the experience of those regulars you seem to frequently catch a ride with. The thought that my children and their children will be able to sit comfortably from York to Manchester and back is also exciting. It might sound fairly mundane in the scheme of things, but a seat on a 68-minute train ride (currently 78 minutes) means they might be able to pull their laptop out and get some study or work done, have a rest, or just daydream through the Pennines in comfort, enjoying the scenery.

It's the little things that make a difference to people. But it’s the big things that make a difference to the world, and the fact that such a significant infrastructure project has a sustainable, climate-resilient design is definitely a big thing, which makes me proud of the role that COWI are playing in delivering it.

‘It's the little things that make a difference to people. But it’s the big things that make a difference to the world’

Edward Hodson is Chair of the IOSH Railway Group

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HS2 Ltd’s graduate programme has helped to launch the careers of more than 50 former students since it first

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Report Seeks to Relieve British Railway Workers

Ed Hodson, Chair of the IOSH Railway Group, has recently worked with the RSSB and the rail industry to produce guidance on improving staff toilet facilities on the railways

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34,000 jobs, with a programme of works spanning two decades as the railway extends from London, through the Midlands and on to Manchester.

The British billionaire, entrepreneur, world record balloonist and commercial astronaut, Richard Branson, never gave sounder advice: ‘If you’re embarking around the world in a hot-air balloon, don’t forget the toilet paper.’

Safety risks and consequences

• Drivers leaving locomotives for emergency relief while it’s not safe to do so.

• Issues of personal security in isolated locations.

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It’s one of those sayings that gently convey the message without, thankfully, going into too much detail. However, the reality is that there are few more distressing things than needing to go, but not having the opportunity to do so. Imagine being in this predicament not only when you’re working remotely for long hours, but when that work is driving a train. This how it is for some workers.

I led the technical research for a project with RSSB’s Principal Strategy Implementation Manager, Darryl Hopper and in collaboration with RSSB’s Rail Wellbeing Alliances (RWA). This culminated in the production and publication of the guidance document – ‘Guidance on the provision of employee toilet facilities on Great Britain’s Railways’.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires that significant risks be assessed and this includes that the planning of work should take personal needs breaks into consideration. My report, however, shows that such needs are not always met on our railways. There are three areas of ‘significant risk’ caused by a lack of access to toilet facilities for those working on the railways:

• Safety risks and consequences.

• Health.

• Equality and diversity.

• Adverse hot weather and the threat of dehydration from having to limit fluid intake.

• Anxiety and distraction caused by not being able to go to the toilet.

Health

• Biological – menstrual cycle, pregnancy.

• Managing disability.

• Medical conditions – restricting fluid intake can lead to kidney and urinary tract infections.

• Stress through the loss of personal dignity.

Equality and diversity

• Railways have an older workforce – we all need to go to the toilet more often as we get older.

• A lack of toilet facilities is made even worse for women during their menstrual cycle.

In researching the report, it became clear that many drivers still have to use a bag or bottle for an emergency ‘comfort’ break. Some admitted to urinating from a cab and others to using the side of the track (in Germany, a train driver was found dead with his trousers open, several hundred metres from the train, after he was thought to have fallen out of the locomotive on opening the door to relieve himself from the train as it

travelled at 70mph). A hard hat was used when no other receptacle was available. This kind of ‘making do’ impacts railway workers in a variety of ways:

• Emotional and physical (occupational health).

• Work-related.

• Behavioural.

Emotional and physical (occupational health)

• Stress and anxiety through a loss of dignity and self-esteem.

• Unnatural eating and drinking practices leading to health issues, including urinary infections and dehydration.

• Exacerbation of existing health conditions.

Work-related

• The risk of misjudgement or poor decision making.

• A lack of management support (either direct or indirect) damages morale.

• Loss of focus and concentration.

Behavioural

• Breaking rules to meet personal needs.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) states that: ‘It is our responsibility to ensure that those responsible make Britain’s railways safe for passengers and provide a safe place for staff to work.’ Most rail employers recognise circumstances when the lack of toilet facilities is an issue but work on their organisational culture in this regard is required in some cases. An ageing, mostly male workforce has become used to the lack of provision and learnt to ‘get by’ rather than demand better facilities for all.

Employees should be encouraged to report their concerns over toilet facilities and to use the existing channels to do this – through their line management, safety representatives or the confidential reporting service for transport and infrastructure, CIRAS.

Written policies and procedures won’t solve the problem on their own, but they will at least show that the lack of toilet facilities has been recognised. Organisations need to monitor provision and address observations through an assurance system such as ORR’s Risk Management Maturity Model (RM3), and practical solutions should be sought for the present, medium term and future.

Some innovative solutions have been

identified but they need to be shared across the sector. The industry needs to work together more and avoid working in isolation through multi-contractual arrangements in a fragmented infrastructure. Positive collaboration is taking place in RSSB groups like the RWA, all supporting the ‘Leading Health and Safety on Britain’s Railway’ strategy, and so tapping into the fruits of their labour is essential. More can be done to design-in solutions with suppliers. For example, locomotive manufacturers do not make provision for toilet facilities, unless these are specified.

Workers with additional needs or disabilities must also be considered and reasonable adjustments made, recognising of course that not all disabilities are visible. Provision must be made for all workers in the industry as it promotes equality and diversity no matter how remote they may be working.

Notwithstanding the commercial benefits, the advantages from access to permanent, mobile and on-board toilet facilities cannot be underestimated in a progressive rail industry. Most things are negotiable – the use of a toilet (and remembering the toilet paper) is surely not.

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Andreas Wibowo is Head of Business Development at RedCabin. Andreas is passionate about rail interiors and the development of new technologies to enhance how we travel, using his extensive experience in global conference management to create the RedCabin Summit series that supports the creation of new interior innovations that enhance how we travel.

Time for a New Track

Andreas Wibowo, Head of Business Development at RedCabin examines the results of the Future of Rail Interiors Survey

More than 64 percent of rail professionals believe a lack of cross-industry collaboration is preventing new interior innovation from transforming the onboard passenger experience, according to the inaugural Future of Rail Interiors Survey.

While more than 70 percent of respondents (made up of C-suite executives from the world’s largest train operators, manufacturers, design houses, and suppliers) believe the carriage interior is the most important element of the entire passenger experience, the ability to easily reach decision makers is preventing positive change.

Better together

Traditionally, rail travel offers a great sense of adventure and has provided passengers with a more social and relaxing experience than other forms of transport. However, the pandemic has fundamentally changed passenger expectations; hygiene, privacy and accessibility are now as important for the onboard experience as comfort and safety.

Unlike other modes of transport that have embraced collaboration, rail interiors –particularly in Europe and United States – have remained largely the same in recent decades, while aircraft cabins, for example, have moved on considerably in terms of design (lay-flat beds, suites with doors, onboard showers), materials, and technology (Wi-Fi and inflight entertainment). With some passengers still anxious about stepping back onboard the rail network, reimagining the onboard experience could give people a new reason to fall back in love with rail travel.

All change please

Many respondents to the survey highlighted the somewhat conservative nature of the rail

industry as a barrier to innovation. An over reliance on existing interior designs, layouts and ideas means ‘blue-sky’ innovation has not always been embraced, with rail travel favouring evolution over revolution.

Couple that mindset with postpandemic budget constraints and complex (but extremely important) certification standards, it can be an uphill battle to change the status quo – one that requires investment of time, money, and expertise. This is especially true in areas where a lack of competition between operators means there is no external pressure to innovate.

However, things are beginning to change. The demand for cross-industry collaboration is growing on the back of several high-profile multi-partner projects, such as the recent £117 million Pendolino refurbishment undertaken by Avanti West Coast, Angel Trains, and Alstom; the Intercity Day Train interior from ÖBB created in partnership with Siemens and the UK’s Priestmangoode, and the new Amtrak refurbishment featuring new driver cab concepts from dos Santos and Deutsche Bahn.

Then there is the Ideenzug (‘Ideas Train’) from Deutsche Bahn too. A series of collaborative concepts developed by crossindustry specialists is guiding the industry on what the next generation of rail interiors could look like and how it can use new technologies and materials to reimagine the passenger experience.

But there is more that can be done.

Setting a new course

As the industry looks to create the next generation of interiors, more than two thirds (69.6 per cent) of respondents believe flexible interior layouts featuring dedicated modules for work, socialising, and relaxation are what passengers want most. This was followed by wider aisles with revamped luggage storage (11.1 per cent),

touchless technologies in communal spaces and lavatories (7.4 per cent), and doors or larger seat shrouds/headrests for additional privacy (seven per cent). But how can we –as an industry – make this vision a reality?

The best place to start is to actively promote cross-industry knowledge sharing between experts across the supply chain, covering everything from sustainable material development and accessible interior design to complex engineering and manufacturing. Earlier engagement between designers, operators, manufacturers, and regulators will enable them to identify major industry challenges and develop new products and partnerships to solve them.

As an industry, we can then streamline our approach to innovation and work much more cohesively to make rail travel safer, more accessible, and sustainable for everyone. This is not about throwing out the existing rulebook, but about writing a new chapter – one that is fit for the new world we now live in.

By pooling the resources, experiences, and knowledge of experts from multiple disciplines, the rail industry can embrace new ideas, approaches, and technologies, working towards the creation of new products, partnerships, and ideas to enhance rail travel for us all.

To connect key stakeholders with pioneers and organisations capable of addressing their needs, RedCabin has established the Railway Interior Innovation Summit – the world’s only summit dedicated to rolling stock interiors. This year the Summit takes place on the 8th and 9 November 2022 in Frankfurt – hosted by Deutsche Bahn. For more information, please visit: www.redcabin.de

‘An over reliance on existing interior designs, layouts and ideas means ‘blue-sky’ innovation has not always been embraced, with rail travel favouring evolution over revolution.’

Transformation on London’s Newest Railway

The Nichols team looks back on over three decades of working on Crossrail, having held multiple strategic roles throughout the life of the programme

Crossrail is one of the most complex infrastructure programmes in the world, connecting contemporary and historic transport systems to deliver a railway that meets the needs of London today and long into in the future. When the first part of the Elizabeth line officially opened at the end of May, it heralded a new era of connectivity for the capital which will only get better once the full railway is in service.

It was also a big moment for Nichols, having worked on the programme for over 33 years. Our founder and guiding star Mike Nichols’ involvement began with the first feasibility study into the programme back in 1989, and we have continued to provide support on the programme ever since.

Nichols’ experience on Crossrail is unique, having held multiple strategic roles throughout the life of the programme. Our involvement for over three decades has enabled a focus on three key outcomes: direction, alignment, and commitment.

In this piece, we explore these outcomes through our involvement in different aspects of the programme: risk, assurance –programme and technical, and testing and commissioning

Risk management

On a programme as significant as Crossrail, proper risk management – a more proactive approach to potential future events – was core to success.

Nichols established the Programme Risk Function in 2009. Our introduction of the Active Risk Manager tool, helped embed a proactive risk management culture recognising, understanding and controlling risk. Applied throughout the programme, the approach consistently reinforced the focus on active mitigation and control.

In 2010 all major infrastructure projects and programmes were included in

a comprehensive spending review (CSR). Project Horizon was established to reduce its anticipated final cost and enable it to continue as a viable programme. A key aspect was to deliver a significant reduction to the Programme Risk Exposure. In six months, we were able to reduce the risk exposure profile by £990 million – a significant cost saving which helped enable the programme to meet the CSR requirements and continue to be built.

Assurance – Programme and technical Nichols was instrumental in developing a Programme Assurance Framework for Crossrail in 2019. Alongside risk management, successful programme delivery, and assurance, is vital to ensuring success.

The framework, which was revised in 2021 to include the assurance of the operational readiness and transition from Crossrail as a programme to the Elizabeth line operational service, enabled a riskbased approach to proactively scan, assess, and report on: confidence in delivery, adequacy of assurance coverage and potential threats to objectives. We then made recommendations for management intervention to reduce or eradicate the risk.

By looking across the entirety of the programme, including the readiness of all parties critical to the success of the new line, Nichols was responsible for coordinating and integrating across all three areas of Crossrail and Rail for London Infrastructure’s programme assurance.

Leading a team of experienced, multidisciplinary and independent technical advisors, we conducted a series of Targeted Assurance Reviews for areas where risk was deemed to be high. Other assurance was conducted on a continuous basis through attendance at meetings, interviews with individuals, reviewing performance reports and other relevant documentation. The

role also coordinated and integrated across the ‘Integrated Assurance Framework’, undertaken through a monthly Elizabeth line Programme Assurance Group forum chaired by Nichols.

As well as providing programme assurance, Nichols also had responsibility for integrated schedule, budget, scope, risk and quality of the technical assurance aspects of the programme delivery, accountable Crossrail’s Technical Director.

Overseeing the technical integrity of the programme, as well as the processes and systems that sit within it, Nichols was responsible for leading a team of over 60 assurance engineers to achieve trial running, operations, and passenger service on the Elizabeth line. Our team both defined and led the programme of technical assurance deliverables for each configuration state which enabled the Infrastructure Managers who were preparing to receive and operate the railway to accept each stage.

To support the delivery of this aspect of assurance, Nichols developed a resource profile model to understand the assurance activities associated with all Crossrail stations, shafts, portals and route wide systems to identify potential resource shortfalls. This model was actively used to identify resource gaps and recruit

engineers to assist with the technical assurance activities. This enabled us to successfully change the way technical assurance was planned and delivered whilst we simultaneously delivered the Crossrail Engineering Safety and Assurance Case.

This work meant Nichols was instrumental in enabling Crossrail to demonstrate to the Independent Safety Panels that the railway was safe, reliable and fit to enter revenue service, leading to it successfully receiving the ‘Authorisation to Place into Service’ letter from the Office of Road and Rail.

Testing and Commissioning

A final piece of the Crossrail puzzle was testing and commissioning. A complex part of this was the existing processes, given that visibility of testing observations from site to management in a timely manner wasn’t easy.

To solve the problem and enhance the speed of visibility, Nichols experts developed and implemented an app for testers to log observations live from site on their mobile or tablets. The app, which was known as the Testing Information Management System, took just four weeks to implement. By feeding data into an online visualisation tool which could be configured to meet

the end user requirements, processes were more efficient, and costs were reduced. This improved the quality and integrity of information and enabled the quick identification of headlines suitable for management attention and timely intervention.

Subsequently, other Crossrail teams noted the benefits of this solution and adopted it in their areas, for example off-site testing and testing logistics and management. By the time the Elizabeth line opened, the test team had raised over 13,500 logs and achieved 100 per cent coverage of known train and signalling faults using the solution. They had a consistent understanding of the issues, transparency of issue ownership and resolution and clear insight into the testing performance for the client and the operators.

Our involvement across the Crossrail programme has spanned decades, multiple teams and organisations with a clear strategic focus on three key outcomes: direction, alignment and commitment. The challenges were perhaps greater than any other programme built in the UK in our lifetimes. Ultimately our experience and involvement has proven what we already believed at Nichols: At the core of a successful programme or organisation, are

its people. By helping to create a culture of collaboration, underpinned by effective and efficient sharing of knowledge and data, we were able to help create the high performing, strategically focused teams needed to deliver Crossrail. There is never just one solution on a programme this complex – the requirements have varied from technology solutions in the form of apps to supporting a more diverse approach to thinking and delivery.

The Nichols involvement has been as varied as the programme itself, but we believe our involvement means the legacy the programme leaves behind is much more than the stunning stations, greater connectivity, or better customer experience for millions of travellers. It has created a culture and approach to complex programme management which embraces the diversity and collaboration needed; alongside the systems, technology, and processes; to deliver infrastructure programmes of this scale and complexity. It is not just a major programme which will stand the test of time but an approach that will enable future programmes to be even more successful.

Written by Wilson Manson, Joan Buszewska, Bernard Fanning, Kevin Cooper, Alex Thomas

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Railroading Quality

Richard Fielden, Director of the British Drilling Association describes what the Association’s audit entails

All sectors within which the drilling industry works have their own unique requirements, but it is perhaps the rail sector more than any other that presents the most challenges. In fact, railway infrastructure poses a wide variety of unique environments in which to undertake ground investigations, many of which requiring innovative thinking combined with adapted rigs, plant, and equipment. Of course, risk is present on all rail projects, just like any other sector, but with so many other factors present, it is risk, or more specifically its

minimisation that has to be engineered and educated out.

Managing risk is a multi-faceted task but having British Drilling Association (BDA) trained and accredited staff on site is ultimately ‘one less thing’ to worry about during the delivery of what are extensively and meticulously planned projects.

The complexity of rail infrastructure projects means what may be considered a minor inconvenience during a standard ground investigation could ultimately mean the shift or in some case the whole project being postponed. It is these pinch-points

during rail infrastructure projects that often require unique approaches, developed collaboratively with all parties involved and therefore rail project managers need to be confident that the proposals and solutions offered from the driller’s side are based on a proven knowledge. Such solutions must always fall within often legislated standards and methodologies, and of course, the BDA Audit is proof of such adherence.

In fact, the single most important and effective proof of competence of the drilling team on any rail infrastructure project is the BDA Audit. It is proof the drilling company

is not only committed to improving efficiency, health and safety and standards, but will demonstrate these through the work they undertake on site. And the BDA Audit has evolved considerably in recent years and now carries that all-important thirdparty accreditation through the Minerals Product Qualification Council (MPQC) and brings the BDA Audit fully in line with BS22475-2&3.

The BDA Audit is also in line with Network Rail’s own desire for better quality ground investigation data as well as being echoed in its drive for safe working practices, high standards of workmanship, and compliant and certified equipment. Of course, the BDA Audit fully supports, and quality assures this aspiration and proves compliance with machine safety standards and regulations, recognises the skill and achievement of drilling staff, and allows companies to fully comply with the documented expectations of the recently republished Thomas Telford, UK Specification for Ground Investigation.

BDA member Geotechnical Engineering is a good example of the benefits of having BDA Audited drillers, having worked with Network Rail over many years. In fact, its slope climbing dynamic sampling and rotary drilling machines were designed and manufactured to enable better quality ground information to be obtained from embankments and cuttings, right across the rail network and to meet the complex demand of typical rail infrastructure environments. Often, investigations were historically frustrated by the excessive costs and complex logistics of working in remote sites and the need and expense of scaffold platforms for conventional plant, crane lifts for access etc., and the alternative lightweight, handheld, or small, tracked equipment, also had significant limitations from borehole depth, access difficulties, and data quality perspectives. Shallow refusals in difficult ground were common, sub-samples were generally of a lower quality standard from a technical (Eurocode) and laboratory testing perspective, and slopes were challenging to climb and work on.

The ability to deploy slope climbing equipment also improved safety standards when operating on cuttings and embankments, as it was no longer necessary to bench out working platforms by hand, the slope climbing chassis was equipped with sufficient space to provide a flat work area. The platform hand rails, and toe boards provide protection form the risks of working at height. The addition of temporary stairs further improves the access to and from the machines when positions are on the steepest slopes.

Another good example of BDA innovation was the recent work BDA member company Dunelm undertook on behalf of Network Rail, at Doncaster Railway Station. Specifically, Dunelm was requested to undertake a ground investigation for a railway bridge replacement scheme at the

station. The specification required boreholes to be advanced to rockhead or competent strata with in-situ Standard Penetration Tests (SPT) and Super Heavy Dynamic Probing (SHDP). Recovery of samples for geotechnical laboratory testing was also required.

The investigation was undertaken on Platform 8, which was located at the furthest point from the station access and as such access to the borehole locations was challenging, with the route passing under the station through an underpass and series of narrow doorways and pedestrian lifts.

In addition to the difficult access, the work was required to be undertaken at night to reduce the impact on the busy railway station and given the proximity to Network Rail’s infrastructure, the rig was operated and supervised by Dunelm’s in house PTS certified drilling team.

With the many above ground investigation requirements and access constraints, the obvious choice of rig to undertake this ground investigation was a bespoke modular windowless sampling rig, which once assembled, has the exact capability as a standard tracked windowless sampling rig.

Innovatively, the rig was fully dismantled and mobilised to the borehole locations in sections, using a suitable wheeled trolley and reassembled once at the location of the boreholes on platform 8. The rig could then be quickly moved between each borehole location without being fully dismantled, offering advantages of safety, speed, and efficiency. Being able to get competent staff with appropriately designed and certified equipment onto an awkward position,

where working times are hugely restricted, to obtain high quality, reliable data, should never be underestimated. The BDA audit scheme is the only independently certified mechanism that can provide this assurance for all Client bodies in the UK currently.

The BDA Audit also has several other what may be considered non-tangible benefits too, such as the recognition it offers employees within a business. By endorsing work practices, technical knowhow, quality and compliance standards, as well as record keeping, employees are motivated to perform better, with a sense of pride in doing the job correctly.

Specifying site investigation specialists, or drillers, which adhere to the correct standards and procedures, as defined by the BDA Audit, will minimise risk and has also the knock-on effect of raising industry standards more widely, which is not only good for the drilling sector, but also for the success of all rail infrastructure projects.

Richard Fielden is Director of the British Drilling Association

‘The single most important and effective proof of competence of the drilling team on any rail infrastructure project is the BDA Audit’

The Past, Present and Future of Location Data

Data linked to location, known as geospatial data, has the potential to change our lives for the better, improve our economy and create jobs says Allan Jamieson of Ordnance Survey

The geography of the spaces we live in, work in and move through is fundamental to our everyday lives. It impacts how we get around, our education, how we communicate with one another, our productivity and our access to healthcare. Simply put, unlocking the power of location unleashes insightful data, and delivers huge benefits to society and the economy.

As the national mapping service of Great Britain, Ordnance Survey (OS) presides over the largest and most authoritative geospatial database in the world. Since 1791 OS has captured and maintained this database which now contains half a billion geographic features and is updated over 20,000 times a day.

Location data is now so ubiquitous that every adult in Great Britain interacts with OS location data an average of 42 times a day. From apps on our phones to the gas, water and electricity in our homes, our home deliveries, our broadband services and all of the essential public services we rely on like the emergency services, public transport and waste collection.

The rail industry is no different. Location data has been pivotal in its past and present and will increasingly feature in its future.

Network Rail

As you can imagine OS has a longstanding relationship with Network Rail, which dates back to 1999. At this point Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was recognised

as a key component of the company’s integrated systems strategy. Network Rail’s corporate system, the ‘GI Portal’, now provides a valuable central resource available across the business.

In addition to its internal operations, Network Rail supplies OS location data to contractors to support a wide range of projects, including renewals and maintenance of things like the line, embankments and trees. This geographic information is crucial and typically involves modelling where the lines are, informing them what is on the ground near the tracks, route planning and essentially providing the most comprehensive understanding of the impact this will have on the environment and citizens.

3D mesh imagery of rail infrastructure in Exeter

As an organisation that qualifies to access OS data under the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA), Network Rail has become a big user of the OS Data Hub. They are habitual users of datasets like OS MasterMap Topography Layer, OS AddressBasePlus, OS Raster Base Maps, OS Imagery and OS Terrain 5.

OS MasterMap is used for multiple purposes across Network Rail including designs, base maps and identifying features that predominantly sit alongside the railway. This is then used to enhance their own datasets that show Network Rail assets and shared with multiple suppliers that are working on behalf of Network Rail.

OS AddressBasePlus is an important dataset for them because they use this for locating infrastructure and locations where Network Rail has an interest. This has been used in the past for Network Rail to be able to inform homes next to the rail network (known as lineside neighbours) of planned engineering works to make them aware of the potential for excess noise.

Location data is even used by Network Rail in ways people wouldn’t even imagine. Incredibly, they often need to contact lineside neighbours with trampolines and ask them to secure them in the event of strong winds as these are often blown onto the rail network causing a significant safety risk and delays. They also use it to identify Network Rail office locations and welfare facilities to produce products that display these locations and aid Network Rail personnel in being able to identify their closest location.

Moreover, Network Rail imagery is limited in the extent that it only extends to 60m either side of the Network Rail property boundary, so they use OS Aerial Imagery to give them the complete picture. Crucially, it can also be used to look at change detection across the rail network.

OS data has also underpinned work carried out by numerous other rail providers

or projects such as HS2 and East West Rail.

Rob MacDonald, GIS Manager and CDE Development PM at East West Rail Company, said: ‘The OS Data Hub has significantly improved the way we, as a company, interact with the data that OS supplies. We predominantly use OS data for its OS Master Map web services but as more data is available we will be very quick to adopt it.

‘It has proved incredibly useful for occasions when people across the business require access to raw data as we can add multiple admins. Having data as web services saves hundreds of work hours each year by not having to download, process and republish data. It also ensures we are always looking at the most up to date information. We look forward to future developments of the OS Data Hub.’

The art of the possible

Most of what Network Rail and other providers use location data for will not come as a surprise for a lot of people. But what about the future? Location data is helping underpin numerous new initiatives that will benefit individuals, business’ and also the environment.

Modelling freight networks is one such initiative. Although there is generally good data available on freight moving in and out of the country (such as at ports and key terminals), there is little data available on how freight moves within the UK, such as its location, type and path of cargo, and across multiple modes of freight transportation. Better data about the UK’s freight network could enable a range of policy and planning interventions, such as enabling freight consolidation and modal shift away from road-based transport. The Department for Transport (DfT) has recently completed a freight data hub discoverability project to explore the potential to improve freight data accessibility and use.

With the right access to data, e-commerce and delivery companies could be helped to make better use of the rail network, reducing pressure on congested roads. Large quantities of goods are transported long-distance across the road network in the UK. Much of this travels across similar and predictable routes, which could be rationalised and transferred to the rail network with the right combination of data, facilities and brokers. This would also benefit the environment, as the current CO2e emissions estimate for a freight train is 27.8g per tonne kilometre, compared to 107.5g per tonne kilometre for an average laden HGV.

At OS we are currently working on 3D modelling for general infrastructure, which

is suitable for roadside and the railway network. Our aerial imagery is used as base data for generating 3D models and we are exploring how we can automatically extract 3D features/objects from these. Because these image-based models are generated from aerial imagery, which is flown with much more repetition than our standard imagery, this allows us to automate some of the features such as lamp posts and other features which are not currently in our OS Master Map product.

The benefits of this could be extremely beneficial for the rail industry, and enhance their existing asset management, line of sight analysis and planning ability. Moreover, as they already have extensive light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data, the 3D models we could produce may provide a complimentary and wider contextual model at a reduced cost.

Finally, we are also aiming to deliver a topologically simplified rail network. This means that we do not represent all the rail tracks within the network. Currently the rail network is represented with a single line (visually) but includes lots of attribution like:

• Gauge – broad, narrow, standard.

• Railway description – main line, monorail, funicular, or tram (tram is captured and represented as part of the rail network too).

• Physical level – underground, surface level or overhead.

• Direction of travel.

• Primary use – freight, freight and passenger or passenger.

• Railway stations names.

A simplified network will not only help us better understand the connectivity of places, people and goods, but users can also review all other travel corridors and compare other travel options giving service planners an understanding of accessibility. Further benefits could be achieved when used with routing software to provide multi-modal travel analysis.

Not only can location data provide the railway industry with a better understanding of their network and assets, but it can help them run smarter, greener, more efficiently and ultimately join up with other forms of transport to create reliable multimodal travel.

For more information on the PSGA and the OS Data hub visit osdatahub.os.uk

Allan Jamieson is Data Standards and Governance Lead, Ordnance Survey

OS Master Map image of Guilford train station.

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Confined Space Entry: Think Beyond the Obvious

When an employee enters a confined space, how can you be sure they will come out alive and well? Fall protection specialist, Alfonso Fernandez explains

In what is potentially one of the most high-risk scenarios an individual can face at work, there is – literally – little room for error. Its dangers go way beyond the obvious, with a wide variety of conditions and factors at play – and many a surprise awaiting the unprepared. Selecting the right fall protection PPE (personal protective equipment) to address every eventuality is vital. So is planning for every type of emergency.

Falling from a height is already well established as industry’s biggest cause of fatal accidents for workers. In the UK alone, there were 35 such deaths in 2020/21, accounting for a quarter of all fatalities at work. Falling within a confined space adds extra dimensions to that hazard.

European statistics for fatal injuries specifically involving work in confined spaces are less readily available but reports from the United States give some sense of the risk. One of these gives a nationwide figure of 1,030 deaths between 2011 and 2018. Amongst these, 156 were due to falls.

While fall protection is the focus of this article, there are many other confined space entry (CSE) hazards from which workers need to be protected. Along with the necessary PPE, working in this environment requires robust safety protocols, checks and emergency plans. Importantly, these apply not only to those entering confined spaces but to those supporting them from outside and, in the event of an accident, carrying out rescues.

Confined spaces and their hazards

A confined space in this context can be described as one which is fully or partially enclosed, large enough for a worker to enter, but not designed for continuous occupation. It has limited means of entry and exit, and its nature is such that serious injury due to conditions or substances present is a foreseeable risk.

An archetypal example of confined space entry is the manhole through which workers access an underground sewer. However, there are many other examples, such as chambers, tanks, pits, tunnels, pipes, shafts and ducts. They are found everywhere, from water and sewage systems to mines, manufacturing plants and all types of building.

In addition to falling, workers can be struck by objects or bump into walls and obstacles. Depending on the space’s location and use, they may suffer from oxygen deficiency or be overcome by toxic or suffocating gases and vapours. In some cases, there are risks of drowning in liquid or being buried by solid materials. Hazardous chemicals, fires and explosions, as well as extremes of heat or cold, are further possibilities.

These are all hazards and workplaces with which MSA is very familiar, and for which the company provides a full range of PPE products.

Fall protection kit for CSE

A fall protection kit for confined space entry contains equipment for two main purposes:

1. Arresting falls.

2. Rescuing someone who has fallen or is in some other way injured.

PPE users, suppliers and legislators seem to give less attention to the second aspect than the first. This is worrying, as survival in the event of an accident depends on forward thinking, a clear rescue plan and a fully trained and equipped team.

The kit starts with an anchor – usually a tripod or davit – to which lifelines and other safety devices can be firmly attached. These will include a fall arrest system, whose braking limits the distance and speed of falling. A self-retracting lifeline (SRL) is often used for this.

If a worker needs to be lowered into and out of the space instead of climbing, a winch

is needed. The winch will also be employed for rescue if a worker falls. Alternatively, the team can use a product known as a ‘rescuer’, which serves both as an SRL and as a rescue and retrieval device. In all cases, the lifelines attach to a safety harness worn by the worker.

The combination of PPE and procedures deployed may have to be adjusted according to what the team finds on approaching the confined space. Consider the typical scenario of a street sewer manhole. If a ladder is absent or in poor condition, a normal SRL will not be sufficient for safety. In this case, a winch will be necessary to enable safe lowering and raising of a suspended worker.

Is the legal minimum enough?

There is no EU legislation specifically relating to work in confined spaces. However, the Framework Council Directive 89/391/EEC of June 1989 covers all aspects of safety and health at a workplace. It places a duty on employers to consider the specific characteristics of every workplace.

Some European countries do have their own local confined space regulations. The PPE used for such work is covered by EUwide regulations, which are also adopted by the EU state members and UK.

For tripod anchors, which provide an economical and more portable alternative to davits, the relevant certification is EN 795. Importantly, if two workers are to be connected to the tripod, you must check its label to ensure it has been tested to take the weight of two people. For SRLs and rescuers, EU 360 certification requires testing for personnel weights up to 100kg. MSA goes beyond the legal requirement, by testing to 140 kg, for an extra margin of safety.

The worker inside the confined space must be accompanied by another, positioned outside, who will be the first responder if a problem arises. There is a risk that this person could also fall into the space. They therefore require the same set of

PPE, including fall protection. Erecting a safety fence around the space entrance is an option, but not always possible, so it’s common that the second worker has to attach to the tripod.

Expect the unexpected

Minutes and even seconds count when accidents strike in confined spaces. The injured and/or unconscious worker needs be rescued without delay by their team. In addition to any other danger, they are likely to face a rapidly diminishing and contaminated air supply.

Given that both the inside worker and the colleague above might potentially fall, at least one other fully trained teammate should ideally be available nearby to assist. Rescue plans for every conceivable situation must be established, understood and rehearsed to ensure rapid response to any emergency.

Winches and other retrieval devices, including rescuers when in rescue mode, are not treated as PPE in legislation. They should be tested to the standard required by EN 1496, but there is no actual certification. Under EN 1496, there are two classes: A and B. Class A devices only winch upward. Class B devices, like MSA’s rescuer, also allow downward manoeuvring, which is useful when negotiating obstacles and optimising the casualty’s body position.

Ideally, the rescue should be executed from outside. Sadly, many deaths have resulted from colleagues entering enclosed spaces to help teammates. According to US researchers, around 60 per cent of CSE fatalities are rescuers. Where entry is unavoidable, the rescuing worker must be protected by PPE against all hazards.

On reaching the injured worker, they will attach a line to the casualty’s harness. Harnesses should be approved to EN 361 standard, while those for rescue should also be approved to EN 1497. MSA’s V-FORM harness is specially designed with shouldermounted D-rings which simplify attachment of a rescue line and keep the victim in a vertical position for easier lifting through narrow manholes. This product is certified to EN 361 and EN 1497 standards.

The harness can be used in conjunction with an MSA spreader bar, certified to EN 354:2010, which gives further flexibility. It features loops which may be fastened to secure the victim’s arms and maintain a compact posture for easier retrieval.

Safe choices

As the advice above emphasises, you should always think beyond the obvious when preparing for confined space entry. This means having plans and PPE in place to deal with all eventualities. Equipment tested and certified to the required standards is a must, but you should be prepared to go further than the legal minimum for greater certainty and safety. Remember, too, that certification of a product does not make it suitable for every situation. Always seek advice from an expert.

When choosing fall protection PPE for confined space entry, compare more than the prices. Will a cheap version really give the same level of performance and safety? Does it make any sense to buy high-quality gas detection equipment, for instance, but then skimp on fall protection? Choosing lower-priced PPE is also a false economy in many cases. Poorer-quality products have a higher whole-life cost of ownership in terms of servicing, maintenance, repair and frequent replacement expense.

For fall protection PPE users, there may be a preference for the lightest kit available – which may not be the safest. This can be a dangerous distraction, as safety should be the top priority. Low weight should not be set above preserving lives. In the case of harnesses, comfort can be achieved without

compromising on safety. Look for a design that avoids bulkiness, chafing, overheating or restriction of movement. Adjustability is essential too.

Alfonso is a Marketing Manager at MSA with over 15 years of experience in the PPE industry. Focused on fall protection applications for works at heights, he is passionate about how innovation can make a safer world.

Unlocking Drone Image Data

Hannah Bailey, Business Development Director at Intoware on

unlocking drone image data for Network Rail’s maintenance teams

Maintaining overhead line equipment (OLE) that carries electricity at 25,000 volts to power electric trains is highly challenging for Network Rail’s works delivery teams. When inspecting live overhead wires, its engineers are required to climb poles to get up close for asset audit inspections. This potentially dangerous procedure has been overhauled thanks to a ‘connected worker’ trial that combined drones and digital workflows to ensure worker safety, reduced equipment failure and costs.

Minimising human intervention

In 2021 visual intelligence provider Cyberhawk partnered with workflow automation specialists Intoware to provide a powerful integrated solution, that combines drone imagery, visual platforms with smart digital workflows to help address this challenge.

Cyberhawk and Intoware demonstrated that by combining robotics (Drones), wearables (HMT) and digital workflows into one ‘single source of truth’ (iHawk), Network Rail could drastically reduce business risk and outages, keeping the service running.

With drones rail engineers are able to collect highly detailed visual data without exposing themselves to harm. By performing these tasks for engineers, it makes routine inspections safer, quicker, easier and cheaper as the lines don’t need to be closed and most importantly, it reduces the need to work at height and manpower on site, or ‘boots off ballast’.

But despite these benefits, its works delivery team relied on paper-based and legacy systems for asset audit inspections, often leading to delays as reports would be completed manually and then written up days later.

It was agreed therefore, that a new digital ‘connected worker’ solution was needed for its engineers to combine aerial imagery with ground level inspection data made accessible

in a central data repository for better, faster and more accurate ‘real-time’ asset reporting for its works delivery teams.

Having seen WorkfloPlus gain a 70 per cent productivity improvement for rail track renewals from a trial at its Aston Depot, Network Rail’s Electrification and Plant Engineer, Sean Hill, was keen to adopt this smart workflow technology as part of a new ‘proof-of-concept’ trial beginning in July 2021 on the East Coast Mainline at Belford, near Newcastle.

With Intoware’s support, Network Rail’s Belford team digitised a series of legacy, paper-based inspection processes. This meant working with frontline staff on the ground to fully understand their activities, assess issues and challenges and design, digitise and standardise workflows to meet existing needs and make time, safety and sustainability benefits.

Unlocking drone data

This innovatory four-month trial combined Cyberhawk’s iHawk visual intelligence solution iHawk integrated with smart workflows created in WorkfloPlus to support frontline inspection teams.

This is how it works – WorkfloPlus draws on iHawk’s cloud-based visual data in one easy-to-use workflow process that allows on-site engineers to follow step-by-step digital work instructions on their tablets to complete maintenance tasks instead of relying on paper-based processes on site.

iHawk’s map driven interface is integrated with WorkfloPlus to provide engineers with access to highly detailed 360-degree images of the overhead wires or equipment and accompanying trend data from previous audits. This new integrated solution enables one location to flag up any warnings or anomalies and provides a record of who was responsible for each inspection, giving on-site engineers a clear audit and visibility of works overtime to support better decision making as close to ‘real-time’ as possible.

‘Right first time, automated reporting’

As WorkfloPlus provides standardised and consistent workflows, it meant that its rail engineers knew exactly what data needed to be collected, as they were guided through a process so they knew what to check, what photographic evidence was needed and what to report. This meant that the data was always ‘right first time’, significantly reducing the need to take further reassessments on site due to incomplete data.

Intoware’s Business Development Director, Hannah Bailey said: ‘We’re really pleased to have partnered with Network Rail for this innovative asset audit trial. By bringing these two powerful technologies together we have enabled its maintenance teams to realise the potential of aerial data integrated with smart digital workflows, to deliver greater speed, accuracy and visibility of rail assets, shortening the time it takes to get results.’

The future

Thanks to the success of Belford’s ‘proofof-concept’ trial, discussions are currently underway within Network Rail to deploy this best-practice and consistent approach across it works management teams for the entire East Coast mainline for improved worker safety, efficiency and ultimately, less disruption to rail services.

Hannah Bailey, Business Development Director, Intoware

Stabilisation Geogrids and Trackbed Design

Andrew Lees, Senior Application Technology Manager at Tensar International on a new design method for geogrid-stabilised trackbed

Anew design method that accurately predicts subgrade deformation under train loading helps demonstrate the benefits of incorporating stabilisation geogrids in trackbed design, saving time and money over the lifetime of a railway. With growth of passenger rail journeys predicted over the next decade or so, Network Rail is forecasting an additional one billion journeys by 2030 and with the continued reliance on the network by industry for moving freight around the UK, there will be increased pressure on railway infrastructure in the coming years, especially in terms of track reliability and capacity.

Trackbed maintenance work and line speed restrictions significantly affect schedules and are expensive and disruptive to the public, industry, train operators and asset owners. A lot of maintenance is aimed at rectifying poor track geometry and a loss of vertical and horizontal alignment of the rails, caused by subgrade and ballast deformation, which often leads to speed restrictions.

Mechanical stabilisation of sub-ballast layers using geogrids is a tried and tested approach that can reduce maintenance, by reducing traffic-induced degradation, slowing the rate of track settlement,

maintaining track geometry for longer and extending ballast life as much as ten-fold (see figure 1). In fact, maintenance intervals can be up to three times longer, reducing whole-life costs, in terms of both cash and carbon. However, while geogrids have been used for decades in rail track construction, current performance-based design methods do not accurately predict long term behaviour of ballast, sub-ballast and the subgrade, which means their benefits cannot be truly modelled during design. That is why Tensar International set out to resolve the issue, with the aim of developing a new design method that not only predicted track foundation performance more accurately but that would also allow the benefits of installing stabilising geogrids to be determined reliably.

The Li-Selig method is the common approach used in performance-based track design. This is used to predict permanent subgrade deformation, based on empirical relationships and analysis models developed in the 1970s. Initial investigations using finite element analysis, (FEA), with elastoplastic constitutive models, instead of the linear elastic models of the older analysis methods, highlighted some of the drawbacks of using this approach. In particular, the team found that, compared with other input

parameters, permanent deformations were not particularly sensitive to the stiffness of subgrade and ballast layers; which are key input parameters to the elastic layer analysis used in the Li-Selig method. Furthermore, it was found that predictions were highly sensitive to the depth of the subgrade layer and the properties of the underlying soil layer, making an appropriate selection of the subgrade depth in the LiSelig method almost impossible. As a result, the approach was found rarely to deliver an accurate prediction of trackbed behaviour. In contrast, an approach developed by Tensar uses advanced, but readily available, hardening plasticity models to predict permanent subgrade deformations under train wheel loading.

These outputs are multiplied up by the more reliable element of the Li-Selig method that depends only on the subgrade soil type to obtain a prediction of the accumulation of subgrade deformation under successive train loading. The method also includes a simple mobilised bearing capacity calculation for optioneering, rather than having to carry out a full 3D FEA, which can be timeconsuming and expensive, if used on every design option. Relationships have been derived between mobilised bearing capacity and permanent subgrade deformation

Figure 1: TriAx interlocks with aggregate particles to confine and restrain the granular material from lateral spread, which helps maintain horizontal and vertical rail alignment.

that can also be multiplied up to obtain approximate predictions under successive train loading.

Once the preferred option has been chosen, a full FEA model can be run. The new approach was calibrated with TriAx geogrid, using laboratory testing carried out at the Czech Technical University, with 500,000 load cycles on rails and sleepers supported by stabilised and non-stabilised sub-ballast over a clay subgrade. Data gathered during full-scale field trials of geogrid placed in sub-ballast on live freight and passenger lines in Slovakia, the USA and South Africa was used to back analyse, and confirm, modelling predictions. Lower quality materials, (such as fouled ballast), stabilised with TriAx were also tested and it was found that their stabilised mechanical properties exceeded those of non-stabilised, higher quality materials.

This could have a major positive impact on costs and sustainability, as it enables reuse of fouled ballast materials as subballast, in both new track construction and rehabilitation. With an ever-increasing burden being placed on rail infrastructure, there is clearly a need to deliver safe permanent way efficiently, with designs that offer value for money, in terms of both construction and whole life costs, and have minimal environmental impact. This essentially boils down to mitigating risk – a large proportion of which lies in the ground. Of course, it is incredibly difficult to predict every possible situation arising during construction and operation.

However, more accurate modelling, which enables track engineers to design to actual ground conditions, can deliver more appropriate solutions, mitigate risks and ultimately add more value. To that end, this new design approach enables designers to more accurately predict long term subgrade deformation and to model the benefits of incorporating stabilising geogrids into sub-ballast. This should save

PWI COURSES

time and money during construction and over the operational lifetime of a railway, through longer maintenance intervals.

Geogrids have been used to stabilise track ballast, sub-ballast and the subgrade beneath railways since the early 1980s. When granular fill material, such as ballast or sub-ballast, is compacted over a geogrid, it partially penetrates and projects through the geogrid’s apertures to create a strong and positive interlock. This interlock enables the geogrid to confine and restrain the granular material from lateral spread, which helps maintain horizontal and vertical rail alignment.

Laboratory and field testing has shown that sub-ballast layers stabilised by geogrid are better able to distribute imposed traffic loads, by increasing the area of influence on the subgrade, so bearing pressures are lower. By providing a stiffer foundation to the track, settlement has been reduced by almost 40 per cent, for the same amount of rail traffic, compared with non-stabilised sub-ballast layers. These layers can also be up to two-thirds thinner, while maintaining bearing capacity, reducing excavation and

replacement of weak subgrades, cutting construction time and costs. Track profiles can also be smoothed at interfaces between structures, for example where embankments meet concrete trackbeds beneath overbridges and in tunnels, by reducing the effects of differential settlement.

Tel: 03003 736 000

Email: secretary@thepwi.org

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Asset ageing, climate change, and other external factors such as road traffic volumes are changing the balance of risks associated with railway infrastructure. These changes need to be understood and integrated into the day-to-day operation and management of rail infrastructure assets to ensure the continued safety of the railway.

Over the last few years, the U.K. has seen record temperatures and levels of rainfall, which has had a visible impact on the railway whether in the form of delays, speed restrictions, or more serious incidents. On 12 August 2020, a passenger train collided with debris washed from a drain onto the track near Carmont, Aberdeenshire, following heavy rainfall. The collision caused the train to derail, and tragically three people died in the ensuing derailment.

The RAIB has investigated eleven earthwork failures that resulted in debris being deposited on the railway, since 2009 and it’s likely that climate change will exacerbate risks to railway infrastructure. For a safe railway it’s highly important

that engineers have a theoretical and practical knowledge of those risks, and of appropriate adaptations to the design and management of infrastructure.

The PWI ‘Earthworks, drainage, and off-track engineering’ course is designed to provide delegates with the detailed knowledge, understanding, and insights necessary to manage the risks presented by earthworks and associated ‘off-track’ rail infrastructure assets. It will explore track formation, earthworks, drainage and water management, vegetation, and the impact of weather and climate change on the railway. By the end of the course, delegates will have an appreciation and awareness of good practice in the design, installation, and ongoing safe management of critical ‘offtrack’ assets.

Booking is now open for the first in-person dates of the course in Derby and London. The course will run in Derby from Monday 13 February to Friday 17 2023 February, and in London from Monday 15 May to Friday 19 May 2023. Find out more at www.thepwi.org

Figure 2: The new design method has been tested during full-scale field trials on live freight and passenger lines.

Andrew Lees is Senior Application Technology Manager at Tensar International

Digital Pre-Screening

Jo Lawrence of the OPC shares digital initiatives to screen for particular desired behaviours to help identify quality recruits, improve training success, and on the job performance

Online pre-screening

An online ’pre-screening’ tool can help to do this quickly and accurately. It’s made up of a number of sections that have preset (stringent) acceptance levels. The OPC can design a bespoke pre-screening tool to best fit the organisation’s standards and the role(s) being recruited for. They can be tailored for any role. Often, these prescreening tools can include four (or more) sections. In some cases, they include:

1 – ‘Killer’ questions

These are generally ‘go, no-go’ statements that a candidate must answer yes or no to and are pre-requisite, non-negotiables for the role and the organisation. These types of questions can quickly reduce a large applicant pool to manageable levels.

2 – Preference questions

There is a return to ‘normal’ business following the pandemic with recruitment drives in full swing to fill the training pipeline for a number of key rail jobs. However, some train operating companies are sharing that it can be a struggle to find the right calibre of applicants. In particular, a number of UK rail operators have talked to the OPC about some key behavioural and attitudinal issues that are a worry for both their Operations and HR teams. Some concerns raised have been challenging behaviours in the employee/ manager relationship; less than acceptable attitudes to learning during training; a lack of pride in their role; inflexibility in working behaviours/shifts; disrespect shown to trainers and managers, as well as mentions of training failures which operators have expressed is a very unusual occurrence.

Desirable positive behaviours

With over 30 years of experience, the OPC have identified a number of key attitudes

and behaviours that go beyond the technical skills required to do the job and are associated with the very best rail employees who are ‘head and shoulders’ above the rest. These include strong conscientiousness, a motivation to achieve against the odds, and a desire to continuously learn. Those who perform exceptionally well in their job are also good ‘team players’ striving to develop and engage in relationships that are built on trust and mutual respect.

Identifying outstanding attributes

Some train operator teams have approached the OPC for help to improve their selection processes and to also ‘screen’ for positive and negative behaviours. For some operators, OPC psychologists have recommended ‘bolting on’ additional steps as an enhancement to their existing selection systems. The aim is to help them identify those candidates who are more likely to perform successfully in the role and be an outstanding trainee and more effective and safer employee.

This next section can quickly help identify if an applicant is a good fit for the job role specifics as well as how well they match organisational standards. Candidates are asked to score statements on how strongly they agree or disagree with them… E.g., ‘I prefer a job where there is lots to do’ or ‘I prefer a job where I can work on my own’ etc. It’s particularly helpful at ‘screening in’ those candidates who are a good fit for the job constraints and screening out those individuals whose job preferences may not be the right fit for say a safety critical role in the rail industry. Preference questions can be easily adapted to fit any role as well as reflect organisational culture needs.

3 – Prioritisation exercise

Once a candidates’ work preferences have been discovered, a prioritisation exercise helps to identify what they believe are the most important roles and responsibilities for the job applied for. Adapted for each specific role, candidates indicate what they perceive are the most crucial and least important responsibilities/tasks to a successful job performance. This selection of the top three and bottom three responsibilities, helps to shed light on an applicant’s focus of attention and how they perceive what’s important or not – helping to further screen for the best candidates.

4 – Mini-situational judgement

A final section recommendation may be a mini-situational judgement questionnaire exploring how an individual might respond in a rail specific scenario. After reading a short, fictitious passage applicants must rank order their response choices to the situation. Situational judgement tests can help to give a good indication of an applicants’ training or likely job or safety performance. It helps us to identify if the judgement of the applicant matches and mimics the judgement of some of the very best rail employees.

Once candidates have successfully passed the pre-screening tool, for some operators the OPC has also recommended using a small selection of online assessment tool such as the Visual Search Exercise (VSE), and/or the Magnificent 7 Situational Judgement Test (M7SJT) as additions, helping to further identify these positive behaviours. Although these are different types of tests – one being an ability test and the other a situational judgement exercise, both explore some of the specific positive abilities, attitudes or behavioural characteristics displayed by those seen as high performers in safety-critical roles.

Quickly and easily done

Recently a client was looking to do a big recruitment drive, but they also needed to improve the calibre of candidates selected and they specifically needed to address some

behavioural and attitudinal issues. OPC psychologists undertook a mini job analysis with trainers and managers to identify the specific positive behaviours they were looking for. They also completed discussions around some negative incidents to pinpoint unfavourable behaviours they were looking to avoid. Additionally, they included some behaviours shown during a number of positive and negative safety incidents had by new trainees. All this information helped form a really clear picture of behavioural needs to be included in the pre-screening tools using a similar shape to the one already shared. The OPC completed the job and behavioural analysis work, created the pre-screening tools and made it available digitally all within roughly two weeks. Over the following couple of weeks, c. 1,000 applicants sat it.

What we often say to clients is that they should only spend quality time and money on those applicants who have a good chance of success; who are more likely to be a great fit in the role. So, what a pre-screening tool helps to achieve is to filter out as quickly, effectively and fairly, as possible those unsuitable applicants with a very low job and culture fit.

Benefits of pre-screening tools

Often a pre-screening tool can only take up to an hour for a candidate to complete, which is quite low up-front investment time for them. But their real beauty is for the HR team. They’re fair and a uniform assessment of all candidates, unlike other tools such as CV’s. Pre-screening forms also have pre-set ‘cut off’ scores, making a judgment about who goes through to the next phase very objective – avoiding lengthy ‘round the table’ discussions of the merits of each candidate and who to progress. They put an end to the days of HR managers ‘trawling’ through hundreds or thousands of application forms and CVs on their journey home – saving time, energy and boredom! In todays’ digital world candidates are looking for quick feedback, which an automated screening process can do for them.

Pre-screening tools can also be modified and used for ongoing team development or cultural shift work too. There may be

a ‘challenging’ unit, team or depot where some negative behaviours and poor culture is displayed. Having identified the negative behaviours to lose and the new positive behaviours to replace into the team, a specifically designed pre-screening tool can be used to help select new recruits that better match the future requirements. These types of pre-screening tools can help select a growing group of recruits who all demonstrate the new desired positive attitudes. When recruited in sufficient numbers these new employees can provide a ‘tipping point’ for new behaviours that can help change the enduring culture.

OPC Assessments’ redesigned digital system

The OPC’s recently redesigned Candela online testing platform really helps facilitate pre-selection for busy talent acquisition teams or operational managers. Specifically designed with user-friendly features, the Candela system can house multiple projects or job assessment journeys. Once applicants have completed a pre-screening questionnaire, the system can quickly and easily score a very large candidate pool, providing results and a short-list of quality individuals for the next phase at the touch of a button.

To sum up, recruiting the best talent is never an easy job. Many factors influence someone being an outstanding employee – skills, abilities, attitudes as well as behaviours. We must always ensure that processes used for recruitment or development purposes are as fair and equitable as possible. However, we must always balance this with the needs of the rail industry to recruit effective and safety critical employees. Any talent acquisition process needs to ensure that the people we recruit are more likely to succeed through training, but that they also display the potential to be safe and effective in their role too.

Tel: +44 (0) 1923 234646

Email: admin@theopc.co.uk

Visit: www.theopc.co.uk

Jo Lawrence is Business Development Director at the OPC

‘What we often say to clients is that they should only spend quality time and money on those applicants who have a good chance of success; who are more likely to be a great fit in the role. So, what a pre-screening tool helps to achieve is to filter out as quickly, effectively and fairly, as possible those unsuitable applicants with a very low job and culture fit.’

Jo Lawrence

‘Recruiting the best talent is never an easy job. Many factors influence someone being an outstanding employee – skills, abilities, attitudes as well as behaviours.’

Jo Lawrence

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Digital Transformation for Safety and Efficiency

Peter Prater of Hexagon’s Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial division

explains why UK Government innovation spending should be directed towards safety transformation

As the UK Government pledges £7.6 million towards rail innovation, now is the time to seize upon digital transformation across UK rail to improve railway safety and efficiency. This is an opportune time for the Government to invest in UK railway infrastructure with passenger and freight traffic expected to double by 2050, making safety and security assurances for rail organisations more important than ever. Keeping UK railways safe can be a complex ask, with rail operators routinely facing a wide variety of hazards that must be tackled, from security incidents and asset failures to weather-related events, including landslides, floods, lightning strikes, and even fallen leaves.

While rail still remains far safer than other forms of transport, there were 20 recorded fatalities on the UK’s rail networks and 342 near misses with pedestrians at level crossings between 2020 and 2021, according to a report by the Office of Rail and Road. This was the greatest number since the report was initiated in 2002 / 2003. As passenger and freight travel increases, so too will the number of accidents unless safety innovation measures are enacted.

Fortunately, new technologies are emerging that can bolster the safety of trains, tracks, and the entire operational environment. To this end, the UK’s railway operators should introduce emerging solutions that can improve safety procedures and mitigate risk across the country’s railway networks, namely digital twins of railways featuring artificial intelligence that can enable smarter monitoring and maintenance.

Effective monitoring is key to railway safety

A salient aspect of protecting people and freight is visibility into the environments that make up the national railway network.

This can be accomplished through monitoring and detecting anomalies in network conditions that may indicate upcoming or present risks. This is no small task with railway operators having to conduct continuous inspections and to monitor any faults in the track, the internal functioning of trains, crossroad maintenance and more. This results in deep pools of data, in which potential risk indicators might lie – and, traditionally, this data had to be manually sifted through and analysed. Not only is the manual process inefficient and time consuming, but it is prone to information being lost through human error or blocked between organisational siloes, leading to delays.

The analysis and communication of such data has been revolutionised by the emergence of integrated transport network information systems that collate all asset and spatial data, including live sensor feeds, into a single source instead of multiple separate databases. These systems can help guarantee that important data is always up to date and easily accessible for staff across the organisation who are tasked with monitoring issues on the track. When hazards are detected in the network, railway operators can proactively solve risks without needless delay.

Railway network monitoring can also be enhanced by visualising this information in a 3D model of the network and its adjacent infrastructure. This forms an identical digital replica of the whole network and its features, including tracks and bridges, but also specific details, such as benches, rubbish bins and trees. When connected to the integrated data, these models provide deeper insight into specific areas and pressing issues in the network.

And the combination of digital twin models with AI-powered automation means that the system can automatically flag any variables that could affect railway network safety, such as high congestion.

This provides operators with the chance to mitigate any potential issues before they result in risk and disruption.

Evolving infrastructural mapping with AI-enhanced LiDAR

One example is the combination of AI with laser scanning technologies for railway infrastructure mapping. A partnership between Network Rail and Innovate UK is a perfect use case of how these technologies can be combined – and where Government investment can be spent. This technique uses laser scanning in parallel with AI to automate the collection and analysis of railway data.

The mapping of railway networks is key to ensuring there are no nearby objects that could endanger railway tracks or the trains themselves. Rail operators continuously collect data from railway tracks and the surrounding environment to gain visibility into the spaces between trains and their immediate infrastructure. This data can guide safe clearance between the trains and the edges of nearby objects. Traditionally, this data has been collected and analysed manually, which is a time-consuming task that could stretch out over months or even years.

By creating 3D models through laser scanning and then leveraging AI, the software can analyse the data, identify different structure types and perform measurements on nearby objects to the railway track. The AI models automatically process unstructured data and accurately output target objects, for example nearby trees or infrastructure, for further assessment. The AI can then detect and alert any potential issues to operator teams. This allows for a more rapid identification of risks to the network, and also helps human teams direct their attention where it is most needed, improving railway security across the entire network.

NEWS IN BRIEF

SCOTRAIL MAKES STRIDES TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS

Over the past few years, ScotRail has been involved in a number of initiatives which aim to break down stereotypes and attract more disabled people, women, and members of the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic community into the railway. As part of ScotRail’s ambitious early careers strategy, the train operator has set itself the target of increasing the number of apprentices tenfold by 2025. To help achieve this, ScotRail took on 16 young people in Modern Apprenticeship roles during 2021, the highest intake of apprentices in the past five years. Among the new recruits was Ross Henderson, ScotRail’s first deaf Modern Apprentice.

Enhancing emergency response through AI

In addition to monitoring and mapping infrastructure to maintaining railway safety for both passengers and freight, physical security is also an important factor in guaranteeing network safety. Physical risks include that of trespass and intrusion of people to the railway network with tunnels, terminals and other features acting as potential targets to theft or terrorism.

To guard against physical threats, railway operators are required to detect, assess, and respond to issues on a swift and continuous basis. Once detected, these risks must be addressed in coordination with third-party organisations – such as the emergency services – within the lifecycle of incident management. An integrated approach to security and surveillance where 3D surveillance systems are combined with security, dispatch, and collaboration platforms is the best way of accomplishing this.

By combining fixed and mobile-sensor technology with AI-powered incident management platforms, next-generation monitoring can detect security breaches across the railway network. This enables rail operators to immediately flag any risks in real time to the appropriate emergency

response organisation. A rapid response is key to stopping or mitigating any physical threat to the railway network.

Directing innovation investment to security evolution

As traffic on the UK’s railways looks set to increase exponentially – and especially as the nation strives to make greener choices – it is pivotal that investment is directed towards security and safety measures that will allow for greater efficiency across the nation’s railway networks. To achieve this monitoring, mapping and emergency response are integral, but all these processes rely on analysing and acting upon vast quantities of data. By evolving technology to generate actionable insights, railway safety can be improved across the board.

Peter Prater is Managing Director of Hexagon’s Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial division, UK

Clear Sight of the Station of the Future

Dyan Crowther, CEO of HS1 Ltd explains how a new tech partnership

is helping HS1 to improve the passenger experience

If you’ve passed through a train station this summer, you will no doubt have seen that the crowds have returned, that shops and platforms are full again and that travellers have come back after the pandemic. While numbers are still slightly below pre-pandemic levels, people are regularly using the railways again – both for domestic and international travel –following a two-year hiatus.

Stations are getting back to their vibrant best, and while that is wonderful news for passengers, retailers and the industry, it does bring with it its own challenges.

Busier stations can lead to queues and make it harder to navigate transport hubs. I noticed this issue a few years ago at St Pancras International, our flagship international station on the HS1 railway, the Green Gateway to Europe. It made me realise this issue needed to be addressed if we were going to do what we always strive to do here at HS1 Ltd; continually improve passenger experience.

The challenge, therefore, was to find a 21st Century solution that helped us accommodate all passengers in a safe and easily accessible way, even in peak hours. That meant we needed an innovative solution, and ideally one that harnessed digital capabilities so we could truly have a holistic view of how we improved this essential element of passenger experience.

And I’m pleased to say we found that innovative solution. Working with OpenSpace Group Ltd, a digital innovation company with deep expertise in the science of people movement, we looked at how we could use digital technologies to monitor crowds in our stations, and help our staff help them even more quickly and efficiently.

That led, earlier this year, to us signing a contract to deploy ‘OpenSpace’ technology at St Pancras International and the other stations on our line. It’s never been more important to ensure that people can move freely and quickly – and this groundbreaking technology will allow our staff to

see, in real-time, a visual representation of where all people in HS1 stations are, at any given time.

This capability will deliver huge benefits. By having sight of where people are, staff are now better equipped to deal with any bottlenecks that develop, or potential safety issues caused by overcrowding. The technology will also offer greater accessibility, helping staff to move customers requiring assistance through the station more easily by noting which routes will be simplest and safest to get them from A to B.

And thanks to the digital capabilities within the technology, we’re now able to analyse particularly busy periods or times of disruption within our stations – both through simulating scenarios and revisiting actual station flow – to improve future station management responses.

The ability to simulate ‘what-if’ scenarios will enable us to plan and prepare for significant events that may affect passenger movements including maintenance, or busy events – such as the summer holiday getaway or upcoming August bank holiday weekend.

And the best part of this technology? It allows us to help passengers move around stations freely without compromising privacy. The technology ensures that people recorded by the system are represented by a simple generic figure, as opposed to capturing images of people’s faces. This is a feature we at HS1 Ltd place particular value on – it puts to rest any reservations about the application of this technology.

Ultimately, the technology represents a key moment in developing greater digital solutions to improve customer experience in train stations, aligning with Great British Railways’ ‘customer-first’ vision for the future of the railways. It’s putting the passenger at the heart of future innovation in the sector and making sure that changes we’re delivering fit into two primary objectives: to make the system as safe as

possible for people, and to make it as simple and easy to use.

At HS1 Ltd, we are always striving to deliver the best station experience for our passengers and, as part of this, we provide our operational team with the data they need to achieve this. Our work with OpenSpace is just another example of how we innovate to improve the passenger experience and strive to make the HS1 system the best railway in the country.

Through this initiative, we’re delivering on that objective, and showcasing how greater innovation within the rail sector can truly overhaul the passenger experience at all points of their journey, not only while on the train.

Dyan Crowther is CEO of HS1 Ltd. She is currently NED for East West Railway, on the Board of GBR and Chair of NSAR.

‘the best part of this technology is that it allows us to help passengers move around stations freely without compromising privacy.’

specialise in mastering complex ground and environmental conditions by utilising cuttingedge methodologies to minimise the impact

IoT Supply Chains

Steven Tompkins of Inmarsat explains how the Internet of Things is strengthening global supply chains in a challenging climate

As businesses continue to recover from the impact of the pandemic while simultaneously battling rising global inflation, supply chain disruption very much appears to be the new normal.

Soaring fuel costs, shortfalls of key supplies and labour shortages – all within the context of the ongoing transition to a low carbon economy – are creating daily challenges for businesses of all types and the rail industry is no exception.

While there may not be a short-term silver bullet strategy to overcome these challenges, maximising operational efficiencies to reduce costs and staying one step ahead of any disruption can certainly help maintain a competitive advantage.

Something as simple as being able to precisely locate and track rail cargo and locomotives in real-time can help support greater coordination between rail roads and other parts of the intermodal supply chain to avoid downtime and maximise profitability.

Imagine if, rather than having to spend endless hours liaising with numerous stakeholders to keep on top of issues, you could simply locate assets and redirect cargo with the click of a button, alerting customers and upstream and downstream supply chain stakeholders to the changes with the same ease.

The increasing adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies is making this possible at every level of the supply chain, from trucking to freight rail to shipping.

The value of IoT in the global supply chain

IoT is not a new concept and has been helping create smarter supply chains for many years now. Solutions range from fleet management for road-based haulage, monitoring the cold chain for temperature threshold violations, and predictive maintenance of locomotives to name but a few.

The positive outcomes from such technologies are numerous, including reducing accidents and safety incidents, decreasing wastage of perishable cargo and minimising dwell times for idle railcars to ensure optimised utilisation of assets.

In the current supply chain climate, IoT technologies also have great potential to help rail freight operators manage disruption and optimise their operational costs through acquisition of real-time data.

For example, they can help reduce the dwell time and consequent storage costs for cargo by providing better visibility of what is coming in, when it is due to go out, where all assets are located and any possible disruption to the timetable.

Capitalising on solutions that enable businesses to identify delays and adjust logistics to address them ensure products can be delivered as and when they are needed. This can also help instil greater confidence in the end-customer and broader stakeholders by enabling enhanced communications and transparency across all levels of the supply chain.

The IoT connectivity challenge

According to a recent report by Inmarsat, Industrial IoT in the Time of Covid-19, achieving greater supply chain insight is currently the top driver for the deployment of IoT projects within the transport sector, with 71 per cent of respondents stating this was the case for their business.

However, achieving this insight depends on having the right data available at the right time in order to make better decisions. Across the intermodal supply chain there are two major barriers to achieving this.

The first is having the ability to share data between organisations, particularly when supply chains are long and fragmented with many different owners and operators (e.g. road haulage, rail freight and shipping). In order to collect meaningful insights it may be necessary to monitor assets before or after they leave your control, which requires data to be shared and accessible to a range of relevant parties.

The second barrier is ensuring business have access to reliable connectivity to facilitate the real-time transfer of data. While the most common method of data transfer is typically via terrestrial cellular networks, such as GSM, 3G or 4G, coverage is often limited and does not cover the whole supply chain, particularly in rural locations or across oceans.

For instance, there are many examples where rail freight operators can only monitor their goods and communicate with locomotives on parts of the rail network due to unreliable or insufficient coverage via terrestrial networks. To facilitate the sharing of data between stakeholders and ensure insights are provided in real-time on every leg of the journey, businesses need a

communications method that can guarantee coverage wherever the cargo or asset is located, whoever it is owned by.

Inmarsat’s research highlights that businesses unhindered by connectivity issues are able to gain significant cost efficiencies and supply chain insights through their use of IoT solutions (both 69 per cent).

Satellite connectivity is key

This is where the use of satellite as a highly reliable communications method comes into play. Satellite has a long track record of enabling connectivity across land, sea and air and is the only communications technology that can provide true global coverage for complex intermodal supply chains.

Inmarsat has owned and operated its global satellite constellation for over 40 years and our ELERA network has a long track record of enabling IoT solutions across all levels of the supply chain, from fleet management for road haulage through to the transfer of telemetry data from rail locomotives across the world.

ELERA is based on Inmarsat’s L-Band satellite network, which has industryleading reliability of 99.9 per cent uptime and global coverage. Our products are well suited to the transport sector, being small in size (typically the size of a tablet computer), able to withstand harsh environments and easy to install and use by non-skilled staff.

Today, satellite IoT solutions are delivering huge benefits to industry by enabling the seamless monitoring of assets regardless of location. Going forward, working together as an industry to improve data sharing between different operators at all levels of the intermodal supply chain will be key to creating more transparent, efficient and dependable supply chains that are fit to weather future storms of disruption.

Steven Tompkins is Director of Market Development at Inmarsat

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Optimising Fleet Operations

Fleet downtime can have a huge impact on transport operators, causing delays which can result in dissatisfied passengers

Optimisation of fleet operations can help businesses perform at the optimal level. The Internet of Things (IoT), telematics, and vehicle tracking present many opportunities for operators to improve their fleet operations. They open the doors to advanced fleet monitoring and real-time reporting to provide smart insights into key areas of fleet operations: route planning and scheduling, workforce management, and vehicle maintenance.

What is telematics?

Telematics involves the tracking, monitoring, and connectivity of vehicles through telecommunications networks. It transmits information to and from assets at a distance, such as between a train on the tracks and the stations.

According to a recent report by Acumen Research and Consulting, the global commercial telematics market is projected to reach a market value of over £84.39 billion by 2027.

How can telematics optimise fleet operations?

Telematics can improve equipment performance, location, and maintenance across industry-wide operations. It can equip fleet operators with remote monitoring capabilities through real-time visibility into asset status, location, and activities.

Route planning and scheduling

Inefficient route planning and scheduling can create major issues such as hindering the timely delivery of goods, and longer travel times decrease the number of trips a fleet can handle.

By optimising route scheduling, the most efficient routes can be planned. Vehicle tracking has moved far beyond GPS and allows for smart route planning through telematics. Rail connectivity also enables responsiveness in terms of planning and route rescheduling through the collection of real-time data.

Workforce management

Workforce management can be exhausting, time consuming, and cost ineffective. According to Forbes Magazine, 80 per cent of the work time fleet managers spend is on phone calls matching drivers to jobs.

Telematics solutions, however, help businesses optimise the process and minimise downtime. Through historic and real-time data, they can mitigate issues and offer a more accurate Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA), which improves customer service. According to a study by L. Oliveira

et.al., the ability to access real-time journey information such as the estimated time of arrival (ETA) and alternative travel routes in the event of disruptions was ranked as the second most valued technological innovation that improves the railway passenger experience.

Vehicle maintenance

Telematics technology can help companies optimise their preventative maintenance by tracking mileage, fuel consumption, and energy use. Through automatic reminders, they can schedule maintenance and detect failures.

With telematics, you can do much more than scheduling maintenance, including:

• Scheduling technicians in advance, thus reducing downtime and avoiding higher costs.

• Set up automatic alerts about faults that can affect other elements.

• Set up fault codes to avoid accidents due to drivers’ failure to report them.

• Identify failure trends in vehicles of the same model.

• Gain insight into the technician’s work efficiency and optimise your workforce.

It’s critical to optimise your fleet operations to ensure the smooth running of your business. This will not only save you costs and improve efficiency but will also result in a better customer experience and loyalty.

Discover RailSmart

Discover RailSmart from 3Squared, a suite of digital solutions tailor made for the rail industry, which target challenges ranging from safety and compliance to fleet performance and resource planning.

RailSmart’s clear and accessible tools are configured to help utilise your people and assets efficiently and equip you with the information you need.

Explore RailSmart today. Find out more information via www.3squared.com/railsmart/discover/

Innovation is the Future of the Digital Railway

From IoT sensors and smart monitoring to paperless records and ticketless gate lines, rail is experiencing a tidal wave of digital transformation

All kinds of digital breakthroughs are allowing for better network performance, improved safety, and enhanced efficiencies, to propel the railway into operating in a more digital, intuitive, and dynamic way.

Here at 3Squared we pride ourselves on our commitment to innovation and playing our part in achieving a digital zero-carbon railway. There are obvious system-wide initiatives that will make a huge difference to the impact we have on the environment,

such as electrification and alternative fuels, but these are long-term projects. There are so many other incremental changes taking place right now that are contributing to improvements across the whole network and driving the industry forward digitally.

Data at a glance in RailSmart

Playing our part

Innovation is at the heart of 3Squared. Since our inception 20 years ago, we have sought to develop products and solutions that propel the rail industry forward, provide ground-breaking and innovative tools that tackle industry wide problems and make the dream of the digital railway a reality.

Our whole ethos at 3Squared focuses on helping our clients to become safer, more efficient, and greener through digitalisation. This is realised through our pioneering RailSmart suite of software tools and something that has been developed hand in hand with the industry and our clients, to ensure we can help them meet current and future challenges.

It is difficult; there is no doubt that innovation and digitalisation are both an integral part of improving the industry’s environmental impact, but in many cases the incremental changes and improvements that can be made more quickly cannot necessarily be pinned to short-term financial gains. This is because most digital solutions are embedded in the larger cumulative actions taking place.

Collaboration is key

We pride ourselves on having a range of partners and stakeholders that support the creation and development of our solutions. We are the product originators, yet we aim to consult with others from across the world of rail to maximise benefits for the industry at large.

The rail network can be difficult to navigate, and collaboration is key to overcoming this. Alliances enable new innovations to develop and allow complex projects to take place. Collaborative networks nurture an environment where the most promising minds can identify solutions. Safety rules are applied by all with mutual respect, and membership bodies forge new relationships across the supply chain.

The wider industry helps us to deliver informed enhancements or changes to the software, so it evolves according to the needs of the UK rail sector. By continuously engaging with and listening to others, we harness the knowledge and learning to create products that make a meaningful impact and play a key role in the digital railway.

Commitment to a digital future

Our commitment to a digital future is not limited to our product development. We actively consider the contribution each individual application within the RailSmart suite makes towards a sustainable and innovative rail network.

We support clients as they develop the means to realise their innovation and digitalisation targets. In most cases the question is centred on what we can develop,

or build upon, to provide solutions not only for the challenges we have now but those that are designed to adapt to the future. Providing digital condition-based monitoring applications to make sure clients can gain the best possible lifecycle from their assets is one such example.

According to RSSB’s Rail Technical Strategy, the rail industry is ‘neither incentivised nor aligned to improve the efficiency of rolling stock or infrastructure’ but at 3Squared we wholeheartedly believe in being a part of the positive change needed to realise the aims of the 2050 Net Zero emissions targets.

Through RailSmart digital monitoring, we ensure that train operators, passenger, and freight alike, can optimise the efficiency of their vehicles, and do so by putting their people at the heart of that process.

One example of this is our Co-Pilot tool. This is an in-cab system that enables the driver to provide real-time feedback of the vehicle’s performance against the timetable. However, this is not simply a tool that tracks punctuality. By enabling the driver to communicate from the cab in real time, Co-Pilot helps operators to improve energy consumption and optimise their vehicles’ regulation. The system simultaneously captures additional important information such as wheel slippage or rough riding. These additional details are essential to compiling that bigger ‘digital picture’ of the vehicle’s performance and thus its overall efficiency.

An insight into PathPlanner

The pandemic has given us several challenges we never thought we would face, but it has also given us new opportunities to develop and accelerate innovation and decrease our carbon emissions for a better future. One of those opportunities comes in the form of moving freight from road to rail. The Rail Freight Group quotes that one

RailSmart: a connected RailTech solution

network

with

Logistics UK, Stobart, DP World and GB Railfreight) to help them realise the benefits of their investment, by finding available paths to run more frequent and longer trains to and from Southampton.

Discover RailSmart

Discover RailSmart from 3Squared, a suite of digital solutions tailor made for the rail industry, which target challenges ranging from safety and compliance to fleet performance and resource planning.

We believe PathPlanner is one of the first steps towards truly maximising access to the network for rail freight which aligns with industry’s aim to be more proactive and digitally focussed.

Looking ahead

RailSmart’s clear and accessible tools are configured to help utilise your people and assets efficiently and equip you with the information you need.

Embrace RailSmart today. Find out more information via www.3squared.com/railsmart/discover/

Since our inception in 2002, the world of rail has radically changed due to the advances made in technology. In tandem, the need for a greener, more sustainable way to transport passengers and goods is apparent, now more than ever.

freight train is the equivalent to 76HGVs; this represents a reduction in CO₂ emissions of up to 76 per cent compared to road.

We consistently work in partnership with clients and industry stakeholders, and we recognise the need to help encourage modal shift whilst making rail freight operations as efficient as possible. Therefore, we are developing our PathPlanner tool to help increase freight usage across the network.

In essence, PathPlanner aims to save freight operators time and resource in validating VSTPs based on historic data. This will enable more services to run at very short notice. Better short-term planning creates the potential to reduce delays across the network, allowing both passenger and

freight trains to reach their destinations on time whilst supporting modal shift, which is a crucial part in the digital journey and will deliver tangible benefits for many years to come.

We will be enhancing PathPlanner over the next year, which will see us develop Machine Learning algorithms to predict the paths that will not be used and highlight them. This will enable them to be removed from the timetable and unlock available capacity.

Innovation is integral to making a positive change for our sector, and to digitalise our industry even further. We look forward to continuing to play our part in an innovative and greener future for our industry in the next twenty years, and more.

If you would like to find out more information about 3Squared, get in touch via the contact information below.

In 2021, Network Rail delivered a £17 million upgrade project to strengthen the line at Southampton to take longer freight trains. Solent Stevedores, who operate out of Southampton Western Docks, are currently

121 3333

Tel: +44 (0)333 121 3333 Email: hello@3squared.com Visit: www.3squared.com

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Future-Ready Fibre

Antonio Sequeira, Vice President Market Management Railway at HUBER + SUHNER, explains how to overcome unprecedented demand in the railway industry

The use of fibre optic (FO) technology within railway operations is no longer a new concept. The industry has experienced a rapid digitalisation rollout due to the increasing requirements of operators and passengers. On-board networks need to be able to manage the rising demand for high bandwidth services, specifically 4K media streaming, CloseCircuit Television (CCTV), and in-carriage Wi-Fi connectivity.

HUBER+SUHNER has been at the forefront of developing and delivering fibre optic solutions since the early nineties and

continues to be the market leader in this field today, offering resilient, adaptable, customisable, and easy-to-install solutions. Yet, despite the tried and tested FO technologies on offer, there has previously been some hesitancy in deploying these, with operators continuing to rely on legacy solutions which are unsuitable for modern demands. The benefits that come from the working solutions provided by HUBER+SUHNER prove, however, that FO solutions are, and will remain, an entirely appropriate technology for the rail industry both now and in the future.

Optimised connectivity

One of the biggest demands on modern public transportation is the need for reliable wireless train communication. The necessity for constant connectivity within the everyday lives of passengers has become so vital that this is now also expected on public transport. This means that both the railway and communications industries must work together to develop robust, scalable, and reliable on-board wireless connectivity infrastructures.

FO technology offers a high-speed solution for communication superior to traditional copper wire cables. In an FO

NEWS IN BRIEF

NEXUS WELCOMES NEW APPRENTICES ON BOARD

Nexus has welcomed it’s 2022 cohort of apprentices, following an extensive recruitment campaign earlier this year. Ten people, aged from 17-38, are starting their training in a variety of roles, including Metro track and

TEN PEOPLE, AGED FROM 17-38

signalling engineers, business administration, Shields Ferry crew and automatic fares collection. Some will learn the skills needed to look after the 77 kilometre network of Metro train tracks, 270 signals and all ticket machines, while others will be working within key business units behind the scenes in Nexus.

solution, coded information is sent via a beam of light over a glass or plastic pipe. This is a quicker and more efficient method than sending radio waves down a copper wire, which can struggle to handle 1Gbit of data. Today FO solutions can manage 10Gbit of data, with the potential to handle over 100Gbit depending on the application.

FO solutions can also overcome electrostatic and electromagnetic interferences (EMI) – a previous stumbling block in delivering connectivity. In spite of the shielding on the twisted-pair copper cables commonly used on trains over the years, EMI can still be generated in areas next to or close to vital electrical equipment. In order to maintain transmission reliability at a high rate, the protection against these signal disturbances must come in the form of glass fibres. These are resistant to interference and are galvanically isolated, meaning any disruption will have no effect on performance.

Solutions built to last

SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF ETCS TESTING FOR CLASS 43 TRAIN

Another milestone has been achieved in the Government funded East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP) with the successful completion of testing with digital signalling for Class 43 power cars forming part of Network Rail’s New Measurement Train. European Train Control System (ETCS) in cab signalling technology enables a more reliable service with reduced delays, improved safety and reduced costs and emissions through the removal of lineside infrastructure. The successful testing programme at Network Rail’s recently upgraded Rail Innovation and Development Centre (RIDC) now enables commissioning of the relevant Class 43 power cars into ETCS LevelNTC (National Train Control) level. Using the RIDC facilities, recently upgraded for ETCS testing, enables progression to Level-NTC without the need for any passenger disruption through track possessions.

But it is not just today’s trends and challenges that are bringing FO solutions to the fore of railway communications. With the longevity of rolling-stock equipment and the rapid evolution of communication technologies, any network infrastructure installed on any railway system must now be a viable solution for the next decade and beyond. The copper cabling historically installed in railway systems limited network upgrades, as a change of cabling was required. This placed unnecessary restrictions on operators who, in order to scale up operations, would have to frequently take stock out of service. With today’s FO solutions, a single pair of fibre cores can comfortably scale up to 40GBASE or even 100GBASE operations in the future without any cabling change, effortlessly increasing efficiency and future-proofing the infrastructure without recurrent disruption to operations.

And rail operators previously hesitant to use such technology on-board its rolling stock - due to the specific operating parameters they must follow - can be assured that FO solutions have been developed and tested to withstand the exact same requirements as legacy copper systems, while offering increased performance and reliable high-data rate transmission. Such future-ready solutions not only fit seamlessly within the existing parameters but improve upon them: FO cabling is 40 per cent lighter than a traditional Cat7 cable, providing a lighter, compact solution that reduces any issues that arise from the ageing of track infrastructure and braking systems.

A greener and cost-effective approach

Using FO solutions as opposed to legacy copper cabling has also proven to be a more environmentally friendly solution. Certified fibre optic technicians have testified that FO cables have the capacity to greatly conserve

energy. Traditional copper wire solutions are known to generate a substantial amount of heat, due to the metal’s low specific heat capacity. As a result, excess energy is lost, and these systems often require cooling systems in order to prevent any problems from occurring. FO cabling on the other hand requires no such cooling system, as minimal energy is lost to the environment due to fibreglass having a significantly higher specific heat capacity.

This benefit is not only an environmentally friendly advantage but also makes FO solutions cost-effective. The high bandwidth scalability of optical fibre means that the initial investment can be paid back quickly, while unnecessary costs relating to upgrading or maintaining older communication technologies are also cut. The nature of a train’s infrastructure is a bottleneck for any upgrade, so the cost of materials and lost revenue during changes can have a big impact on return of investment. However, with the scalability of FO solutions offering a faster implementation of new communication systems, any network can be kept up to date with minimal costs.

Keeping up to date is vitally important in a sector that is reliant on the latest technological developments. Such developments include the smart technologies that are now well-established within the industry and are embedded for a number of different purposes within rail operations. By embracing the age of the Internet-of-Things (IoT), rail operators can fight off competition from alternative modes of transport such as buses and airlines and generate new revenue streams in the era of smart railways.

Establishing a ‘future ready’ network

An online experience on the move must now mirror the connectivity customers and operators are used to in their homes - and the rail and communications industries must find solutions that enable this. For both legacy stock and brand-new trains, it is vital that on-board networks are able to manage the increasing demand for high bandwidth services, and FO solutions like the ones developed by HUBER+SUHNER are key to enabling this.

As long as the railway sector remains adverse to change and maintains its traditionally risk-averse approach to infrastructure, the rising demand for connectivity will be unmet. Operators must move away from the outdated copper solutions present in the networks of yesteryear and embrace the ‘futureready’ FO technologies already helping to establish more consistent, cost-efficient, and environmentally friendly services around the world.

Tel: 01869364100

Email: pressoffice@hubersuhner.com

Visit: www.hubersuhner.com/en/solutions/railway

Bring future-ready high-speed onboard communications to rolling stock

• Proven and cost-effective fiber optic solutions for rolling stock

• Offer seamless and high-speed communications to passengers with flexible and easy-to-install fiber optic solutions.

• Our high-performance fiber optic solutions support the long-term evolution of onboard connectivity and enables smooth and continuous deploy ment of new services and applications within the network.

• By installing a system that is seamlessly upgradable, you can reduce the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of rolling stock – starting today.

Jumpers

Cables

Connectors

Embedding Social Value and Accessibility

Jools Townsend, Chief Executive of Community Rail Network

explains how the grassroots network is strengthening our communities by putting social value at the forefront

With the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail and the creation of Great British Railways (GBR), we are all looking forward to a new era for rail, with it playing a more central role within our communities and a sustainable transport future. At Community Rail Network, we are engaged in active dialogue with partners in government and the rail industry, including the GBR Transition Team, to support the shift to a more community-focused railway that is inclusive and accessible for all and delivers maximum social value, now and for generations to come.

Community rail partnerships and groups across Britain work to develop and cement the place of railways and stations at the heart of local communities. This growing, thriving grassroots movement, brought together under Community Rail Network’s umbrella, now includes 76 community rail partnerships (CRPs) and 1,200+ station friends’ groups and other local groups, spread across Britain. These are community based and led groups and organisations, working closely with the rail industry, and delivering increasingly wide-ranging activities to:

• Enhance the railways’ contribution to local sustainable development and community wellbeing, including by maximising access to and use of the railways.

• Ensure the community has a voice and plays a part in the development and improvement of our railways, so this meets community needs and aspirations and delivers maximum benefit.

• Communicate the development and importance of our railways to communities, enhancing understanding and pride, and promoting rail as a key part of sustainable, healthy travel.

Community rail’s growing impact is reflected in themes of the Department

for Transport’s Community Rail Development Strategy: providing a voice for communities; promoting sustainable, healthy, and accessible travel; bringing communities together and supporting diversity and inclusion; and social and economic development. As this strategy shows, community rail is at its heart all about creating greater social value from our railways: helping communities to benefit more, and in different ways, from their stations and local lines.

Within the movement itself there is an increasing attention to how we can not only demonstrate the impact that our own projects have, but how our work naturally shines a light on the difference that rail makes every day to people’s lives.

We were pleased to see social value referenced explicitly in the recent consultation around the GBR legislation, as our members’ work shows how social value can be given greater weighting to enable the ambitions of Williams-Shapps, towards a more people-centric, community-responsive, sustainable railway, to be fully realised.

Embracing social value

Community rail already works closely with rail industry partners to eke out greater social value from rail in a range of ways. However, there are opportunities for further development through the process of transformation. We suggest that we can take inspiration from community rail, to consider how rail (and perhaps transport generally) can be approached in a more engaging, participatory, collaborative way, working with communities and local leaders as partners. This aligns with the arguments of a growing range of transport academics looking at how we can shift towards more sustainable and inclusive transport.

Specifying GBR’s duties around maximising social value and ensuring communities are engaged meaningfully, can help to enshrine this approach. Drawing on community rail’s insights, and wider research, we can see how this could support and accelerate the cultural and procedural shift towards a truly people and communitycentric railway, complementing and supporting other duties around accessibility and the environment.

An example of how this could work, and unleash major benefits, relates to the management of stations, where social value could be considered alongside potential commercial value when considering how station spaces, and especially disused buildings, can be put to more productive use. We have seen scores of projects in recent years where stations have been rejuvenated into community hubs through communityled projects supported by the railway and ourselves, with activities as varied as hospital radio stations, free food shops, community bike hires, community meeting and events spaces, art galleries, community cafes, museums and more.

These projects are based on community

ideas and needs, often bringing many partners together, with community rail acting as the ‘glue,’ and founded on shared commitment to benefit local communities. Our experience suggests that by giving social value greater consideration with regards to our stations, we can bring more of these projects to fruition, and avoid missed opportunities where disused spaces remain an empty drain on rail resources.

Ensuring accessibility

Opening up rail travel to more people, working with rail partners to make rail more inclusive and accessible, is a common thread through community rail, and our experience suggests this is often where greatest gains can be made with social value – in some cases transforming lives – as well as contributing to sustainability. It means thinking beyond 'the passenger’ (i.e. those using rail already), to those who don’t or rarely use rail, for whom by breaking down barriers, we can open up new opportunities.

We all recognise that a key part of rail transformation is working to better meet the needs of people with disabilities and other mobility needs or vulnerabilities, as well as breaking down travel barriers for all who face them. Addressing these issues effectively means working with local communities, to understand local needs, issues, and concerns, and in the process, we can empower local people and marginalised groups and create a sense of ownership towards rail, offering strong support to the Levelling Up agenda.

We have many examples in community rail of initiatives that draw on lived experience – such as from those living with dementia, young people with learning disabilities, or new parents from low-income backgrounds – feeding these views and voices into the rail industry to support improvements, while empowering these groups through positive experiences and links to new opportunities.

These examples show how improving

accessibility and inclusivity within the rail estate goes hand-in-hand with engaging and being responsive to communities, and how we can unleash social value in multiple, reinforcing ways by combining our thinking on accessibility with community engagement.

Williams-Shapps also recognised a need for a ‘more inclusive culture’ and decisionmaking that considers the needs of nonpassengers who might be enabled, through change, to use rail in the future. Again, this inherently involves dialogue and listening to diverse voices, drawing on work taking place and views being expressed at a grassroots level. We see in community rail how initiatives founded on listening, responding, and empowering can profoundly transform lives and strengthen communities, through initiatives such as:

• Rail confidence programmes, particularly for young people and groups who feel marginalised/excluded from rail.

• ‘Try the train’ trips and sociable, supported journeys for families, or groups with additional needs.

• Guided walks, bikeability, travel planning and route improvements to enhance active travel access.

• Working with community transport providers or setting up new inclusive bus connections, such as demand responsive electric minibuses.

• Projects to make the railway more inclusive for those with hidden disabilities such as dementia or autism, including engaging these groups and gathering their input, rail staff training, as well as physical adjustments to stations.

• Arts and creative projects that celebrate diversity and bring people together with the railway as a focus and shared interest and make stations more visually welcoming and inclusive and encourage social interactions.

• Inclusive volunteering opportunities promoting social confidence and skills.

By considering accessibility holistically, and recognising how it is delivered in partnership with communities, GBR has the potential to open up and transform travel for a hugely diverse range of passengers, while empowering communities to take action, strengthen local bonds, and create local benefit.

Looking to the future

‘Community rail can be at the vanguard of supporting the government and rail industry to unlock the social value of the railways, and be bold in doing that.’ – Department for Transport, Community Rail Development Strategy.

‘Community rail partnerships will be empowered to strengthen rail’s social and economic impact.’ – Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail.

The potential for community rail to deliver social value in connection with the railway, and contribute positively to multiple policy areas, is acknowledged by government and industry partners, and Community Rail Network continues to advise on how the role of the movement can be maintained and enhanced.

While the current period of transformation can provoke feelings of uncertainty, it is also a time to embrace the opportunities change can bring.

The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail asserts that the railways must become more inclusive, accessible, sustainable, and responsive to local needs, including embedding the principles of social value. Our evidence base outlines the numerous ways that community rail provides an ideal vehicle for this. Putting social value, inclusion, and accessibility at the forefront of rail industry thinking now, and recognising how this in bound up with the local engagement typified by community rail, will ensure our railways play a powerful role at the heart of our communities into the future.

Jools Townsend is Chief Executive of Community Rail Network, for further information, visit communityrail.org.uk.

‘Community rail partnerships will be empowered to strengthen rail’s social and economic impact.’

Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail

Blockades on Rail Upgrade

BAM Ritchies is now nearing five years working on the Transpennine Route Upgrade (West) Site Investigation and Ground Investigation works (an ongoing Railway route upgrade project located between Manchester and Leeds)

Blockades have been an integral part of works delivery for sites and activities that cannot be accommodated in standard rules of the route possessions. Largely this work comprises boreholes in areas where the network is tight – namely tunnels and sites where a position within four-foot is the only solution.

Carrying out work in blockades can often be a challenging, stressful and difficult procedure to carry out. The pressure is on the delivery team to ensure that the works are complete within set timescales, safely and without any adverse effect to the

railway passenger and infrastructure. With regards to carrying out ground investigation work and the number of unknowns you can encounter, as with any civils project, planning relies on many contingencies being built into the plan at an early stage.

The project itself has achieved many successes since starting works in 2017 and was the recipient of the Ground Engineering Award for Team of the Year in 2021. BAM Ritchies have continually supported the project and have earnt a reputation for the safe, reliable and consistent delivery of works under possession and blockade conditions.

To date BAM Ritchies have now delivered a total of ten blockades, all on time and all with 100 per cent or more delivery of planned works on each blockade. Solid planning, good route knowledge and reliable teams have been key to the successful predictable delivery of these projects. The ten Blockades were:

1. Stalybridge Tunnel Boreholes –Christmas 2019 – seven boreholes to depths up to seven metres.

2. Scout Tunnel Boreholes – Christmas 2020 – five boreholes to depths up to seven metres.

3. Huddersfield Station Boreholes –Christmas 2020 – two boreholes to 40 metres.

4. Huddersfield Sidings – March 2021 – six boreholes to depths of 40 metres during five, 18 hour long blockades of sidings (handed back each night).

5. Morley Tunnel (Batley Cutting) Boreholes – NOVEMBER 2021 – two boreholes to 20 metres in a 28 hour long Weekend Blockade.

6. Slaithwaite Viaduct – Christmas 2021 – one borehole to 20 metres and six WS holes to six metres.

7. Huddersfield Tunnel Boreholes –Christmas 2021 – three boreholes to 15 metres.

8. Bradley Wood Junction (1) – 1 August Weekend – two boreholes to 30 metres, one to 20 metres.

9. Bradley Wood Junction (2) – 2 August Weekend – two boreholes to 30 metres, one to 20 metres.

10. Stalybridge Tunnel – 1 September Weekend – nine boreholes to depths up to 14 metres.

Over 700 metres of boreholes have now been delivered in ten blockades on the project, all meeting or exceeding planned targets and all safely handing back the

Huddersfield Sidings – Fraste ML working on 40m borehole in March 2021. 305 working on a 40m in background.

network on completion. Successful planning and predictable delivery of blockades relies heavily on collaboration, digital review, lean thinking, logistical review and most of all Teamwork. The following nine steps outlines the approach to success on TRU West.

1. Eliminate all works that can be achieved without blockade being required – BAM Ritchies works with the designers to move positions, achieve same results by other methods where possible. This reduces cost to the project and overall risk.

2. Reduce works to as practicable as possible – through discussions with the designers, the team can aim to get as much information from as few boreholes as possible, whilst targeting critical features. By putting less work in the blockade, this reduces the pressure on site teams and makes the work more achievable.

3. Plan early – works are identified as much as twelve months or more in advance. This allows time for possessions to be booked by the rail planning team, resources to be sought, any additional training to be identified and ensure that all contractors are working together to the same aim.

4. Regular meetings – planning ramps up at twelve weeks out, to ensure that works are successful. Contractors providing rail plant (RRVs), the rail planning team, support staff are involved heavily from this stage, so that all parties know what is required of them and work together.

5. Preparation on site – possessions are booked in advance of the main works

to allow key staff and RRV providers view the site and identify local hazards are identified before the main works commence. In line with NR standards, buried service scans are carried out and services identified.

6. Water supply – much of the successful delivery of borehole work relies on a plentiful water supply. Shifts leading up to the blockade are used to install water lines from water tankers parked off track.

7. Reliable methods – the TRU team have worked together to ensure that the site set ups are consistent and work with the plant available. Training shifts, practice lifts and working with reliable RRV partners throughout have led to consistent and successful site set ups on site.

8. Deconflicting works – during blockades other contractors will also want access to the area. BAM Ritchies works with other contractors to ensure they can access where possible and set up restricted working areas to safely segregate its works from others. These are all fed into the whiteboard information briefed to the larger work force on the blockade by TRU Alliance partner Amey.

9. Staff – BAM Ritchies has a large number of skilled borehole crews who are used to working on the infrastructure. The crews are selected for the shifts based on their skills and shift times planned to ensure fatigue management is carried out. Travel times are reduced by providing accommodation near to the project for any travelling staff.

With its exceptional rail experience BAM Ritchies has staff involved and engaged from planning to delivery, ensuring Network Rail standards are followed and working hand in hand with the rail planning teams. Hand back engineers are employed through TRU partner Amey to monitor and measure the track at each location to ensure the route is safely handed back to Network Rail on completion of the works.

Company profile

BAM Ritchies is the specialist geotechnical division of BAM Nuttall Ltd. BAM Ritchies started business in Scotland almost 60 years ago in 1963 and is now one of the country’s leading and award-winning ground engineering and geotechnical contractors. The organisation employs approximately 300 trained and experienced staff.

BAM Ritchies has a turnover in excess of £60 million carrying out ground investigation, ground engineering, drilling and blasting and concrete techniques: completing contracts up to £30 million in value.

BAM Ritchies operates UK wide from offices in Kilsyth near Glasgow (Principal Office), Warrington, Nailsea near Bristol, and Godstone in Surrey.

Tel: 07740 771075

Email: matt.ewing@bam.com

Visit: www.bamritchies.co.uk

LinkedIn: BAM Ritchies

Twitter: @BAMRitchies

Batley Cutting – entrance to Morley Tunnel. Commachio 305 working on 20m borehole in November 2021.

Bradley Junction – 305 on 20m borehole. RRV for transport and supply parked adjacent.

Eco-Friendly Foundation Systems

On average the Anchor Screw foundation offers an embodied carbon reduction of over 70 per cent

The use of Anchor Screw products, from Anchor Systems (International) Ltd, is growing rapidly within the rail sector, including access staircases, barriers, platforms, LOC stages and almost any trackside asset.

The Anchor Screw is an easy to install foundation solution that eradicates the need to use traditional methods, such as concrete. It is entirely manufactured in the UK from recycled steel and offers a design life of over 100 years. The design of the patented domed head and bespoke interface plates, makes this foundation system the most versatile and flexible option, ensuring the structure mounted on top is always level and correctly positioned. Anchor Screws come in a selection of sizes to suit a range of

loads and jobs, and can be used in multiples, with a common interface plate, to achieve even greater capabilities. Typically installed in less than ten minutes, the Anchor Screw allows work to progress without the need for drying times. The portable, hand-held installation equipment means that no OLE isolations or RRV’s are required either.

A very good example of where the Anchor Screw was proven to have huge time and cost savings, was the Westbourne Park Segregation Barrier project.

A 400-metre segregation barrier was required within six foot at Westbourne Park Station to divide the Network Rail and Crossrail Tracks, however the depth of ballast was over 1,000mm. This was considered in the clients original proposed segregation barrier solution, which would

utilise multiple concrete foundations, involving multiple RRVs, ballast removal, waste management, onsite concrete shuttering, and mixing. This method of installation was estimated to take more than 20 weekend shifts with an initial budget of over £1 million, deeming the works uneconomical for the client and the network.

Due to this, Network Rail approached Anchor Systems (International) Ltd to discuss the use of their Anchor Screw foundation solution and asked them to offer a design and installation cost for the segregation barrier. Anchor Systems worked with the design team at Network Rail to understand the project requirements and together they developed a suitable design.

A GPR survey confirmed that there

was concrete track drainage located approximately 1,000mm below the ballast level, meaning the traditional ‘off the shelf’ Anchor Screw would have to be modified. Reducing the overall length to 850mm ensured clearance from the existing drain, while at the same time being able to achieve the vertical and lateral load requirements for the segregation barrier in line with NR standards.

Anchor Systems worked with Colas Rail and Network Rail to offer a complete solution with one of our approved installers, to guarantee workmanship and onsite efficiency. A total of 14 nights were required to install over 300 Anchor Screws and erect the barrier, massively improving efficiency, producing a huge reduction in workforce, heavy machinery/RRV’s, concrete, waste management, water consumption and material delivery miles, the entire solution saved the network over £650,000.

Anchor Systems (International) Ltd were also involved in a Network Rail project in Merseyside, where the Anchor Screw foundation system was used for a staircase on a railway embankment. A safe access GRP Staircase was installed on the embankment, requiring Anchor Screw piles and adjustable adaptor plates - all supplied by Anchor Systems.

The GRP access staircase links to a cess walkway with self-closing safety gate. At five

TESTIMONIALS

‘This system is great example of collaborative working. All the work and investment that went into this system demonstrates real commitment by the team for innovation and sustainability. The objectives were to reduce carbon footprint, remove concrete and water usage, remove the need for RRVs and allow a very quick installation – all of which were met and more. Nothing else on the market comes close.’

Clive Marriott: Managing Director at CSM Projects

‘The Anchor Screw system helped to significantly reduce construction time and provided greater tolerance to satisfy gauging requirements on the Westbourne Park Barrier Scheme.

Throughout the design stage, Network Rail design and Anchor Systems collaborated to produce a bespoke post that could be installed entirely within the ballast formation. This system has many other applications and can offer significant efficiencies whilst providing a more environmentally friendly option compared with alternative foundation types.’

Sam Fletcher CEng MICE: Senior Design Engineer (Building & Civils) at Network Rail

metres high and 13 metres long, it required 16 anchor screws with adjustable adaptor plates to support the structure.

Anchor Systems’ Anchor Screw piles were easily installed into the sloped embankment with portable handheld equipment, meaning the job was completed swiftly and with no isolations necessary. The interface plates can be adjusted, allowing for 7° lateral alteration, meaning the staircase will always be level, even on sloped and irregular ground.

The Environment

Over and above the project benefits, the Anchor Screw offers further benefits to the network and local environment, including:

• All materials are recyclable, easily removable, and reusable.

• Made in the UK from 100 per cent recycled steel, with a minimum design life of 50 years.

• Anchor Screw can be designed to offer 100+ year design life solution.

• No wet trades, curing times or excavation.

• No requirement for RRVs.

• Materials can all be transported by hand and with track trollies.

• Portable and lightweight installation equipment.

• Reduction in hours on site and workforce required during installation.

• Zero HAVS (Hand Arm Vibration).

• Installation head offers low noise pollution output offering lower disturbance to local residents.

• Adjustable domed head to ensure the asset or interface is always level and offers horizontal and lateral adjustment to ensure the route is straight. The patented dome head of the Anchor Screw and interface plate offers 14° overall tolerance.

Tel: 01342 719 362

Email: info@anchorsystems.co.uk

Visit: www.anchorsystems.co.uk

Predict and Prevent, Infrastructure Management

Omnicom Balfour Beatty provide intelligent measurement insights to the rail industry, promoting a safer, more efficient, and sustainable railway for all

Indeed, the world’s most valuable resource is no longer oil, but data. At the core of the digital transformation of the rail industry is the ability to harness the power of data insights –with this, it is possible to usher in a vastly improved rail network for all.

Operating at the forefront of the industry’s technological evolution is Omnicom Balfour Beatty (OBB). OBB’s unique capabilities extend right through the data cycle from point of capture to processing and visualisation.

The UK railway serves as a complex and vital transit infrastructure for millions of individuals every day, however by nature of being close to two-centuries old, the once mighty British railway faces numerous challenges in terms of safety, efficiency, and sustainability. To overcome the lacking modernity that the industry needs, increased investment in the transport sector, as well as a positive embracement of technology, will be vital for the next era of train travel.

While increased digitisation provides the means for innovation and improvement across all rail, it is no secret that the performance of train services has not met such expectations for improvement in recent decades. When Britain’s Rail Network was first privatised, the government predicted that a combination of increased competition between train-operating companies and general free-market forces in the sector would contribute to vast improvements in service. However, today the very contrary has come to fruition as ticket prices have risen, and lateness hit a 13-year high in the UK in 2018.

As fragmentation of the railway is reversed and Network Rail (NR) transitions into Great British Railways (GBR), they will undoubtedly incentivise the industry to provide data collection services (DCS) – further emphasising its place in the era of ‘big data’. OBB recognises that harnessing such data insights will be key to monitoring infrastructure and

equipment whilst optimising maintenance and the improvement of safety. From this, operational and technical complexity can be reduced across the industry and the ability to accommodate additional transit capacity on the network can increase - without the need for building expensive new physical infrastructure.

The vision shared amongst market innovators, like OBB, is to encourage the move to a more predictable railway whilst eliminating the hefty cost, safety and efficiency considerations associated with unplanned maintenance. But, to achieve this GBR will require three things: expertise in data science methods, expertise in railway domain knowledge and the ability to access the data.

Technological Progression and OBB’s Contribution

In the knowledge that future rail companies should be underpinned by punctuality and excellent customer experience, why then

(according to the latest ORR reports) is it the case that only 72.4 per cent of services arrived on time in Q1 of 2022? Some argue the root of this problem is a lacking investment in the smarter technological solutions necessary for overcoming this statistic.

For instance, through machine learning, predictions concerning disruptive asset failures can be identified sooner so that intervention is anticipated with more effective maintenance scheduling. This, in turn, helps train operating companies to avoid delay-repay compensation penalties and protects the safety of passengers by decreasing the likelihood of rail defect development.

Reducing the need for urgent, unplanned, and reactive work means that technicians are less required to be exposed to trackside risks through the avoidance of red zone working. This ‘predict and prevent’ ideology is core to the business offering that OBB provides to the industry.

OBB aims to support customers in realising and optimising the power of data. Possessing extensive skills and experience in single and multi-disciplinary solutions for a wide range of rail projects, OBB also offers expert training and support across the suite of software and hardware products available. Based in both York and Derby, OBB is surrounded by industry experts and is well positioned to leverage the specialist knowledge that exists in such localised industry clusters. Over its 24year history, OBB has seen a substantial increase in capability, starting with just

event monitoring systems and scaling up to include infrastructure monitoring, remote condition monitoring and mobile mapping systems.

Infrastructure Monitoring

With Balfour Beatty’s acquisition of Omnicom Engineering the company took over the development of various infrastructure monitoring tools. Adopting such technological capabilities gave rise to the OBB product ‘OmniVision’ – a powerful automated visual track inspection solution comprised of AI-powered computer vision software in conjunction with highresolution cameras that are mounted onto trains collecting information at high-speed (typically 125 mph in the UK). This helps to reduce the frequency of track inspection patrols by delivering powerful track defect insights straight to the user’s desktop. Whether users are concerned with missing fasteners, excess ballast or ineffective rail clamps, this technology allows for detailed inspection of track elements at 70,000 images a second. The utilisation of these tools permits a vastly automated workflow that leverages the latest in plain-line pattern recognition (PLPR) machine vision and now Deep Learning AI to assess the rail profile using big data processing and hyperdetailed track geometry data. PLPR is live on 70 per cent of the network and improves asset quality, with a significant reduction in track defects.

Mobile Mapping

Survey tools, such as ‘OmniCapture3D’, add laser-scanned point-cloud capture, data mapping and asset modelling so that a virtual model can be created of the network. This data can then be viewed from multiple angles using software programmes such as ‘OmniSurveyor3D’ – another powerful tool that builds a digital environment map for the particular benefit of signal sighting simulation and immersive driver route learning.

Known across rail as the industry’s leading engineering tool for gauging and clearing assessments, OBB’s ‘ClearRoute2’ software utilises both a user’s own survey data as well as infrastructure data from the

national gauging database to inform design and planning decisions through vehicle modelling and compatibility assessments.

Remote Condition Monitoring

Level crossings, represent a particularly challenging interface between NR and the public. They typically require frequent and lengthy inspections due to the safety-critical nature that underpins their use and the complex operational sequences that permit their function. OBB’s solution, ‘OmniLX’, revolutionises the remote condition monitoring model for level crossings by eliminating the need to perform costly, time-consuming manual inspections on a quarterly basis and providing a predictive maintenance regime. Instead, OmniLX, combined with OBB’s advanced dashboarding software ‘Asset View’, provides real-time data insights concerning asset condition and performance – highlighting any degradation present on more than 20 barrier function points on a more consistent basis. This informs asset maintainers sooner and prevents costly failures and repair works that would otherwise be required.

Raynesway West Service Road

Raynesway Derby DE21 7BG

Eboracum House

Clifton Park Avenue York YO30 5PB

United Kingdom

Tel:01332 476 070 (Derby)

Tel: 01904 778 100 (York)

Email: OmnicomCS@balfourbeatty.com

Visit: www.omnicombalfourbeatty.com

LinkedIn: Omnicom Balfour Beatty

Twitter: @omnicombb

Facebook: Omnicom Balfour Beatty

YouTube: Omnicom Balfour Beatty

‘Omnicom develops award winning, innovative systems that turn large complex data into information and decisions.’

Sanjay Razdan, Managing Director of Omnicom Balfour Beatty, 2022

Luxury or Long-Term Sustainable Solution?

As the construction sector senses economic turbulence, the task of recognizing what is real value for money has become more important than ever

Identifying true value for money is crucial business, especially at a time of economic uncertainty. Couple that with the complexities of reaching both sustainability targets and pledges to support UK business and the task becomes even more demanding. For UK rail transport, the sensitivities around the cost of planned upgrades and major infrastructure expansion, such as HS2, continue to grow, as do the pressures around supply chain and delivery.

In the face of this mounting pressure and rising costs it remains vital that we understand how to quantify value for money and that sustainable, circular solutions remain central. There is little justification for

opting for materials or short-term solutions which are unproven, and which will require maintenance or carbon costly replacement in a few short years. Being truly cost-efficient is about choosing the most durable and sustainable option. A product’s value should be assessed by its ability to both meet specifications and last multiple lifecycles.

Meeting climate pledges and spending less over time

It is widely appreciated that choosing circular materials is key if HS2 and other planned network improvements are to meet their stated aim of decarbonizing UK transport. Galvanized steel makes an ideal partner as it aligns with key principles

central to circular design and construction. A recent test case in the Netherlands shows that circular models of remaking galvanized components can lead to 40 per cent reduction in environmental costs and ten per cent reduction in costs when compared to other dispose and replace cycles. At scale the potential benefits of integrating circular components and structures into public transport schemes will offer significant economic advantage over the long term and help reduce carbon footprint.

Galvanized steel aligns with the hierarchical, accepted models of circular economics in the following ways:

• Refuse

• Reduce

• Reuse

• Remake

• Recycle

Priority One – Refuse  Galvanized steel offers the highest levels of durability, delivering once-only solutions that last the lifetime of a building, component or structure. This allows for an emphasis on avoiding the environmental impact of further unnecessary construction.

Priority Two – Reduce

Data on the corrosion protection offered by a galvanized coating shows how the process of galvanizing steel components offers lifetime protection and reduces maintenance burdens over the lifetime of a project.

Priority Three – Reuse  Galvanized steel is an ideal material for reuse, as it is robust and does not damage easily. It is suited to modular design, is easily disassembled for reuse and can provide multiple life cycles of a building or structure. If a building is designed with reuse in mind, entire structures can be repurposed or individual components can be put to diverse use.

Priority Four – Remake

When the limits of reuse of an existing component or structure have been exhausted, galvanized steel presents an excellent choice for remaking, as the coating stays with the steel and no additional coating is needed in any subsequent use. Galvanized steel components can be easily adapted, re-galvanized and put back into service – avoiding the environmental burden of new steel production.

Priority Five – Recycle

Galvanizers Association gives clear end of life information on how steel and zinc are recycled together – without loss of properties – to produce new galvanized steel. As zinc corrodes at a very slow rate, recycling will not happen for many decades, with some coatings providing the best part of a century of use.

Circular principles

The UK galvanizing industry has long been a voice for sustainable construction and has recently produced a publication Galvanized Steel and Sustainable Construction: Solutions for the Circular Economy

The guide highlights leading examples of how circular principles are already shaping construction throughout Europe and how galvanized steel contributes to cost savings and ambitious, circular design. Yes, building a world class rail network and decarbonizing our existing network in the face of rising costs, may be a tall order. However, this doesn’t mean that cost saving over the long term should be seen as an unaffordable luxury.

Tel: 0121 355 8838

Email: i.johal@hdg.org.uk

Download guide: www.galvanizing.org.uk/circular-economy/guide/

Find out how galvanized steel is supporting UK transport and infrastructure projects by joining its Industry Open Day 20 October 2022. For details of participating galvanizing plants near you and to see hot dip galvanizing in action go to:

www.galvanizing.org.uk/open-day

‘Vienna Hauptbahnhof has one of the most ambitious galvanized roof structures in contemporary station architecture, in answer to a design specification stipulating a 120year lifespan with essentially zero maintenance burden.’

‘Crossrail West Signal Gantries were designed, supplied and installed by Global Rail Construction Ltd, using galvanized helical steel foundations, which at the end of the installation life, can be easily removed, reused or recycled’

A Net Zero Solution for Rail

With ambitious sustainability targets being set at a national level, we need greener, cleaner solutions for infrastructure projects. McCulloch Group’s TRTe™ is the first of these solutions

The TRTe is McCulloch Group’s first all-electric, battery-powered solution for rail infrastructure projects.

The Trac Rail Transposer (TRT™) is a respected piece of plant equipment, here in the UK and across the world. In September this year, its newer, greener sister, the TRTe™ went into production after successful test deployments in Scotland.

Offering all the same exceptional features as the TRT™, this all-electric machine reduces diesel emissions, carbon footprint and noise on rail infrastructure projects.

Powered by an electric battery – it’s a greener, cleaner alternative to manual operations accompanied by numerous noisy, diesel-powered machines.

What does it do?

The remote-controlled TRTe™ removes, transports, and installs lengths of rail and associated ironwork, within live environments and under live Overhead Line Equipment.

It’s an agile machine and has rubber tracks which means it can move with ease across the uneven infrastructure landscape and within restricted spaces like tunnels and on bridges. Its diesel-powered counterpart, the TRT™, has operated with 99.7 per cent reliability over the last 15 years on the UK’s rail infrastructure, with full approval to operate on Network Rail and the London Underground Network (including deep tubes).

From an operational perspective, the TRTe™ has been designed to overcome many of the challenges that alternatives face in dangerous, on-track environments. It can also:

• Remove and install all profiles of rail, including Bullhead, Flat Bottom Rail and Conductor Rail.

• Be used on both single line and multiple track layouts.

• Easily cross multiple tracks, including areas with conductor rails.

• Operate in the tightest of spaces.

• Remove, transpose, and install rail in a safe controlled manner by remote control.

• Create both cost and time efficiencies when compared to alternative methods.

• Transport and install switches and crossings.

How is it powered?

The TRTe™ is powered by an electric motor and battery power pack, instead of the traditional diesel engine.

The machine is entirely remotecontrolled, meaning it can be operated by a trained individual from the safety of an exclusion zone. The electronic remotecontrol system comes with remote condition monitoring, which means it can be used more extensively on the infrastructure than its counterparts, where diesel emissions and noise pollution are an issue.

The importance of Net Zero

For decades, the challenge we faced on the railways was safety. McCulloch Group

was born of innovation; creating technical solutions that make on-track work safer for all. Whilst rail infrastructure projects still have their dangers, we all now face a new challenge – one that, if tackled properly, will save our planet.

With government targets encouraging more and more of the countries companies and infrastructure agencies to set their own ambitious sustainability goals, we as providers of infrastructure solutions – need to get greener. The TRTe™ is our first step towards this, one which we see making a sizeable contribution to the move towards zero emission working practices.

More about McCulloch Group

Founded 30 years ago, McCulloch Group was founded on a desire to do better. Now with a fleet of seven innovative products, including the popular Panel Lifter, each of these machines have been designed to carry

out specific tasks on the railways, which otherwise would be carried out manually and often with associated risks.

McCulloch Group has offices and depots up and down the country, and teams operating across the UK. But that’s not where the ambitions ended. The company now provides solutions to infrastructure companies in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia.

If you want to find out more about the TRTe™, its operational capabilities, and costs, get in touch via the contact information below.

Email: sales@mccullochgroup.com

Visit: www.Mccullochgroup.com

Three McCulloch Group Panel Lifters, like those seen here, can remove a length of track with concrete sleepers in just four minutes and 30 seconds.

Operated during the day or at night

Improving Safety at Stations

Barry Eagle, founder and CEO at GripClad leans on his experience of making train stations safer over the past 20 years to provide insight to current rail professionals

BUSINESS NEWS

MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM INNOTRANS

Hitachi Rail’s new ‘Blues Train’, one of the most advanced trains in the world, was unveiled in Berlin at the world’s largest rail transport fair, InnoTrans. Built for Trenitalia, the cutting-edge battery hybrid train will reduce carbon emissions and fuel consumption by 50 per cent and has the ability to arrive at and depart from stations completely under battery power. The train will be the first ever ‘tri-mode’ (using battery, electric and diesel power) fleet to enter passenger service in Europe, later this year.

Alstom under the umbrella of its brand identity, Mobility by Nature, presented its latest innovations and digital solutions that enable sustainable mobility for customers and greener transport choices for passengers.

With the broadest and most innovative portfolio of green solutions in the industry, Alstom is focused on decarbonising mobility. Green traction solutions, including Alstom’s latest fuel cell technology, hydrogen, battery pack and fuel cell solutions for new trains, as well as green re-tractioning options for existing fleets, will be a highlight.

ENGINE

13 LITRES

Liebherr presented a representative of its new generation of railroad excavators from the construction machinery sector. The company has been producing powerful and highquality railroad excavators since 1967. These can be used both on the road and in rail transport. There they carry out, for example, work related to the maintenance or renewal of rail systems as well as the laying of track infrastructures.

In the components product segment, the company presented the horizontal version of the D966H engine with 13 litres displacement, which was specially developed for railcars. This combustion engine, which is being presented in its diesel version, is HVO-capable. Currently, the engine technology is being further developed for use with hydrogen.

In 2021, there were 258 non-workforce severe injuries due to slips, trips and falls in UK train stations, and the workforce had 40 incidents of the same ilk. Train stations are not always safe places to be, and in adverse weather conditions, they can be hazardous. From slippery steps to station platforms that aren’t correctly adapted for those who are visually impaired, hazards lie at every turn. But how can we make train stations safer?

How railway stations aren’t safe

Constructed over the past 100 or so years, railway stations don’t often get any major development. This has meant that as foot traffic has increased rapidly over the years, the safety solutions haven’t necessarily caught up.

Common features at train stations like intricately constructed metal platform bridges, while stunning to look at, are at high risk of rusting and becoming slip hazards in wet weather. Similarly, station platforms that aren’t coated with an antislip product like GRP (glass reinforced plastic) can become ice rinks in winter!

Maintain tactile paving

Tactile paving, supplied in tiles, is imperative for the safety of those who are visually

impaired. Blister tiles, which have small raised circular bumps on, are used to warn people of danger that is imminent, i.e., a roadside crossing or the very edge of a train platform. These are commonly seen at train stations and must be well maintained. A chipped or missing tactile blister paving is not only a hazard to those who aren’t visually impaired, but for those who are visually impaired, it provides increased hazards.

Corduroy tiles, which are regularly seen just before the edge of a platform, warn users ‘hazard, proceed with caution’. These, if made of concrete or similar materials, can become incredibly slippery when wet, causing problems for all. Due to their design, they can also harbour water, and must be kept clean from leaves, twigs and other debris.

By using a GRP, also called FRP (fibreglass reinforced plastic), tactile paving, you can be sure of the anti-slip properties, as well as having lightweight, easy to replace tiles that take no more than a few hours to set.

Make Steps Safe

Steps and stairs are often a core place where people slip and fall. As such, it’s important that all relevant safety measures are in place. Depending on the material that your stairs are made from, whether wood, metal

or fibreglass, you may need different safety measures.

Metal stairs, for example, often need weatherproofed solutions, such as full GRP sheets that cover the entirety of the surface.

Wooden stairs often have GRP strips attached; the same product used on decking. This allows the wood to breathe so it doesn’t rot but adds an anti-slip element. You can also get stair tread covers, which are a simple retrofit solution that instantly make stairs safer. GripClad previously supplied these to a railway station that was undergoing renovation, provided by Morgan Sindall. Rasheed Singh, who works at Morgan Sindall, said ‘Our No.1 Priority was to ensure the safety of our passengers and GripClad’s product suited that bill perfectly.’

Another Leap in Railway Simulation

The future of train simulation is here with the release of Train Sim World 3

Outside of spotting, photography and modelling, rail simulation has become a large and growing arm of interest for rail enthusiasts as well as the industry and at its centre is Dovetail Games. The Train Sim World franchise has brought a variety of routes and locomotives into people’s living rooms, from the iconic HST along the Great Western Railway, to the romance of 50s steam and the LMS Jubilee Class. Players are placed virtually into locomotive cabs, recreated to closely match their prototype, but are also able to wander round environments, such as real-world railway stations, yards and depots.

Featuring both historic and contemporary traction has been key to giving players the immersion they seek in both Trains titles produced by the company: Train Sim World and Train Simulator Classic. The former brings highly detailed models and environments to console and PC gamers and introduces rail simulation to a wider audience, whereas the latter offers a far more extensive catalogue of routes and locomotives, as well as the ability to customise and modify the experience, for a more dedicated railfan audience on PC.

Over the years, Dovetail Games have worked with many partners in the industry to bring authentic licences, rolling stock and liveries to their games, thus creating routes and environments that both rail enthusiasts and rail professionals will find familiar. This also includes getting feedback from real-world operators and drivers as well as their large and growing community of enthusiasts.

Jon Rissik, Chief Executive Officer of Dovetail Games: ‘We have been building train simulation experiences for nearly 15 years now and we remain passionate about rail, giving people a taste of what it’s like to drive and master these fabulous machines. Over the years we have been privileged to work with many rail operators and staff to help us get the little details right. These things really matter to our enthusiasts! I would like to thank those people for their knowledge and insight. Authenticity is everything when you are building a complex simulation experience!’

The latest iteration, Train Sim World 3, develops the highly detailed environments and realistic locomotive handling for the latest generation of games consoles bringing dramatic weather conditions to

the experience and with it, the challenge of navigating through them. Wind, rain and snow all now have a significant effect on running conditions, building on the realism so proudly recreated by the team at Dovetail Games.

Matt Peddlesden, Executive Producer at Dovetail Games: ‘For Train Sim World 3, the team have done an amazing job enhancing and building on the immersive experience of our previous titles. The new lighting system transforms the visuals along with all-new weather dynamics that will significantly impact the operation of trains in-game.

‘This and the development of our dedicated Training Center, guiding users through the controls, will see Train Sim World 3 bring existing players new and exciting challenges, whilst giving those new to the franchise an enjoyable introduction to the railway world.’

One of the franchise’s most popular routes returns, improved and expanded on for Train Sim World 3. Southeastern Highspeed brings Britain’s fastest domestic train service to the game via the Class 395 ‘Javelin’. This route now includes the high-speed section from Ebbsfleet down to Ashford as well as the section through

Part of the challenge relished by players involves handling the throttle and brakes to ensure locomotives like BNSF’s ES44C4s can adequately haul heavy freight up gradients and ease them down again.

Rain reflects on the platform of Ebbsfleet International during an in-game thunderstorm, highlighting both the weather and lighting improvements made on previous Train Sim World titles.

Medway. The Class 375/9 allows operation of local services as well as the older Class 465, forming a trio of EMUs to take control of, whilst the Class 66 brings players a freight element to what is otherwise a passenger-heavy route.

Enthusiasts and railfans will enjoy the introduction of California’s Cajon Pass, a popular photography and webcam spot, to Train Sim World 3 and BNSF’s ES44C4 locomotives. These 4400hp units, part of General Electric’s Evolution Series, provide enough power to haul some of the USA’s longest trains up challenging gradients and work alongside the ubiquitous SD40-2.

Train Sim World’s longest ever route allows players to travel between Kassel and Würzburg at speeds of 280 kph behind the controls of Germany’s renowned ICE 1 and ICE 3 high-speed passenger trains. DB’s BR 185 can also be operated on the route, which features epic bridges and tunnels over a distance of 186 kilometres.

A fourth route of sorts, comes in the form of the new Training Center feature, inspired by the real-world WegbergWildenrath Test and Validation Centre in Germany but dressed with fictional scenery and surroundings. New players have the freedom to practise their driving skills here, with tutorials available, whilst experienced players can enjoy using a variety of rolling stock all on the same track.

In addition to these new and improved routes, a vast back catalogue from the previous title Train Sim World 2 will be compatible for players who purchased that content. This includes the massively popular Spirit of Steam add-on that brought Jubilee Class and 8F steam traction to Train Sim World for the first time earlier this year. Spirit of Steam is also available as part of the Train Sim World 3 ‘Deluxe Edition’ and has been updated for this latest release.

Pennsylvania’s Horseshoe Curve, the Tees Valley Line and the West Somerset

Railway are just some of the 50 add-ons that will be available to bring over (if previously purchased) from Train Sim World 2 as are additional locomotives from the heritage scene (such as the Class 20, Class 33 and Class 52) and today’s traction (such as the Class 484, Caltrain MP36PH-3C and CSX C40-8W).

Train Sim World 3 is the next statement of intent from a company who, in addition to creating a new and exciting arm of the rail hobby to compliment more traditional disciplines, also makes use of the expertise within the industry to bring more of the railways into people’s living rooms.

More information about Train Sim World 3 can be found at www.trainsimworld.com or on their social media channels. It was released on 6th September and is available for PlayStation and Xbox as well as PC through Steam and Epic Games Store. Train Sim World 3: Deluxe Edition contains the three core routes, Training Center and Spirit of Steam. Regional starter packs containing one route plus the Training Center are also available.

Routes and locomotives from Train Sim World 2, whilst compatible with Train Sim World 3, will not include all of its new features.

Dovetail Games

3rd Floor North, Fitted Rigging House, Anchor Wharf, The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Kent ME4 4TZ

Tel: 01634 890026

Email: enquiries@dovetailgames.com

Visit: www.trainsimworld.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ dovetail-games

Twitter: @trainsimworld

Facebook: @trainsimworld

Instagram: @trainsim

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ TrainSimWorld/featured

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/trainsimworldofficial

Discord: https://discord.gg/trainsim

Tiktok: @TrainSimWorldOfficial

The ICE 1 (pictured) is a new train to Train Sim World and one requested a lot over the years by players both in Germany and beyond. The ICE 3 also features, as it did in Train Sim World 2.

Training Center is a brand-new feature to Train Sim World and allows players the freedom to operate a variety of locomotives on the same test track. Pictured are units from the UK, US and Germany alongside one another.

The Deluxe Edition of the game features LMS 8F and Jubilee steam locomotives in operation between Liverpool Lime Street and Crewe.

The Revolutionary Potential of VLR

Pre Metro’s Charlie Merrell on how Very Light Rail could assist with the restoration of railway patronage and enable increased connectivity across the county

Very Light Rail (VLR) has recently become the subject of increasing interest and speculation across the nation due to the progress of several key projects, including the Revolution VLR and Coventry VLR. This is primarily due to the untapped potential of this mode of transport as a sustainable solution to the nation’s various connectivity needs, alongside its capability to create an exportable light rail industry within Britain.

Very Light Rail could become the lowcost solution that can help to supplement existing railways, sustain less-effective modes, and support the delivery of endto-end journeys. The Stourbridge Shuttle operation ought to be seen as the first example of this: whilst it might have been seen as a speculative project by some within the industry, the service has developed across the past decade and proved to be one of the UK’s most reliable railway operations, with over 6.5 million passenger journeys to date and an average 99.6 per cent PPM.

The service has become ever popular as it enables commuters at Stourbridge Junction to conveniently access other forms of public transport, such as the local bus service, providing passengers with a cohesive, lightweight link to the town centre. It has not only demonstrated that high-frequency light rail services can be achieved on railway Branch Lines, but it can be done affordably and sustainably, with the Shuttle producing less CO2 emissions per annum than most family cars.

Despite this success story, the industry has failed to utilise light rail to its fullest potential. The main issue has been that most current rail solutions are unaffordable and commercially unsustainable despite the many urbanised growth and environmental advantages of the railway. These advantages include the encouragement of commercial and residential developments nearby new railway routes; the increase in productivity and regional economic growth in rural areas;

and the reduction in transport congestion that will have a positive effect on the national economy.

With technological advancements ready to enable the next generation of VLR projects, the light and heavy railway sectors must collectively support this exciting form of transport and enable it to achieve its maximum potential.

The Revolution VLR (RVLR), developed by Transport Design International (TDi) and Eversholt Rail, is a sustainable, lightweight system which provides a modern, attractive, and cost-effective solution for rural-to-urban connectivity, able to support the provision of new and improved railway services on Branch Lines across the UK.

Utilising a fully electric fast-charging battery mode with a diesel-battery system, these hybrid power packs also reduce energy consumption by allowing the trains to run fully electric at low speeds.

The introduction of this vehicle to disused and mothballed Branch Lines would assist the industry with patronage restoration and encourage greater connectivity to other heavy rail services. One key area to explore the use of such a VLR system would be along the Walsall to Lichfield Branch Line.

Many people consider the reopening of the Walsall to Lichfield Branch as a ‘quick win’ with regards to enhancing public transport within the Midlands, particularly with the potential connection to HS2 at Lichfield. Local Transport Authorities would like to restore heavy rail services between these two locations, but cost constraints currently prevent this from being achieved.

Pre Metro believes that a Very Light Rail system could be installed on this line in a cost-efficient manner, enabling passengers to travel from Walsall, Pelsall or Brownhills, to nearby Lichfield and beyond.

The line could also be extended to serve the National Arboretum at Alrewas and Burton-upon-Trent in due course.

Passenger demand may well be extremely high on this line, and we anticipate further potential developments along this corridor, emphasising the need for a sustainable travel solution.

With the CRSTS already facing budgetary constraints due to the growing complexity of the 2040 West Midlands Metro and Rail Plan, introducing a much cheaper VLR solution; one that could be converted to Heavy Rail based train services when demand and revenue permit, would help to support any bids for funding from the scheme.

By adopting this approach, passengers could have access to reliable and sustainable services in the short term as opposed to having no service until the available funds or the regional needs dictate, likely at a much later date. This could be particularly useful when understanding the demands of the route surrounding the National Memorial Arboretum.

According to a Transport for Britain survey from 2021, 97.8 per cent of locals are in favour of restoring a passenger train service between Lichfield and Alrewas; this proposal almost demands an immediate solution, one that VLR could provide.

In terms of improving urban connectivity, the Coventry VLR (CVLR) scheme pursued by the Local Council demonstrates revolutionary potential both as a mode of light rail transport and as an affordable framework for future tramway developments in small and medium-sized towns and cities.

The vehicle itself is four tonnes per axle; eleven metres long; visually appealing and built to be capable of tight 15 metre turns. The system will employ overhead battery charging from the railway station that can last the entirety of the route to utilise the zero-emission electric battery with regenerative braking.

The scheme aims to bring the benefit of accessibility to areas which have a higher

unemployment rate than the rest of the region, whilst also accessing key commercial areas and educational institutions, with the first of four routes scheduled to open in 2027.

Whilst the vehicle is ground-breaking, the core development which creates an affordable framework for future tramway developments is the novel test track under development for this project.

On average, the cost of tramways per km is estimated between £30 million – £60 million, so new systems often aren’t feasible or affordable for many towns and cities. These costs are often higher, for example, with the Edinburgh Trams project costing £71 million per kilometre.

The new track, still under testing, aims to be an affordable £10-15 million per kilometre. With the novel CVLR track only penetrating 30cm below the surface of the road, it does not reach the level of utilities. The use of very lightweight, battery-powered vehicles and removal of overhead catenary also remove the risk of stray currents and rail-insulation affecting any utilities underground.

This transforms projects from complex feats of engineering, where utilities are removed, rebuild, or redirected; into streamlined projects involving the removal

and reinstallation of a road with track form. This enables substantial savings in terms of track build and, if it achieves this aim, it will enable many more tram systems to be established across the nation.

During the VLR National Conference in June, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Transport, Baroness Vere, expressed how the attractiveness of this VLR would grow with the successful integration of new systems; the potential low-build cost of novel CLVR track; and the economic sustainability of new vehicles.

Both RVLR and CVLR are landmark projects that can kickstart a light rail revolution, leading to new transport solutions being considered and funded by local councils that utilise disused branch lines or new developments.

Alongside this is our belief that new VLR developments will enable British manufacturing to thrive and take up its role as a world leader within Light Rail, leading to more jobs across the regions and giving people a newer, greener, and cleaner form of public transport.

With new facilities such as the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre (VLRNIC) hoping to establish a marketplace for resources, skills and technologies that can

support the growth of an internal market for further innovations and assist with the establishment of new systems; one can imagine that this could also open a huge international market for VLR.

As we await continued developments within the industry, Pre Metro will continue its work with local authorities, transport franchises, and investors who want to see Very Light Rail thrive alongside other modes of public transport whilst accumulating the necessary mileage as test drivers of CVLR and RVLR.

Tel: 01384 441325

Email: info@premetro.org

Visit: www.premetro.co.uk

LinkedIn: Pre Metro Operations Ltd

Twitter: @pre_metro

Facebook: Pre Metro Operations Ltd

RIA Annual Conference 2022

Growing rail in a year of transition

10 and 11 November Park Plaza Riverbank, London

2-day conference with keynotes, interview sessions, panel discussion and exhibition area.

Confirmed speakers include Angie Doll, COO, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR); Andrew Haines Network Rail; Sir Peter Hendy, Chair, Network Rail; Mark Thurston, Chief Executive, HS2 and many more!

Conference host: Sameena Ali-Khan, Television presenter and Journalist

Evening programme includes networking drinks, dinner and entertainment!

Scan the QR code to register today

Or visit: riagb.org.uk/AC22

Growing Rail in a Year of Transition

On 10 and 11 November, the industry will converge at Park Plaza London Riverbank for the Railway Industry Association’s (RIA)

Annual Conference 2022

RIA's Award-winning Annual Conference is a much-regarded highlight of the UK rail calendar and 2022 will be no exception. The rail supply community will have the possibility of meeting face-to-face with clients, industry leaders, influencers, international guests and policy makers.

This year’s Conference focuses on the theme of ‘Growing rail in a year of transition’. Over the space of two days, the programme will combine keynote speeches, panel discussions, interview sessions, exhibition and unique networking opportunities.

Speakers’ programme

The conference will have a mix of thoughtprovoking sessions, including panel discussions, interview sessions and keynote speeches. Confirmed speakers include:

• Angie Doll, Chief Operating Officer, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) / Managing Director, Southern Rail & Gatwick Express.

• Andrew Haines, Chief Executive, Network Rail.

• Sir Peter Hendy, Chair, Network Rail.

• John Larkinson, Chief Executive Officer, ORR.

• Andy Lord, Chief Operating Officer, Transport for London.

• Maria Machancoses, Chief Executive, Midlands Connect.

• Mark Thurston, Chief Executive, HS2.

The RIA Annual Conference’s host is renowned journalist and TV Presenter, Sameena Ali-Khan, who anchors national bulletins for ITV at weekends, and throughout the week on Central Tonight in the Midlands, covering a wide range of stories across daily news and documentaries.

The conference programme will also include table sessions with clients and rail stakeholders, for attendees to join small group discussions on various topics and meet with key representatives from the commercial and supply chain engagement side.

Exhibition hall

This year, the RIA Annual Conference 2022 will feature its biggest exhibition hall so far, with 20+ supply chain companies, and rail clients, exhibiting and giving attendees the opportunity to ask questions, network and discuss business opportunities.

Evening programme – Networking reception, dinner and entertainment (Sponsored by CPC)

An important section of the RIA Annual Conference 2022 will be the evening programme which will feature several activities for attendees to enjoy of a memorable evening. The guest speaker will be Sir Peter Hendy, Chairman of Network Rail, followed by music, a 3-course dinner, magic and lots of networking. People can book tables and take this opportunity to invite their teams or clients to a fantastic evening.

International guests

RIA is working with oversees rail clients and the Department for International Trade (DIT) to put together an international panel where representatives from different markets will come and present opportunities to the UK rail supply chain. This has proven to be a very successful session in the past, and we look forward to the new markets joining this year’s events.

Sponsors

The Railway Industry Association thank their Conference sponsors:

• Gold sponsor: XRail.

• Dinner sponsor: CPC.

• Silver sponsor: Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE).

Join them, and many others, at what is going to be one of the best rail events of the year!

Interview with Andrew Haines at the RIA Annual Conference

Information and registration

For details on the programme, speakers, evening agenda and ticket booking, please visit: www.riagb.org.uk/AC22, contact events@riagb.org.uk or scan:

RIA Members get special discount on their ticket prices.

‘Thank you for organising a superb conference. The speakers and panellists were all excellent and added great value to the day’s discussions and Q&A sessions. I learnt much and added to my business network too.’

Simon Higgens, Amey, Consulting & Rail (RIA Annual Conference 2018)

‘Thank you for an excellent conference! Was great content and very insightful!! Superb facilities and great organisation.’

Paul Goodhand, Managing Director, Knorr Bremse (RIA Annual Conference 2019)

‘Thank you for a professionally delivered and enjoyable conference. I enjoyed the event and the evening do, and the line-up of speakers and networking opportunities were worthwhile. The continuous messaging the RIA team deliver also seems to be reaping some benefit with the politicians.’

James Howles, Director, Rail, BackerHicks (RIA Annual Conference 2021)

Panel discussion on Net Zero & Efficiency – RIA Annual Conference 2021

Rail Minister (2021) Chris Heaton-Harris visiting the exhibition stands at the RIA Annual Conference 2021

View of the Networking dinner - RIA Annual Conference 2021

Real Design Freedom on Rail Vehicles

Flotex FR textile floor coverings are a crucial element of a safe, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing interior on any rail passenger vehicle

There are several practical factors that must be considered when choosing the best floor covering type, such as the type of rail vehicle (e.g. intercity high speed, commuter, light rail), the quantity and frequency of passenger traffic and what entrance systems are in place to protect the internal floor coverings and finishes.

‘Generally speaking, rail vehicles carry thousands of people every year, so floor coverings need to be robust and durable to ensure that they can withstand frequent use, while still maintaining their aesthetic appearance for many years,” explains Holmes. “Some areas will be more prone to dirt, moisture or spillages, such as entrances, dining carriages or buffet cars. Hence, floor coverings in these spaces must be simple

to clean and maintain. Alternatively, they should feature a texture, pattern or colour that would easily hide any soiling until it can be cleaned.’

When it comes to the aesthetic appearance of the floor coverings, Forbo Flooring Systems’ team is primarily guided by the clients’ design briefs, which outline preferred colour schemes and the ambience they want to evoke within the space.

‘We want our floor coverings to be aesthetically appealing in their own right and to complement the overall interior design scheme’ says Holmes. ‘We achieve this by linking the patterns and colours to other decorative elements within the space. For instance, when we designed the floor coverings for a recent rail project, we sought inspiration from what seat fabrics and

colours were being used, the colour of wall coverings and other furnishings, as well as an understanding from the designer regards what type of ambience the client wanted to create.’

In order to create innovative designs that meet clients’ specific requirements, Forbo Flooring Systems has wide array of floor covering products to choose from. Within the portfolio are Coral FR textile entrance systems, Marmoleum FR2 linoleum floorings, Coral Move FR cut pile carpets and Flotex FR, unique, textile flocked floor coverings.

What is so unique about Flotex FR?

Flotex FR has a smooth velour-like surface that looks and feels like a carpet but has the durability and cleaning properties of

resilient flooring. It is warm and comfortable underfoot, absorbs sound and offers slip resistance in both wet and dry conditions. It is a durable yet lightweight product compared to most textiles, at approximately 1225 gram/m2, thus helping to reduce the overall weight of the carriage.

The unique construction of Flotex FR flocked flooring is what allows it to release soiling like no other textile flooring. Unlike the looped and twisted fibres of a conventional carpet tile, the smooth straight fibres of Flotex FR do not trap particles of soil, allowing them to be removed without difficulty during cleaning. Most spills can be cleaned with plain water and the impervious backing makes it suitable for thorough wet cleaning. Due to its unique construction, Flotex is the only textile to carry the Allergy UK Seal of Approval™.

According to Holmes, the biggest benefit of Flotex FR is that it can be easily customised with different patterns and colours using Forbo Flooring Systems’ rotary or digital printing technology. ‘Flotex FR is the perfect high-density textile substrate for printing complex designs and vibrant colourways in a high-definition photographic resolution’ he says. ‘We have a library of more than 500 Flotex Vision FR design options.’

‘Digital printing allows us to easily produce customised floor coverings, logos and bespoke designs that fulfil our clients’ specific project requirements perfectly’ explains Holmes. ‘For example, I was asked recently to create a Flotex FR design that matched with a custom design being created for our Marmoleum FR2 linoleum product. Thanks to the digital print capability, we were able to create a brilliant match on Flotex FR as we saw on the resilient product, keeping aesthetic consistency throughout the rail vehicle from the resilient to textile areas.

‘Thanks to its incredible versatility, designers worldwide consider Flotex FR as the ideal blank canvas for demonstrating their creativity.’

Tel: 01773 744121

Email: transport@forbo.com

Visit: www.forbo.com

Transport Scotland

(Còmhdhail Alba)

Transport Scotland is the national transport agency for Scotland, responsible for the ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper franchises as well as planning and delivering rail policy, strategy and development in Scotland

The Transport Scotland Rail Directorate is responsible for planning and delivering rail policy, strategy and development. It carries out appraisals of capital projects, advises on rail investment decisions and provides the specification of railway outputs that the Scottish Government will wish to buy. The Rail directorate is also responsible for managing the ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper franchise contracts, specifying and funding Network Rail’s high-level delivery responsibilities in Scotland, and liaising with the Office of Rail and Road in specifying and funding the outputs expected from Network Rail.

Transport Scotland has invested over £9 billion in the railway since 2007, which has resulted in:

• New fleets of modern electric trains.

• New and improved services through the ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper franchises.

• 47 miles of new railway, including the Borders Railway.

• 252 miles of electrified lines.

• 16 new stations.

Franchises

ScotRail services has moved into Scottish Government ownership as the ScotRail franchise has ended. The services will be provided within the public sector, by an arm’s length company owned and controlled by the Scottish Government. This is a result of the Scottish Government’s decision to run ScotRail services through what is known as the ‘Operator of Last Resort’. ScotRail staff will transfer to the new Scottish Government owned entity, with their terms and conditions protected. Transport Minister, Jenny Gilruth, has expressed an interest in working closely with wider partners including women’s organisations and British Transport Police to improve the public transport system, make it safer and build on the work already underway.

National Transport Strategy

Transport Scotland’s vision, as set out in the National Transport Strategy (NTS2), is for Scotland to have a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system which will help to deliver a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland for communities, businesses and visitors. The second Delivery Plan for Scotland’s National Transport Strategy has been published, setting out the actions underway for 2022 to 2023. It recognises the key role that transport has in reducing inequalities, delivering inclusive economic growth, improving health and wellbeing, and tackling the climate emergency. At the heart of the Strategy is the recognition to deliver a step-change in behaviour and provide attractive, affordable, accessible and sustainable travel options.

Transport Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government and is accountable to Parliament and the public through Scottish Ministers. Transport Scotland also provides input from a Scottish perspective on reserved rail issues such as: European directives, cross-border rail franchises, the Equality Act and safety and standards.

Rail freight

The rail freight sector is a vital part of Scotland’s economy. The Scottish Government’s vision is for a competitive, sustainable rail freight sector that plays a significant and increasingly important role in Scotland’s economic growth and provides a safer, greener and more efficient way of transporting goods and materials.

This vision is backed by a £25 million Scottish Strategic Rail Freight Fund for the period 2019 to 2024. The fund will support the development and delivery costs of proposals for minor-medium freight interventions aimed at improving the capacity and capability of the Scottish network for rail freight.

Stations

There are currently 360 railway stations in Scotland. Network Rail manages Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley. The railway station at Prestwick Airport is owned and managed by the airport authority. The rest are leased to and operated by ScotRail. Scottish stations have improved significantly after considerable investment over the last few years. ScotRail has invested around £20 million in delivering front line improvements to passenger facilities at stations. The Scottish Government announced in 2019 a £25 million investment into rail freight over the next five years in a bid to strengthen the industry.

Transport Scotland aims to make travel as accessible and affordable as possible. To achieve this, we offer concessionary travel for young Scots, disabled travellers, over 60s and ferry passengers. They are committed to ensuring that their facilities are maintained and improved over the course of the current franchise, with further investments being made at stations to support smart ticketing and integrated travel.

Investment includes enhanced cycle facilities, upgraded ticket vending machines, multi-modal customer information screens and smart ticketing equipment.

KEY PERSONNEL

Interim Chief Executive: Hugh Gillies

Director of Rail: Bill Reeve

Interim Director of Transport Strategy and Analysis: Fiona Brown

Director of Low Carbon

Economy: Stuart Greig

CONTACT INFORMATION

Address: Buchanan House, 58 Port Dundas Road, Glasgow G4 0HF

Tel: 0141 272 7100 Email: info@transport.gov.scot

Visit: www.transport.gov.scot

North East Combined Authority

The NECA is the legal body that brings together the seven councils of County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland

The North East Combined Authority’s ambition, as set out in its Transport Manifesto is to provide affordable, attractive, reliable, safe, healthy transport choices for businesses, residents and visitors while enhancing the environment.

Working with partners, the NECA provides leadership and a united voice on key strategic transport issues, links strategic transport planning with economic priorities, provides strong representation on transport issues of national significance including rail, air travel, strategic road network and ports as well as providing more effective coordination to enable improvement to the area’s public transport network.

Previously overseen by the Tyne and Wear Integrated Transport Authority (ITA), in 2014 the responsibilities and assets of the ITA were transferred to the NECA. From that date the Tyne and Wear Integrated Transport Area was dissolved. NEXUS manages the functions which it previously delivered within the Tyne and Wear area.

NEXUS is the trading name of the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive. NEXUS is an independent organisation. It was created in 1969 by the Tyneside Passenger Transport (Designation) Order 1961 in accordance with the Transport Act 1968 and is responsible for overseeing work and ensuring good governance. The vast majority of these responsibilities have been delegated to a committee of NECA – the Transport North East (Tyne and Wear) SubCommittee.

Some responsibilities, such as the setting of transport levies and the approval of the regional transport strategy are discharged by the Authority’s principal decision-making body – the NECA Leadership Board. The NECA has prepared and submitted a bid on behalf of the seven local authorities which aims to obtain in excess of £100 million in funding which will be invested in major improvements to sustainable transport in the area.

The aim of this bid is to help close the area’s productivity gap through better connectivity and more mobility, enabling growth, reducing congestion and improving air quality and public health at the same time.

Metro

The Tyne and Wear Metro serves Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, South Tyneside, North Tyneside and Sunderland. When the 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 sixty million passenger journeys. The local rail network was privatised in 1996, however, Tyne and Wear PTE, Nexus as it is now called, kept responsibility for the operation of the Metro. The Metro wasextended to Sunderland in April 2002.

North East transforming cities fund bid

In March 2018 the Department for Transport (DFT) launched a Call for Proposals for city region authorities wishing to obtain capital funding from its Transforming Cities Fund (TCF). On 28 November 2019 the North East region submitted an ambitious and integrated programme of capital investments to the Department for Transport, seeking funding from the Transforming Cities Fund. The

region’s programme envisages a £467 million investment in public transport, sustainable transport and supporting capital investment. The programme as a whole represents high value for money – its economic benefits outweigh the costs of investment by a ratio of 3:1 – and can be delivered by 2023.

KEY PERSONNEL

Head of Paid Service: Patrick Melia

Deputy Head of Paid Service: John Hewitt, Jonathan Tew

Chief Finance Officer: Paul Darby

Monitoring Officer (Core NECA): Nicola Robason

Monitoring Officer (Transport): Mike Barker

Policy and Scrutiny Officer: Gavin Armstrong

CONTACT INFORMATION

c/o South Tyneside Council

Town Hall & Civic Offices

Westoe Road South Shields NE33 2RL

Tel: 0191 643 5339

Email: enquiries@northeastca.gov.uk

Visit: www.northeastca.gov.uk

Transport for Wales

Transport for Wales (TfW) was set up by Welsh Government in 2016

to oversee public transport in Wales

Transport for Wales (TfW) is a not-for-profit organisation wholly owned by the Welsh Government which exists to drive forward the Welsh Government’s vision of a high quality, safe, integrated, affordable and accessible transport network that the people of Wales are proud of.

The Transport for Wales Board is made up of the Chair, Chief Executive, four independent non-executives and two executive members. Its role is to provide effective leadership for TfW, monitor performance and promote high standards of public finance, all whilst meeting the requirements of its remit as set by the Welsh Government.

From 2023, an £800 million investment will ensure that 95 per cent of journeys are on new trains. More than half the trains will be assembled in Wales. By December of that year, an extra 285 (29 per cent) more services will run every weekday, including improvements on the Ebbw Vale, Cambrian and Heart of Wales lines and the North Wales Metro (Wrexham Bidston). A new service will link Cardiff and Liverpool via Wrexham.

This will create more than six hundred new jobs, including two hundred new ontrain customer service staff, and add thirty apprenticeships per year. A £15 million fund will make stations more accessible. Accessibility issues are addressed by the TfW accessibility panel made up of members who are disabled and older people with a varying range of experience of rail travel. They meet monthly and as required throughout the year with the aim to consistently innovate accessibility policies and advise TfW how to support disabled, deaf and older customers in order for them to have a seamless travel experience. On top of that at least 1,500 new car parking spaces will be created and by 2023 the availability and quality of ticketing facilities will be transformed.

Transport for Wales focuses on planning, commissioning and managing efficient transport by creating transport networks fit for the future that will contribute to the long-term sustainability of Wales.

The intention is to create a rail service that benefits the whole of Wales, as well as

communities along the border in England and to this end Transport for Wales is:

• Working to bring the rail service into line with the regulations for persons of reduced mobility ensuring everyone can benefit from a better service.

• Committed to meeting the requirements of the Welsh Language Standards by providing better Welsh Language services.

• Improving integration with active travel routes making it easier for people to walk and cycle to and from stations.

• Working with bidders to ensure they invest in the skills of their staff and suppliers and that local people have opportunities for employment.

• Investing around three-quarters of a billion pounds to transform the valley lines to Treherbert, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhymney and Coryton, electrifying around 107 miles of track and upgrading infrastructure to enable improved journey times and more trains every hour.

Sustainable Travel

During 2021/22 TfW worked on the development of a new marketing campaign ‘The Real Social Network’. It is Wales’ first multimodal public transport campaign and promotes walking, cycling, bus and rail use as a sustainable way to travel. This shift towards sustainable transport involves changing the way individuals travel, by improving their travelling experience, making sustainable transport more affordable, and improving integrated journey planning.

Stadler Rail

An extensive programme of testing and commissioning is being carried out on one of the two Stadler built trains, which made maiden voyages into Canton depot, Cardiff in late November 2021. There is a £800 million investment in new trains from manufacturer, Stadler in order to invite a new era of train travel for customers.

New Metros

The South Wales Metro is an integrated public transport network for the Cardiff Capital Region which will involve electrifying around 170 kilometres of track, upgrading

stations and signalling and building at least five new stations. TfW has continued its work on the Metro Central Programme to establish an integrated transport hub, and provifr better connections whilst creating more sustainable travel choices.

The Swansea Bay Metro will transform public transport in the Swansea Bay area, TfW will be introducing new trains on services through the Swansea Bay area, increasing capacity on services to West Wales and between South West Wales and Manchester. From 2024, TfW will be introducing a first-class service between Swansea and Manchester on their new trains.

TfW are continuing to invest in the transformation of public transport in Wales with a focus on creating a joined-up network where integrated ticketing and reliable services make it the easiest option for people travelling across Wales.

KEY PERSONNEL

Chief Executive: James Price

Executive Director of Finance and Governance: Heather Clash

Communications Director: Lewis Brencher

Transport Operations Director: Alexia Course Rail Programme Director: Karl Gilmore

Safety and Sustainability Director: Leyton Powell

Director of Planning, Development and Advisory Services: Geoff Ogden

Commercial and Customer Experience Director: David O’Leary

Development Director Mid, North and Rural Wales: Lee Robinson

Director of People and Organisational Development: Lisa Yates

IT and Digital Services Director: Dave Williams

CONTACT INFORMATION

Address: Llys Cadwyn Pontypridd CF37 4TH Tel: 029 2167 3434

Email: contact@tfw.wales Visit: www.tfw.wales

Transport for Greater Manchester

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 5.6 million journeys are made across Greater Manchester’s transport network each day. TfGM coordinates transport networks across the region, decides where to invest transport funding, and owns and runs the Metrolink tram service. It 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. 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.

TfGM assets include 99 Metrolink stops across the light rail network, 120 tram vehicles, 15 Park & Ride sites, 20 Free Buses, over 15 transport interchanges and many other properties.

In 2021, TfGM marked ten years since its inception after a reform of local government in Greater Manchester granted the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) more powers and led to a rebranding.

Since the rebranding, TfGM has delivered many high profile and successful projects and schemes, including:

• The £1.5 billion ‘Phase Three’ Metrolink expansion between 2010 and 2015, which saw new lines through dozens of local communities, with extensions to Rochdale via Oldham, Ashton-underLyne, East Didsbury and Manchester Airport.

• The £350 million Trafford Park line in March 2020, adding a further 5.5km of track and six new stops to serve one of the region’s major employment, leisure and retail destinations.

• New transport interchanges in Rochdale, Ashton, Altrincham, Wythenshawe and Bolton, while Radcliffe and Wigan now enjoy new, state-of-the-art bus stations.

• The award-winning £122 million Leigh to Ellenbrook Guided Busway in April 2016 which, prior to the pandemic, required extra services to help cope with demand.

• The delivery of the first 55 miles of safe cycling and walking routes by the end of 2021, with plenty more schemes in the pipeline for delivery as part of the Bee Network, a plan for the UK’s largest cycling and walking network.

• The TravelSafe Partnership – a multiagency body led by TfGM and Greater Manchester Police, that takes an intelligence-lead, problem-solving approach to tackling crime and ASB on public transport.

KEY PERSONNEL

Chief Operating Officer: Bob Morris

Finance and Corporate Services Director: Steve Warrener

Head of Rail Programme: Simon Elliott

Communications Officer: David Stevenson

CONTACT INFORMATION

Address: 2 Piccadilly Place, Manchester M1 3BG Tel: 0161 224 41000

Email: customer.relations@tfgm.com Visit: www.tfgm.com

Department for Infrastructure (An Roinn Bonneagair)

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) was formed in May 2016 and operates under the direction and control of the Minister for Infrastructure

DfI is staffed by civil servants who are accountable to the Minister for Infrastructure.

The Minister is a member of the Northern Ireland Executive and accountable to the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Permanent Secretary, Julie Harrison, is the Accounting Officer for the Department and the Minister’s principal adviser. Julie Harrison chairs the Departmental Board, which directs the delivery of Corporate Governance within the Department.

Details of the arrangements which have been established to ensure proper and effective management of the Department’s affairs are set out in the Corporate Governance Framework. The Departmental Board comprises a further five executive members and two non-executive, independent members.

The Department provides capital and revenue grant funding to Translink for Northern Ireland Railways to operate rail services. The funding helps maintain and develop the rail infrastructure, allows rail services to operate safely and efficiently and helps make public transport an attractive alternative to private transport.

Public Transport Division carries out the governance function of Translink on behalf of DfI and monitors spend of the grant allocated to Translink against plans, ensuring that projects demonstrate value for taxpayers’ money and expenditure falls within budgetary limits.

The Infrastructure Investment Plan for Scotland 2021-2022 to 2025-2026 was published on 4 February 2021. It sets out a long-term vision of infrastructure in Scotland, which supports an inclusive, net zero carbon economy and includes details on over £26 billion of major projects and large programmes, some of which includes:

• Glasgow Subway Modernisation –includes a smartcard ticketing system linked to wider integrated ticketing; new

rolling stock and signalling; refurbished stations with improved accessibility including replacing escalators.

• Future Transport Fund – capital to support a range of low and zero carbon investment

• Rail Decarbonisation Action Plan- We will decarbonise Scotland's passenger rail services by 2035, ahead of the UK's target of 2040.

The Department has responsibility for the licensing, safety certification and safety authorisations of all mainline, light railways and heritage railways operating in Northern Ireland in exercise of the powers conferred on it under the Railway Safety Act (Northern Ireland) 2002. The Department regulates railway safety to ensure all Railway Undertakings, Infrastructure Managers and heritage rail operators comply with regulatory duties to provide a safe rail network. In addition, the Department is the Competent Authority for assessing compliance with technical standard on the rail network.

The Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company

The Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHC) is a public corporation and its responsibilities include holding and managing property assets and the oversight, in terms of support, control and supervision, of its private limited subsidiary companies, the principal ones being Ulsterbus, Metro (previously Citybus) and Northern Ireland Railways, trading jointly as Translink. It is expected to operate commercially and has a duty to operate in line with Ministerial policy.

The chairman and other directors of the Holding Company shall be appointed from among persons who appear to the Minister to have had wide experience of, and to have shown capacity in, transport, industrial, commercial or financial matters or to have

other adequate or suitable experience, and the Minister in appointing them shall have regard to the desirability of including among them persons who are directors of, or concerned in the management of, the subsidiaries of the Holding Company.

Travel Survey 2020

The Travel Survey for Northern Ireland (TSNI) started in 1999 and is produced by the Analysis, Statistics and Research Branch (ASRB) of the Department for Infrastructure. It collects information on how and why people travel within Northern Ireland, and details information on journeys taken by mode of travel and purpose of journey. Covid-19 has had a knock-on effect on the usual publication timetable of the reports, therefore the 2020 report was published on 10 March 2022, and instead of the report covering its usual three year period, it only reports as a single year.

KEY PERSONNEL

Minister for Infrastructure: John O'Dowd

Permanent Secretary: Katrina Godfrey

Deputy Secretary – Resources, Governance and EU Group: Declan McGeown

Director of Safe and Sustainable Travel Division: Chris Hughes

Director of Finance: Susan Anderson

Director of Corporate Policy and Planning Division: Sian Kerr

Director of Transport Policy Division: Liz Loughran

Director of Gateways and EU Relations: Bernie Rooney

Director of Public Transport Division: Jackie Robinson

Head of Internal Audit: Tracey Woods

CONTACT INFORMATION

Address: Department for Infrastructure, Departmental Co-ordination Unit, Clarence Court, 10-18 Adelaide Street, Belfast BT2 8GB

Tel: 028 9054 0540

Email: info@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

Visit: www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

National Infrastructure Commission

The National Infrastructure Commission carries out in-depth studies into the UK’s major infrastructure needs and makes recommendations to the government

The National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) is an executive agency of the Treasury that provides impartial, expert advice and makes independent recommendations to the Government on economic infrastructure.

The Commission functions in an open and transparent manner, building consensus around its recommendations and engaging across parties and with the public, policymakers, infrastructure experts and relevant bodies.

Recommendations made by the NIC represent the views of the Commission and are not a statement of Government policy. However, the Government is required to respond formally to the Commission’s National Infrastructure Assessment and specific studies it undertakes.

The NIC engages closely with devolved administrations and bodies under their jurisdictions as appropriate, particularly on matters where the respective infrastructure policy responsibilities of the UK.

Government and devolved administrations interact. The NIC ensures that appropriate working arrangements are in place. The Commission’s remit does not include spending where infrastructure investment decisions rest with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Commission undertakes research into specific transport proposals when asked to do so by government, but also advises on broader questions of policy and approach to planning upgrades and new investment in road, rail, and other transport modes.

The National Infrastructure Assessment

The National Infrastructure Commission is charged with preparing a National Infrastructure Assessment once every Parliament, looking at the long-term needs of the main sectors of the UK’s economic infrastructure, including energy, transport, digital communications, waste, water and floods risk management.

The first National Infrastructure Assessment was published in July 2018, and made a series of recommendations for meeting the UK’s infrastructure needs up to

2050. Its core proposals include:

• Nationwide full fibre broadband by 2033.

• Half of the UK’s power provided by renewables by 2030, as part of a shift to a highly renewable generation mix – a target upgraded to 65 per cent of UK power by 2030.

• Three quarters of plastic packaging recycled by 2030.

• £43 billion of stable long-term transport funding for regional cities and new devolved powers for city leaders.

• A national rapid charging network to support a goal of 100 per cent of new car and van sales being electric by 2030.

• Ensuring resilience to drought through halving leakages by 2050, additional water supply infrastructure and demand reduction.

• A national standard of flood resilience for all communities by 2050.

The Assessment recommendations represent a major long-term programme of investment in the UK’s infrastructure. This includes substantial funding for major schemes such as Crossrail 2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail.

The Assessment also highlights the need to shift to a low carbon economy, for example through decarbonising how the UK heats its homes and businesses. Furthermore, the Commission recommends the UK must prepare for connected and autonomous vehicles and these need more time for evidence or technology to develop. The Assessment sets out the actions needed to enable robust decisions to be taken in future.

In November 2020, the government published its National Infrastructure Strategy. The Strategy adopted the majority of the recommendations made in the Commission’s first Assessment. The Commission is now working on the second National Infrastructure Assessment, to be published in autumn 2023.

The Young Professionals Panel

The Young Professionals Panel supports and informs the Commission’s work and ensures a strong voice for the next generation of infrastructure leaders in the Commission’s

work. The second cohort features ten young infrastructure professionals from a range of professions, backgrounds and regions of the country. The Panel has its own agenda and work programme developed in conjunction with the Commission.

Example report

In November 2017 the Government asked the Commission to conduct a new study on the future of freight. The Commission’s study reviewed options to improve the existing infrastructure and recommended ways to use new technologies and processes to transform how freight is moved. A Call for Evidence was issued in January 2018 and an interim report was published on 21 December 2018.

The final report of the study – Better delivery: the challenge for freight –found that through the adoption of new technologies and the recognition of freight’s needs in the planning system, it is possible to decarbonise road and rail freight by 2050 and manage its contribution to congestion.

The government published its formal response to the study in August 2021, welcoming the core themes of the Commission’s report, and announcing its intention to form a partnership with the freight industry to create a ‘future of freight’ strategic plan with a cross-modal focus.

KEY PERSONNEL

Chief Executive: James Heath

Chair: Sir John Armitt CBE

Commissioner: Neale Coleman CBE

Commissioner: Professor Sir Tim Besley CBE

Commissioner: Professor David Fisk CB

Commissioner: Andy Green CBE

Commissioner: Professor Sadie Morgan OBE

Commissioner: Julia Prescot

Commissioner: Bridget Rosewell CBE

CONTACT INFORMATION

Address: Finlaison House, 15 Furnival Street, London EC4A 1AB

Tel: 020 7270 4428 / 1381

Email: enquiries@nic.gov.uk

Visit: www.nic.org.uk

Twitter: @NatInfraCom

Journeycall appoints Business Development Manager and Account Manager Steve Richardson-Frankton joins Journeycall as Business Development Manager, while Marc Donald has been promoted to Account Manager.

New Porterbrook Chief Financial Officer Porterbrook has appointed Rob Taylor as Chief Financial Officer. The move comes as a result of the planned retirement of CFO Peter Coates.

New CBI London Council Chair and London Director Peter Hogg is the new Chair of the CBI London Council and Anneka Hendrick is the new CBI London Director.

Xrail Group appoints Business Development Director Xrail Group has appointed Kelly Pepper in the newly created role of Business Development Director.

CPH2 appoints new CFO CPH2, the UK-based green hydrogen technology company has appointed James Hobson as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director.

Delivering a bright energy future for high speed rail

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