SPOTLIGHT Rail Awards 2024 Winners' eBook

24 Winners’ eBook

Foreword

Attended by some of the biggest and most influential names in the UK rail sector, our second annual SPOTLIGHT Rail Awards celebrated the incredible progress made to advance the industry over the past year.

Each of our winners represent the hard work and determination that goes into bettering the rail industry for both climate and customer, and their commitment to growth deserves recognition and praise.

The SPOTLIGHT Rail Awards is proud to feature the achievements of every shortlisted company, and as we congratulate our winners once more throughout this eBook, we know your success will be shared with the wider industry as we move into a new year of opportunity for the UK rail sector.

-Martin Taylor, Peloton

Why Spotlight Rail Awards

In March 2024, Peloton Events was delighted to host the annual SPOTLIGHT rail awards, which took place at the Royal Lancaster Hotel. It was a night full of celebration, both for our winners and also for the acknowledgement of the progress being made across the sector.

Just as is true in the rail sector, Peloton strived to do things differently, too. We were delighted to bring a brand new format for our SPOTLIGHT rail awards, shining a spotlight on all shortlisted entries through our two-week virtual event series in the run-up to our awards night.

Additionally, we approached a small number of well-respected figures across the regions of the UK we covered through our original SPOTLIGHT series to be part of our judging panel, who gave their expert views as to which entries deserved to win our prestigious award.

Following the announcement of the shortlist in November, we embarked on our webinar series, which took the format of 90-minute sessions and included video content, PowerPoint presentations and panel discussions from the shortlist. It gave a platform to dissect the category and projects in more detail. These webinars, broadcast to a national audience through our platform, elevated each entry and gave the exposure it truly deserved.

Our categories were chosen to reflect the vision of the future, some of which included decarbonisation, improving efficiency, delivering for the customer and diversity and inclusion. All entries were free of charge, and each entry could be submitted into any relevant category.

Taking into consideration the challenges faced by the sector over the last few years, it was a great way for all organisations that attended to reflect and celebrate the wins the sector has had along the way.

We are excited to continue the SPOTLIGHT journey in 2025, exposing the continuing success in the sector and showcasing best practice in next year's event.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Headline Sponsor

Corporate Sponsors

Category Sponsors

All Shortlisted Companies

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Shortlist

Incremental Solutions Ltd

Project: OLErt

OLErt is a real-time remote conditioning monitoring system which aims to reduce incidents where overhead catenary lines cause an issue with the trains pantograph, or vice-versa.

Incremental’s objectives of this was making rail staff safer, minimising cost to industry of OLE incidents and adapt from reactive to proactive maintenance, reducing cost of OLE monitoring through technology, and it being an easily implemented solution.

OLErt can provide the customer savings by enabling them to put immediate restrictions in place to stop the issue getting worse, fixing the issue quickly, avoiding catastrophic failures which could close the railway, and reducing the time lost in delays and cancellations because of OLE failure.

South Western Railway

Project: SWR Fleet Maintenance

The SWR engineering team is a diverse team of over 800 people located across the whole of the network, from Wimbledon to Bournemouth who maintain, service, clean and deliver its fleet of over 400 trains to passengers every day.

With the Class 458 uplift project, SWR was presented with a situation whereby there were not enough trains to fulfil all diagrams, potentially leading to service cancellations and delays.

To overcome this, the team at Wimbledon Depot worked to ensure that enough Class 458 trains were made available for service by clearing long term defects, carrying out enhanced reliability exams and completing heavy cleans.

As a result of this, the number of Class 458 trains made available is now 25, compared to the previous 19, and the Class 455 fleet has been uplifted by an additional two trains.

Winner

Petards and Crosstech

Project: Addressing Vegetation Management Issues Through Next Generation Technology

Greater Anglia are collaborating with CrossTech and Petards Rail to proactively address an industrywide issue, in a partnership which has resulted in ‘firsts’ for the global rail industry. The collaborative approach sees the four companies harness the power of data, innovative technology, computer vision AI and cross-agency communication to identify and address vegetation growth and contamination on rail lines.

This enhances operating efficiency for passengers and freight users and increases safety for track workers. Vegetation growth and contamination poses a risk to the safe and seamless operation of a railway.

Issues caused by vegetation growth can include impeded sight lines and signals, and damaged infrastructure, which impacts on services and reliability. What’s more for train operators, such as Greater Anglia, vegetation growth and contamination can lead to delays or train faults/ damage, which in turn can impact passenger satisfaction and the wider economy.

Greater Anglia are tackling this problem by using video recorded on their trains, using Petards Rail’s eyeTrain technology, to identify which areas are becoming overgrown. The high-definition and robust forward-facing cameras fitted to Greater Anglia’s new trains (both 745s and 720s) record data on the Great Eastern main line between London and Norwich and the West Anglia main line between London and Cambridge.

Using Petards Rail’s eyeTrain Connect analytics and data transfer system; the train, route, location, and video footage are automatically identified, and the necessary data transferred to Hubble for processing. This removes the need for manual processing of data off the train.

CrossTech’s Hubble AI computer vision technology – which was developed in close conjunction with Network Rail end users – then undertakes an automated inspection covering a raft of inspection categories including, but not limited to, vegetation encroachment, signal and level crossing sighting, safe access pathways, and optimal height of overhead line counterbalance weights. Using custom algorithms, the technology analyses and inspects the camera video feeds and recordings to detect problem areas on the rail infrastructure.

Maps are then generated showing where issues have been found and alerts are delivered to front line delivery units, based on Network Rail’s standards and requirements. This allows engineers to pre-emptively address the areas and prioritise issues depending on their severity.

This is the first time that multiple parties from the rail industry, which includes technology SMEs, have come together to achieve a continuous remote data feed for this type of information and then analyse this data using a next generation AI computer vision asset inspection system on a repetitive and standardised basis, to enable better lineside management.

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Shortlist

Avanti West Coast

Project: Feel Good Field Trips

Avanti West Coast has worked in collaboration with Community Rail Lancashire, who alongside other Community Rail Partnerships across the country, deliver a wide range of Feel Good Field trips.

Each trip involves travel on an Avanti West Coast service to unique experiences at destinations along the West Coast Main Line, we also ensure lunch is provided.

Most of the trips are supported by a dedicated Community Rail Officer to support the teachers as many have never taken a school group on a train before, the Rail Officer will also provide a rail safety/ travel confidence session as part of the trip.

Some of the experiences include cooking a curry in Manchester, an outdoor adventure in the Lake District, writing and recording a song in Soho, enjoying a ferry ride on the river Mersey, a workshop at the Guardian Foundation and learning about dinosaurs at the Herbert Gallery in Coventry.

Frauscher

Project: Frauscher Impact

In 2022-2023, Frauscher came up with a streamlined CSR program at the global level that helped implement some great projects and achieve many important and new milestones.

In January 2023, the Frauscher UK management decided to take an active lead in CSR topics, which involved implementing a UK-specific CSR strategy that the company could follow in the long-term.

It started by identifying certain key focus areas that can uphold its organisational values and goals. Out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) per the United Nations’ agenda, it chose four SDG areas to contribute to.

The next step was to define precisely how it could contribute in each of these areas - both as a company and as individual volunteers.

The four topics it decided to focus on in 2023 were Communities, Wellbeing, Education and Environment.

Adopting a structured approach to CSR made it easier to get all its ideas into action. It ensured that employees were aware of the avenues and areas it supports so they can participate where they can make a difference.

Greater Anglia

Project: Continuing to Proactively Operate in the Interests of the Customers and Communities

Greater Anglia has taken a proactive and consistent approach to playing its full part in helping its customers and communities thrive.

Its CSR approach runs through all that it does. Whether it be securing, delivering and deploying new trains, now in place right across its entire network, to the benefit of passengers and wider stakeholders; partnering with local organisations to promote and support the sustainable development of the region or working with community rail partnerships or station adopters to link into local needs and make its stations attractive.

Its successful Community Rail Partnerships (CRPs), undertake projects to promote rail, highlight integrated transport links, improve stations and increase community engagement, whilst its station adopters do excellent work brightening up stations with flowers, gardens and other targeted initiatives.

It also tries to support good causes and local charities where it can and help with initiatives that have wider societal benefits.

Heathrow Express

Project: Supporting Adults With Autism

Heathrow Express is proud of its partnership with Paddington Partnership and Pursuing Independent Paths (PIP) charity.

The charity’s aim is to help all adults with a learning disability and autism, to find their voice and lead a life of their choice. This helps to support the National Autism Society to create a society that works for people with autism.

This year it wanted to do more and empower adults with learning disabilities and autism to gain new skills so they can explore new opportunities.

It invited a group to visit its train and help them and their families to achieve, what they thought was impossible – go on a family holiday on a plane. Its first event was held in May 2023.

Students were supported throughout the day and after the interactive session at the airport they were taken to the car park at terminal five by a driverless PODs, which offers a quick and convenient option for parking at Heathrow.

Shortlist

South Western Railway

Project: SWR Defibrillator Rollout to all Staffed Stations

In 2022, The Alex Wardle Foundation became a charity partner of SWR. Since founding the charity in memory of his son Alex, Steve Wardle, who is an operations trainer at SWR has been campaigning both in work and in local communities to have defibrillators installed.

Steve’s son Alex passed away suddenly in 2016 due to Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS).

The British Heart Foundation estimates about 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur every year in the UK, and just one in 10 people survive. Yet access to an automated-external defibrillator within 8 minutes of a cardiac arrest can increase the chances of survival by 80%.

In March of 2023, SWR announced the installation of 154 defibrillators to all staffed stations on the SWR network. This work will have a tangible impact in giving its customers the best chance of surviving if they experience a heart attack - potentially saving someone’s life.

Transport for Wales

Project: ‘No Second Chances’

As part of the South Wales Metro, Transport for Wales has been installing overhead wires across 170km of track. There is already prevalent trespass on the Valleys railway and with the new electrified lines, it now carries an even greater risk.

TfW needed to develop a behaviour change campaign that aimed to eliminate trespass, but also raised general awareness.

The campaign is based on a fictional clothing brand and is a play on the second-hand clothing market. ‘No Second Chances’ uses items of clothing as a vehicle to communicate the fatal consequences of touching or coming close to 25,000 volts.

The clothing items show the effects of not respecting the railway boundary could have on a person and their clothing. It carries the slogan ‘this is “No Second Chances”, and thankfully, it’s clothing that’s not for sale’.

Highly Commended

TransPennine Route Upgrade

Project: Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) Social Value Programme

TRU is committed to improving the lives of those living in the communities we are working in. TRU will keep our communities safe, minimise disruption and invest in wellbeing, education and community spaces to leave a net positive impact on society.

Whether this is engaging with over 100,000 young people through the inclusive education programme, or delivering 25,000 hours of volunteering in the community to develop job skills and shape public spaces alongside the communities that use them, TRU is delivering on CSR.

Central to its success is the engagement and participation of all parties delivering and operating TRU. Social value is embedded in the contracts of all construction and operation partners, a model purposefully designed to maximise TRU’s social legacy.

To ensure a community-centric, people-led social value programme, TRU conducted a Local Needs Analysis across the route, identifying key challenges faced by local communities, driving specific social value targets to meet their wants and needs, and then working alongside stakeholders to develop localised delivery plans.

The continual improvement process of the local needs analysis includes:

Socio-economic impact assessments for each project

Social and Economic Benefit Reports within Business Cases

Community Impact Assessments at each site

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Winner

Atkins Réalis

Project: STEM Governors for Schools Programme

Aims and Objectives:

In March 2023, AtkinsRealis committed to place 44 voluntary Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) Governors on under-represented school boards in England and Wales.

By infiltrating the governance structure of the education system, they are successfully bridging the gap between the boardroom, classroom and community.

This is a first-of-a-kind framework for delivering sustained educational outreach and equal access to job opportunities in the schools and communities that need it the most while enabling us to listen to local people about how we can level up their area by designing infrastructure together.

Atkins staff will share their business skills to champion STEM, equipping young people with

the future-focussed mindset and qualifications to increase their employability.

Backed by the Atkins 400-strong STEM Ambassador network, the Governors own a 4-year programme of classroom enrichment in: Girls Schools – building a culture of confidence to enable young women to participate fully in society

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Settings – reducing the disability employment gap by helping students learn life, functional and employability skills

Schools in Areas of Deprivation – plugging skills gaps on the board and enriching STEM education in areas with an increased population of ethnic minority pupils, raising aspirations of the whole local community.

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Shortlist

Frauscher UK Ltd.

Project: Frauscher UK - Customer Training With Frauscher Academy

Having a well-trained workforce is crucial to successful railway operations. Today, more organisations in the industry need highly skilled and knowledgeable technicians and professionals to ensure that their equipment is running safely and efficiently at all times.

This prompted Frauscher to develop a comprehensive training programme that can be customised for its customers and other interested parties.

By training their workforce on safety-critical products, it found that its customers were able to find practical solutions to their operational challenges. They can apply this knowledge to improve safety, while increasing operational efficiencies and customer satisfaction.

Its training curriculum is focused on one objective – to enable its customers to use its cuttingedge equipment independently without requiring external assistance. Through educating them on its technology and innovations, it ensures that they can use its products efficiently and solve possible issues on their own.

MPI Limited

Project: MPI Trainee Scheme

The aim of the MPI Trainee scheme is to ensure new skills continuously develop into the industry through training and education.

In 2012, MPI began working with its clients to establish a scheme which not only provides new people with classroom education of the signalling world but exposes them to day-to-day railway experience.

The trainees initially undertake a 12 week work experience placement and during this time they must demonstrate that they are fully committed to the trainee programme and show a great attitude towards safety.

Once this is complete, they undertake the Basic Signalling 1 and 2 course and SPWEE course, MPI provides manual handling, emergency first aid and small tools courses delivered by its in-house trainer on site.

They then work as a trainee installer for 6-9 months before completing the 6 day EISS Electrical Installation course. During the 6-9 months they also compile evidence in their IRSE Log Book and then when they are ready they go for the relevant IRSE Licence category which MPI also funds.

Scotland’s Railway Project: Customer Service Academies – Putting Passengers First

When the first modern railway launched in 1830, train travel was deemed glamorous and exciting. Fast forward nearly 200 years, and the picture couldn't be more different. In 2021, the Williams-Shapps Review pointed out that "delays, cancellations and poor customer service took their toll", and passenger satisfaction and trust were extremely low across the entire UK.

As the organisation responsible for maintaining Scotland's rail infrastructure, Scotland's Railway recognised that something needs to change, and so last year set out a strategy with a clear, powerful vision: "To nurture a customer-centric culture across Scotland's Railway, ensuring our passengers' wants, needs and expectations are not just heard, but woven into every decision, to ensure we meet and, where possible, exceed expectations and deliver a seamless experience.”

That's why Scotland's Railway launched its Customer Service Academy in May 2022, with the first cohort graduating in January 2023.

Highly Commended

MTR Elizabeth Line (MTREL)

Project: Opening the Elizabeth Line

Its Learning & Development (L&D) vision is that together it delivers the knowledge, skills and behaviours to enable its people to proudly achieve its purpose. Ensuring they are competent and confident in their current role. Providing opportunities for future development, growth and career progression.

It focuses on three ways of learning. These are: Explore: Learn through courses, Embed: Learn through others, and Experience: Learn through doing.

Its training can be segmented into three core areas: People, Technical, and Wider business support.

In 2023, it achieved the TIDE Gold Award (from ENEI, Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion) for the second year in a row, has been accredited as a Living Wage employer and signed up for Women in Rail silver level corporate membership.

It is leading the industry in apprenticeships, as 60% of its staff have or are undertaking an apprenticeship, and it was the first TOC to secure RoATP 'employer' provider’ status. In addition, it has 97% completion rates on its Driver Training Programme.

Winner

AmcoGiffen

Project: The AmcoGiffen COSS Academy

AmcoGiffen, recognised the vital role of the Controller of Site Safety (COSS) in setting up and maintaining safe working areas, and creating the right environment where reduced risk behaviours exist, site hazards and risks are controlled, work is completed safely and everyone goes home safe and healthy.

Across the supply chain and industry, it was evident that COSS standards varied significantly, so AmcoGiffen developed the 'COSS Academy Programme' aiming to improve the quality and consistency standards of COSS delivery.

The programme objective is to provide better understanding of COSS roles, duties and responsibilities, and an enhanced knowledge of the rules and standards, such as 019, that are imperative COSS duties.

The programme also includes behavioural science and practical and softer skills to improve competency and communication. It is designed to develop new COSS and to eliminate complacency in experienced COSS personnel.

The six modules and objectives in the COSS Academy Programme are:

• Understanding the power of a COSS to influence and create environments that encourage reduced risk behaviours from their colleagues

• Delivering clear, concise, accurate briefings and making sure they're understood

• Reviewing all information and carrying out relevant checks to determine the correct locations and positively identify all lines and directions

• Understanding the process to follow when dealing with conflicting information

• Engaging with colleagues, to ensure confidence in the information provided and site set up arrangements

• Knowing the procedure to follow when having a conversation about access and protection with the signaller

• Everyone attending the COSS Academy Programme participates in both practical and theoretical assessments against the six objectives with feedback given on performance, shared best practice and scoring to develop an ongoing action plan.

Guidance is given for improving non-technical skills and applying them within their role. The programme teaches delegates how to improve their interpersonal skills while building on their technical knowledge.

Continuous investment and improvement in the COSS Academy Programme has seen 98% of AmcoGiffen's directly employed COSS's and 30% of supply chain COSS's completing the course.

Providing this training for supply chain partners raises the standards of COSS competency throughout the rail industry with continued improvements to site safety.

In addition to the continuous improvement and learning with their own supply partners, Chris English, AmcoGiffen SHEQ Director and ISLG member presented the benefits of the innovative COSS Academy Programme to Network Rail and the RSSB - ISLG.

This resulted in a unanimous decision to incorporate the COSS Academy modules into the Sentinel COSS initial competency training syllabus, providing industry-wide benefit, and further driving safety improvement for the industry.

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Shortlist

Craidd Alliance

Project: South Wales Metro – Core Valley Lines (CVL)

The Alliance has been created primarily to deliver the £1 billion Core Valley Lines Project – a major enhancement of the railway services in Southeast Wales, as part of the South Wales Metro scheme.

By adopting a collaborative approach with all partners, the Alliance has been able to secure the capability and capacity to deliver, identify and adopt best practice from past experiences, integrate multiple works packages to maximise the possible scope delivered within the available budget envelope and incentivise all parties to support the delivery of each party’s work.

Diamond Rail Services and Siemens Mobility

Project: Refurbishment to the Class 350/3 Units for West Midlands Trains

From contract appointment and throughout mobilisation, the two companies have worked collaboratively to deliver a fleet refurbishment.

Diamond Rail Services and Siemens Mobility

first began working together in 2017, working on the Class 185 Refurbishment. This saw 51 trains completed in 52 weeks. For this project, Siemens Mobility were delivering the interior refurbishment for TransPennine Express and Diamond Rail Services were the contractor for the Standard and First Class seat refurbishment.

GoMedia

Project: Visor – KAD (DLR)

Approved by and developed in conjunction with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), Visor combines proven technologies innovatively and collaboratively to ensure that passengers can receive in-depth information about their surroundings as well as timely updates on their journey.

The operator of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), KeolisAmey Docklands (KAD) commissioned GoMedia to demonstrate Visor’s effectiveness as a solution and its ease of deployment through collaboration between numerous stakeholders: KAD, GoMedia, NaviLens, RNIB, TfL, Sight Loss Councils, and AJ Wells.

HS2 Ltd.

Project: HS2 Supply Chain Collaboration Hub

HS2 recognised an opportunity to lead/work collaboratively with all its contractors, taking a strategic/integrated approach to procurement, supply chain, carbon, resourcing, and beyond.

It was agreed to create a Supply Chain Collaboration Hub (SCCH) attended by the 7 Joint Venture Contractors, HS2 Supply Chain Management, and relevant experts in carbon, skills/ employment/education and logistics.

The Hub reports to a Collaboration Board and is underpinned by a Terms of Reference, operating under “4 pillars” – Capacity management, market intelligence, collaborative/coordinated procurement, and supplier development.

Shortlist

Incremental Solutions Ltd

Project: Embedded Technology

The Embedded Technology project was undertaken by Incremental Solutions on behalf of Network Rail Eastern Region.

The key aim of the project was to present recommendations to streamline and improve the processes undertaken by staff at York ROC specifically focused on locating incidents and the duplication of incident information.

The outcome was to provide Network Rail’s Route Leadership Team with a clear understanding of the root causes of core business challenges and recommend successful and innovative technology/ software solutions to satisfy these challenges.

Mott MacDonald

Project: High Speed 2, Phase 2b Parliamentary Programme

MWJV is a Joint Venture between Mott MacDonald and WSP, supporting HS2 by preparing the hybrid Bill (hB) and supporting documents, as the Additional Provisions (APs), and subsequently taking the Bill through the Parliament and achieving Royal Assent.

MWJV works with HS2 as ‘One Team’, with an agile and responsive delivery approach to meet the unpredictable challenges of this high-profile environment.

To overcome challenges in viewing and collaborating on project data when working as One Team, and the size of the project, MWJV deployed two specific tools on the project, namely Moata-Geospatial and Moata-Land-Management.

Network Rail

Project: Devon & Cornwall Local Railway

The Devon & Cornwall Local Railway was formed in the late Summer 2022 as a joint team between Network Rail and Great Western Railway.

They have worked together as one industry team to make a difference to customers in the South-West by challenging how things are done and working across traditional organisational boundaries to achieve better results.

Their joint objectives were to improve customer service, create efficiencies, and engage local tenants for their ideas and innovation.

Petards Rail

Project: Addressing Industry-Wide Vegetation Management Issues

Network Rail and Greater Anglia are collaborating with CrossTech and Petards Rail to proactively address an industry-wide issue, in a partnership which has resulted in ‘firsts’ for the global rail industry.

The collaborative approach sees the four companies harness the power of data, innovative technology, computer vision AI, and cross-agency communication to identify and address vegetation growth and contamination on rail lines.

Vegetation growth and contamination pose a risk to the safe and seamless operation of a railway. Network Rail and Greater Anglia are tackling this problem by using video recorded on the Greater Anglia trains, using Petards Rail’s eyeTrain technology, to identify which areas are becoming overgrown.

Shortlist

QTS Group

Project: CP6 Scotland Earthworks and Drainage Framework

Over the past four years QTS Group, alongside its key partners COWI, Fairhurst, and MHB, have developed and delivered remedial works for the CP6 Scotland Earthworks and Drainage framework for Network Rail.

Through this, it is ensuring the betterment of a significant number of sites across the Scottish rail network via cost-effective and constructible solutions with close collaboration between all parties and Network Rail.

The aim is to act as one team, to ensure that these sites are future-proofed, whether that be up-sizing drainage at problematic flooding sites or providing resilience to sites at risk of continued debris flows or landslips.

South Western Railway

Project: South Western Railway and Network Rail Wessex’s Joint Performance Task Force

The two organisations have come together and created a Joint Performance Task Force.

This joint body is focused on identifying the issues that cause delays and cancellations, finding innovative and practical solutions to mitigate them and giving customers the service they expect.

The Task Force has looked at how services are managed during disruption and how services can be better recovered to reduce the effect on customers including improving the tools its team in the Integrated Control Centre has, improving how it manages train crew when they are displaced during disruption, and changing signalling procedures to reduce delays on congested parts of the network.

Highly Commended

Network Rail

Project: Cambrian Local Railways

The Local Railway concept is a method of bringing track and train together by empowering local teams to work as one so that they can deliver better outcomes for customers and taxpayers.

The Cambrian Local Railway was formed in late April 2023 as a joint team between Network Rail and Transport for Wales.

Their joint objectives were to improve service for customers, create efficiencies, and engage local teams for their ideas and innovation.

The team set out to identify areas where they could make a difference. They undertook a kick off session in April 2023 which identified how to improve performance, customer satisfaction and reduce cost and specifically what would make the biggest difference by working as one team.

They created a joint plan which was shared with management and have tracked their progress. This approach is innovative because it creates a single, unified railway team, delivering for customers. It brings to life all the principles of Rail Reform and has been built from the bottom-up.

Winner

Supporting Video:

https://vimeo.com/769042436/741d227984

Siemens Mobility

Project: Birmingham New Street Resignalling Project

Aims and objectives:

Passengers in the West Midlands have benefited from smoother journeys and fewer delays as a result of Siemens Mobility and Network Rail’s collaboration in the successful and groundbreaking delivery of the Birmingham New Street signalling project.

Both partners were committed to working together to deliver a renewed signalling system and trackside infrastructure to streamline traffic management across the West Midlands. The complexity of the project meant that a clear strategy was required to drive better outcomes and create a blueprint of collaborative transformation for the wider industry.

This project has been about providing increased route reliability and station platform flexibility, resulting in a better overall passenger experience and greater operational efficiency.

The work involved installing computer-based safety equipment in the West Midlands Control Centre and connecting it over the railway's network to trackside equipment throughout and around the station.

Siemens installed 114 new signals, 31 signalling location boxes and a whole new cable management system that consisted of 11 kilometres of troughing cable, 164 hollow sleepers and an Under-Track Crossing (UTX).

They also carried out a major upgrade of the telecoms, including over 25 additional Signal Post Telephone (SPTs) and Points Zone Telephone (PZT).

Planning:

The Birmingham New Street signalling upgrade project was delivered without any major delays. The project required an immense amount of planning and phasing to ensure the smooth installation and integration of the new infrastructure.

Stageworks, a method of transitioning from the old system to the new one in incremental stages, was carefully executed over two years, comprising 83 compressed stages.

Innovative Delivery:

The Birmingham New Street project stands out because it is a shining example of how smart, innovative engineering has been applied to improve the station’s ability to operate as a major rail hub, so that people can enjoy a more reliable, modern passenger experience when travelling to, from or through the city.

In a strategic move, Network Rail and Siemens Mobility decided to recontrol train traffic from the station area to the WMROC.

This was achieved through the installation of a Siemens Westcad Workstation, allowing TOC staff and Network Rail signalling staff to work together cohesively.

This collaborative environment has enabled quick problem-solving and improved responsiveness to issues such as late running and last-minute platform changes.

The new system also provides increased route reliability and station platform flexibility, resulting in a better overall passenger experience and greater operational efficiency. This project has allowed for better integration of not only control over the railway signalling but has also brought together a community of teams and operators into one place.

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Shortlist

Frauscher UK Ltd.

Project: Frauscher UK Rail Safety Day

Frauscher UK, a small team dedicated to selling safety-critical railway products, embarked on a significant initiative in 2023 to enhance railway safety. This consisted of two key events: A global Frauscher Safety Day and a localised event at the Frauscher UK location.

The primary aim of the global Frauscher Safety Day, held on February 16, 2023, was to systematically impart railway signalling and safety knowledge to the broader Frauscher teams worldwide. Frauscher achieved this by inviting distinguished industry experts to deliver engaging technical talks on signalling safety.

Additionally, Frauscher introduced the firstever global online quiz, which garnered an unprecedented level of participation and enthusiasm. Building upon this global success, the focus shifted to the specific needs of the UK location. Collaborating with Network Rail, they initiated the inaugural Frauscher UK Safety Day.

Siemens Mobility

Project: Birmingham New Street Resignalling Project

Siemens Mobility and Network Rail put safety as a top priority in the successful delivery of the Birmingham New Street resignalling project. The Siemens team committed to getting 'everyone home safe every day', using innovative technology and processes to improve millions of passenger journeys whilst minimising disruption and keeping the people involved in the project safe and secure physically and mentally.

The work involved installing computer-based safety equipment in the West Midlands Control Centre and connecting it over the railway's network to trackside equipment throughout and around the station.

Siemens installed 114 new signals, 31 signalling location boxes and a whole new cable management system that consisted of 11 kilometres of troughing cable, 164 hollow sleepers and an Under-Track Crossing. A project as intricate as this needs safety at the forefront of the minds of all engineers, contractors, and subcontractors.

South Western Railway

Project: Safeguarding on Rail Scheme, White Ribbon Campaign

To ensure safeguarding is not an isolated initiative SWR have devised four overarching strategic objectives that will integrate safeguarding best practice into the organisation.

These are to align the suggested Safeguarding in Rail scheme criteria with the overall safeguarding project to ensure all areas are covered and delivered.

Also to implement a governance framework for safeguarding in the organisation ensuring everyone understands the role they play in protecting vulnerable people.

Thirdly to capture, share and celebrate safeguarding interactions internally and with our stakeholders, ensuring a measure of success is applied.

Finally bring Workforce Safeguarding under the safeguarding umbrella to reduce disruption to the operation, through proactive interventions.

Winner

RSS Infrastructure and Tended Ltd

Project: Transforming Worker Safety Through Geofencing Technology

Aims and Objectives:

The company's aim under this project and all projects is to have safety as a top priority and to have maintained a zero Accident Frequency Rate between Q2 2022 and Q2 2023 by working in collaboration with its supply chain to identify technology that can advance ‘Track Worker Protection.

Measured through Key Performance Indicators, HSQE Forum/Survey to gain insight/feedback on the technology’s effectiveness and impact on safety-related behaviours.

Additionally, the objective was to improve behavioural/cognitive decision-making as well as build a culture characterised by a shared perception of the importance of safety and confidence in the efficacy of preventive measures.

Achieved through a strategic partnership with Tended, a leading provider of Geofence Technology, who enable us to deliver all services covered within NR’s Trackworker Protection and Warning Systems Standards.

Planning:

To achieve the deliverables/achievements, during the planning phase, the planner worked in collaboration with the Controller of Site Safety to provide the longitude/latitude of the worksite on Tended’s Planning Dashboard to implement the digital ‘Geofence’ ‘safe working zone,’ in real-time, to the required meterage on the blocked line.

The system was used in conjunction with a single line block. The site access point and CESS were mapped separately to enable teams to access/ egress safely. The single line block meant that RSSI’s maintenance teams were required to work ‘Adjacent Line Open’ where speeds reach up to 100 mph.

The ‘Geofence - Wearables’ device provided an instant automatic visual/audible/vibration alert when personnel strayed outside the safe working zone. The devices delivered an alert on four occasions to keep workers a safe distance away from the adjacent open line to prevent an accident or near miss and guaranteed that together we could achieve NR’s mandate of ‘Everyone Home Safe, Every Day.’

Innovative Delivery:

The technology provides a typical accuracy positioning of 14mm without any onsite set-up or infrastructure. Achieved by using an established network of fixed reference points (known as beacons/base stations) situated worldwide that correct GPS positioning errors.

These beacons then triangulate the position to provide pinpoint accuracy. This revolutionary approach eliminates the requirement to set up local beacons meaning safety is fully-integrated as part of the planning/delivery process as well as removing the risk associated with establishing new and untested networks that may impact negatively on safety.

Through this technological solution, RSSI/Tended can together support NR with improving situational awareness whilst preventing operatives from going beyond the designated safe working limits by providing an instant automatic visual/audible/ vibration alert.

PRODUCT OF PRODUCT OF PRODUCT OF PRODUCT OF PRODUCT OF PRODUCT OF PRODUCT OF

OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR

Shortlist

Concrete Canvas Ltd.

Project: CCX-U for Slope Protection

CCX-UTILITY™ (CCX-U™) is part of a revolutionary class of construction materials produced by Concrete Canvas Ltd.

It is a flexible, concrete filled geosynthetic, that hardens on hydration to form a thin, durable, waterproof concrete layer. Essentially, it’s Concrete on a Roll™.

CCX-U™ allows concrete installation without the need for plant or mixing equipment while also reducing vehicle movements and contractor burden. Simply unroll and just add water.

CCX-U™ consists of a top layer of UV stabilised polyester geotextile that is interconnected to a bottom layer of polypropylene geotextile to encapsulate a specially formulated dry concrete mix.

The unique manufacturing process connects the geotextile layers by stitching them together which, when combined with the innovative method of inserting the concrete mix, allows the product to reach high levels of performance. CCX-U™ can be hydrated either by spraying or by being fully immersed in water.

Zebraware

Project: Lineardraft

Lineardraft is a revolutionary piece of design software for OLE, that empowers expert engineers to work smarter, not harder.

The core principle of Lineardraft is simple: use intuitive design tools and automation to significantly reduce cost and increase capacity, all whilst maintaining capability and assurance.

Lineardraft is not supposed to be a replacement for designers or engineers, but a tool that enables them to design more efficiently, make them more adaptable to change, and allows them to focus on the critical, and not the simple.

Lineardraft was created with designers and engineers in mind. Every feature they add, every improvement they make, and every design catalogue they develop, is done so with the utmost care and to the highest standards, to best serve the industry.

Highly Commended

Gramm Barriers

Project: POLYSoundBlok® Noise Barrier

Recognising the potential noise disruption impact of reinstating the mothballed East West Rail Phase Two route to the rural lineside neighbours, including both the construction works and permanent railway service, the East West Rail Alliance (EWRA) carried out an extensive acoustic exercise at the start of the project.

Identifying the need for a noise reduction solution, EWRA developed a specification and design, based on a cost benefit analysis, for an acoustic barrier to be installed alongside the areas most affected.

Gramm Barriers responded to the tender with their innovative and sustainable A5 rated POLYSoundBlok® noise barrier system, manufactured from recycled PVC and absorber from recycled water bottles, helping to divert waste plastic from the ocean.

The lightweight noise absorbing barrier is quicker to install than alternative solutions, highly durable and rot-proof, with a maintenance-free design and operational life of 40-plus years, creating significant safety, efficiency, and sustainability benefits.

Winner

Scott Parnell

Project: Reducing Carbon in Construction

Scott Parnell are passionate about finding new materials and methods to support the rail industry in reaching Net Zero. They are a builders merchant by trade, with one fundamental difference; they offer a range of products which challenge traditional practices with innovations that reduce carbon.

These products also offer installation efficiencies to recover the cost of manufacturing with recycled materials and reduce risk to the workforce. Most innovations are designed and developed by start-ups or SMEs who struggle to find their way into the sector. Scott Parnell aims to provide that route for them, assisting with Research and Development, gaining PADS or Form A approval, promoting the product with projects and pushing through to installation.

The work they are doing is changing the face of construction by supplying:

FlexMSE - A vegetated retaining wall system, with proven 120 design life. Builds without steel or concrete and planted to provide carbon offset against the project and promote biodiversity. Builds 60% quicker than traditional retaining walls.

TDS400 - A modular drainage panel system made from recycled UK sourced plastics. builds into the rail landscape to manage climate resilience by preventing surface water build up, keeping our network operational in harsh weather conditions. Technocrete - A cement free foundation material made from recycled vegetable oil, saving 75% on carbon consumption. Reduces manual handling from 80kg per foundation to just 1.8kg.

Footprint - A modular platform system made from recycled rubber tyres, replacing traditional concrete or polystyrene. Carbon negative system which offsets against the project. Removes plant and wet trades from construction.

Arcosystem - A six metre span GRP elevated cable troughing system. Removes up to 75% of foundations, preventing ground disruption and reduces raw materials by approx. 40% compared with traditional systems.

Touchsafe - 100% GRP pailsade fencing replaces steel from construction with a maintenance free alternative. Delivered pre-assembled it cuts installation time by more than half and also removes touch potential through is non conductive nature.

PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR

PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR

PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR

PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR

PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR

PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR

PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR

PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR

PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR

PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR

PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

Winner

INNOVATIVE ROLLING

INNOVATIVE ROLLING INNOVATIVE ROLLING

INNOVATIVE ROLLING

INNOVATIVE ROLLING INNOVATIVE ROLLING

INNOVATIVE ROLLING

INNOVATIVE ROLLING INNOVATIVE ROLLING

ROLLING STOCK

ROLLING STOCK

Shortlist

Angel Trains Ltd

Project: Western Route LiDAR Capture & Use Cases

In a cross industry partnership with Network Rail, Great Western Railway and SNC Lavalin Atkins; Cordel and Angel Trains have installed three complete sets of Cordel's automated LiDAR, Video and Location systems onto Class 165 trains operated by GWR on the Western Route centered around Reading.

As GWR operate the trains in normal passenger service, the innovative 'no touch' Cordel technology captures and transmits survey grade LiDAR point clouds, high resolution video, and precise location information.

The LiDAR, imagery and position sensors and systems on the trains map the world around them, providing a true survey grade digital network model every time the train passes. The data is then fed into Cordel's data automation and processing cloud platform, which uses AI to build real world engineering outputs to deliver across eight difference use cases.

These are: Digital Twin, Structure Gauging, Platform Gauging, Six-foot Clearances, Capital Surveys rail strings and LiDAR classification, Ballast profiling, Vegetation, and Overhead Line Electrification (OLE) measurements such as Height and Stagger.

Heathrow Express

Project: Self Service Ticket Machines

In March 2022, Heathrow Express launched a new booking tool, which enables customers to purchase a train ticket for multiple locations. Since March, it has rolled out a further four machines and continue to identify even more locations.

The plan was to make it easier for customers to purchase tickets to use its service. This saves them time as they don't need to queue at the ticket office, which allows them to reach their destination quicker. It worked with its colleagues and customers to identify the most useful locations.

Ticket machines can be found in arrival and baggage halls. The services machines are different to others as they will soon be found in hotels, located in the Heathrow and Paddington area. It offers passengers a physical ticket and payment can be made via card; apple pay and android.

Following positive customer feedback and to support its business growth, it plans to roll out more machines in 2024.

Heathrow Express has seen a sharp increase of leisure passengers using its service, while continuing to appeal to its loyal business customers.

Winner

Chiltern Railways

Project: Implementation of HVO Fuel on Class 68 Locomotives

Chiltern Railways has become the first train operator to use hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) in passenger service in the UK. By using HVO in its fleet of Class 68 diesel locomotives, Chiltern's industry-leading transition is expected to result in a significant reduction in harmful exhaust emissions, including up to a 90% reduction in particulates.

As with all of Chiltern's current fleet, the Class 68 locomotive operated on diesel fuel and was therefore perceived to be a highly polluting train.

Over the past few years, local residents, staff and passengers had raised concerns about the levels of exhaust emissions and their effects upon people's health and the environment.

Consequently, they had challenged Chiltern to come up with alternative solutions that would reduce emissions and therefore lessen the impacts. With full electrification of the Chiltern network being unlikely in the short to medium term, in addition to a lack of alternative traction systems, our key focus was on investigating the use of an alternative ecofriendly fuel.

With this project, Chiltern wished to achieve the following objectives:

To directly reduce emissions from Class 68 locomotives

To demonstrate that alternative fuels can be used with other diesel fleets

To establish dual-fuelling capability at Stourbridge Depot.

Achieving all of these objectives would help Chiltern deliver on its key strategic business priority: 'To modernise and decarbonise its operations through the Right Route 2030 Vision'.

As such, the vision aligns with their commitment to achieving net zero by 2050. THE SOLUTION Following a review of potential alternatives, HVO was selected as the most appropriate modern fossil-free alternative fuel type.

This diesel replacement is ethically sourced from 100% waste materials that would otherwise go to landfill, such as used cooking oils.

More importantly, HVO contains few impurities and burns cleanly, thus offering a significant reduction in harmful exhaust emissions. HVO does not require any more energy to produce than diesel and also improves fuel economy. Furthermore, HVO is a direct 'drop in' alternative fuel, which is capable of mixing with diesel without the requirement for any engine modifications, thus eliminating the need for significant business change or increased operational costs.

As mentioned, this was the first time that HVO fuel had been used in passenger service in the UK. The environmental characteristics of the fuel offers a significant reduction in harmful exhaust emissions, in addition to reductions in particulate matter and a wider lifecycle carbon reduction. The HVO fuel we have procured leaves no carbon deposits and should have a cleaning effect on engines. As industry pioneers, we needed to take an innovative approach to delivering the project, overcoming the challenges outlined below.

BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY

BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY

BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY

BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY

BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY

BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY

BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY

BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY

BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY

TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY

Shortlist

Angel Trains Ltd

Project: Western Route LiDAR Capture & Use Cases

In a cross industry partnership with Network Rail, Great Western Railway and SNC Lavalin Atkins, Cordel and Angel Trains have installed 3 complete sets of Cordel's automated LiDAR, Video and Location systems onto Class 165 trains operated by GWR on the Western Route centered around Reading.

As GWR operate the trains in normal passenger service, the innovative 'no touch' Cordel technology captures and transmits survey grade LiDAR point clouds, high resolution video, and precise location information.

The LiDAR, imagery and position sensors and systems on the trains map the world around them, providing a true survey grade digital network model every time the train passes. The data is then fed into Cordel's data automation and processing cloud platform, which uses AI to build real world engineering outputs to deliver across eight difference use cases.

AtkinsRéalis

Project: National European Train Control Systems (ETCS) Test Laboratory

To ensure that interoperable, consistent and compliant solutions are deployed across the UK, Network Rail partnered with AtkinsRéalis to develop the first and only UK independent National ETCS Test Laboratory (NET-Lab) to support product acceptance, systems integration and cyber security testing.

Utilising its Technical Investigation Centre (TIC), recognised for excellence in independent forensic testing and expertise in investigating safety-critical signalling equipment failures, AtkinsRéalis led the NET-Lab development.

Net-Lab integrates real ETCS equipment allowing whichever OEM product or solution is under test to communicate as it would with other ETCS entities. It supports the identification of, and overcomes, potential onboard and trackside compatibility issues.

MTR Elizabeth Line (MTREL)

Project: CDMT - Crew Management Displacement Tool

The introduction of the Crew Displacement Management Tool is a first for the rail industry and has changed how MTREL’s control room works, from the previous use of manual updates, like managing multiple paper resources, and spreadsheet information, to a fully digital system.

Going from concept to working tool in under eight months, the fully digital system takes in real time data from trains, including unit number and location as well as the driver's name, then maps this with the driver's phone number, sign on and off location and PNB information to help controllers make informed decisions based on live data, throughout normal operations, as well as during disruptions.

MTREL has already seen an improvement in reactionary delays, and the number of trains awaiting drivers. When disruptions occur, MTREL have been able to understand when there is a crew impact and mitigate that, leaving trains standing for less.

Shortlist

QTS Group Ltd.

Project: Perth North Drainage

The Perth North Drainage project required a detailed assessment and survey of the condition/ functionality of the existing drainage systems outfall chamber.

The chamber is situated on a live railway line and is a Scottish Water asset in which the track drainage system discharges. The designers required a full 3D model to assess the structural interrogatory/ functionality of the outfall chamber.

QTS made the decision to gather the data using photogrammetry using an iPhone with built in LiDAR, mounted to a ring light, utilising the Pix4D Catch app to capture the data.

West Midlands Trains

Project: LED Lighting

West Midlands Train’s LED Station Lighting Project was a project to replace the lighting in all 150 of their stations involving the replacement of over 12,000 old, inefficient incandescent lights which the government has prohibited the manufacture and import of from August 2023.

Rather than replacing the lights with cheap LED luminaries West Midlands Trains sought to unlock much greater benefits and achieve the following objectives: Provide consistency of lighting at WMT stations, achieve compliant lighting levels to the latest standards, achieve our philosophy of lighting, reduce energy consumption, reduce lighting maintenance costs and more.

As a direct result of the project, it has achieved compliant lighting levels at all its stations which has often meant increasing lighting levels by 500% to meet standards. Despite this, the 'smart' lighting has still offered a reduction of nearly 50% in light energy usage and carbon savings of over 65%.

Zebraware Limited

Project: Lineardraft

Lineardraft is a revolutionary piece of design software for Overhead Line Electrification, that empowers expert engineers to work smarter, not harder.

The core principle of Lineardraft is simple: use intuitive design tools and automation to significantly reduce cost and increase capacity, all whilst maintaining capability and assurance.

Lineardraft is not supposed to be a replacement for designers or engineers, but a tool that enables them to design more efficiently, make them more adaptable to change, and allows them to focus on the critical, and not the simple.

Used as part of the rail electrification design process, Lineardraft makes it easier to design overhead line electrification systems than ever before.

Highly Commended

GoMedia

Project: Visor – DLR Trial of Accessibility Solution Using GoMedia’s Journey Information Technology

Over 2 million people in the UK are living with sight loss, with two thirds of this group struggling to make their public transport journeys independently.

Approved by and developed in conjunction with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), Visor is combining proven technologies in an innovative and collaborative manner to ensure that passengers can receive in-depth information about their surroundings as well as timely updates on their journey.

Operator of the Docklands Light Railway, KeolisAmey Docklands (KAD) commissioned GoMedia to demonstrate Visor’s effectiveness as a solution and its ease of deployment through collaboration between numerous stakeholders: KAD, GoMedia, NaviLens, RNIB, TfL, Sight Loss Councils, and AJ Wells.

The joint effort saw Visor deployed at key stations throughout the DLR network by combining KAD’s organisation and staff assistance at stations, NaviLens’ wayfinding technology, GoMedia’s live, cloud-based passenger information system and project management, RNIB and Sight Loss Councils’ support, advice, and testing from the perspective of users with vision loss, Transport for London’s robust logistical resources and planning capabilities, and AJ Wells, who printed and installed the codes around the stations.

Winner

Incremental Solutions Ltd

Project: RAPPORT

Aims and Objectives:

Much can be done to improve the way rail incidents are responded to and the processes undertaken by Incident Response, Operation Controllers and Mobile Operation Managers.

The objective of RAPPORT (Real-time Accelerated Position and Protection of Rail Transport) is to provide a powerful digital incident management tool to Train Operating Companies (TOCs) and Network Rail (NR).

The intention is to improve the safety and resilience of the rail network as well as provide significant cost savings to industry bodies through the reduction of incident delay minutes. The underlying concept of knowing the exact location, direction of travel and speed of a train through the integration of on-train GPS and data streams, such as Google Maps, WhatThreeWords and Network infrastructure information, RAPPORT provides a train location dashboard like the industry has not seen before.

With over 600 passenger trains already integrated into the system, RAPPORT is the best-in-class digital solution for detailed insight into rail incidents.

Planning:

RAPPORT had a robust planning and testing process starting with the question “what if?” Incremental needed to structure a plan which could take RAPPORT into a realistic live rail environment to test the viability of the product with consideration of uncontrollable elements such as ensuring constant location tracking and opening immediate communication channels to the emergency services.

For Incremental, it’s imperative that planning is aligned with a close relationship where the users are an integral part of the development. In this instance, York Railway Operating Centre (ROC). The aim of this relationship is to quickly establish if our vision realistically aligns with the requirements of an operation team that face the day-to-day challenges of the industry.

Innovative Delivery:

The RAPPORT project stands as a role model for being a well-structured project, delivered on-time, on-budget despite significant challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

From the initial planning to prototype and then commercialisation, the project was procured into differing regions each with their own challenges. Recognising the operational differences between regions from outset, gave the delivery team a greater testing and feedback pool which is critical in ensuring the product was adaptable and has the necessary value required to be adopted by the industry.

RAPPORT itself provides an innovative, first of a kind solution to monitoring trains in granular detail on both a micro and macro scale. The use of GPS by operational and incident management teams was a step change from the traditional TRUST based method which often led to trains being “lost” within a long signal section. This new functionality drastically reduces time-to-incident. Collaboration has been at the heart of RAPPORT. To develop and implement a product such as RAPPORT without working with the teams who it affects would simply not work.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY

DIVERSITY, EQUITY

DIVERSITY, EQUITY

DIVERSITY, EQUITY

DIVERSITY, EQUITY

DIVERSITY, EQUITY

DIVERSITY, EQUITY

DIVERSITY, EQUITY

DIVERSITY, EQUITY

DIVERSITY, EQUITY

DIVERSITY, EQUITY

EQUITY & INCLUSION

EQUITY & INCLUSION

EQUITY & INCLUSION

EQUITY & INCLUSION

EQUITY & INCLUSION

EQUITY & INCLUSION

EQUITY & INCLUSION

EQUITY & INCLUSION

EQUITY & INCLUSION

EQUITY & INCLUSION

EQUITY & INCLUSION

Shortlist

Heathrow Express

Project: Celebrating Heathrow Express’s Incredible Team for Diversity and Inclusion Excellence

The PR team at Heathrow Express are on a mission to create a workplace and an experience that's inclusive for everyone. From colleagues to passengers, they're all about making sure everyone feels valued, respected, and safe.

One campaign is its Pride Ride PR campaign. One moment from the campaign saw two teams of drag queens racing from Heathrow Airport to London Paddington. It wasn't just a race; it was a powerful statement of unity and acceptance.

Another campaign was the Party on the Float, which saw the team show up at London Pride with a decorated float and over 60 team members. Their presence wasn't just about showing support; it was a testament to their dedication to making the world a more inclusive place.

The team at Heathrow Express are all about creating an environment where everyone can be themselves without worry. Whether you're a colleague or a passenger, you're part of the Heathrow Express family.

Skills 4 Limited

Project: THRIVE Career Development Programme

THRIVE is Skills 4 Limited’s Positive Action Career Development Programme to ensure minority groups realise their true potential and is designed to level the playing field to enable diverse talent to thrive.

THRIVE builds on EMPOWER, drawing on its industry experienced Mentor's experiences and working to create inclusive, psychologically safe workplaces where everyone can bring their true selves to work.

What sets THRIVE apart is the option of kickstarting the programme with an additional day: Inclusion Allies (Module 1). Inviting THRIVE delegates and those who want to be allies to learn how to foster a more inclusive culture, and tools and techniques to be an effective ally.

The remaining three modules cover confident communication, the importance of authenticity and then focussing on the future, specifically asking ‘if you could do anything, or be anything in your career, what could you do?’

A key part of the THRIVE programme is the Moving the Dial Survey. Research shows that the more diverse leadership and teams are, the more inclusive a culture becomes, and innovation increases.

Highly Commended

West Midlands Trains

Project: Embracing the Principles of FREDIE

West Midlands Trains embraces the principles of FREDIE: Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement.

The company’s overriding ambition has been to exceed the expectations of customers, colleagues and communities. Great strides have been taken in these areas through innovation and an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) plan – with structured measures implemented.

As well as promoting FREDIE during induction stages, West Midlands Trains has adopted ten initiatives which forms its EDI plan. These are Accessibility Matters & Training, Culture, Strategy, Wellbeing, Performance Management, Effective Comms, Recruitment, Reward, Recognition & Retention, and Effective Operational & Line Management.

Community rail projects have been integral to creating social value and engaging first-hand with society. There has been a £1 million investment into 21 rail projects involving stations in the West Midlands Railway.

The network has seen 235 registered volunteer station adopters with West Midlands Railway. Moreover, there have been 64 stations with community activity across the West Midlands.

Your Community Your Fund projects impact 40 stations across the network. These initiatives have ranged from a variety of inclusive schemes.

Winner

South Western Railway

Project: South Western Railway’s Reverse Mentoring Programme

Aims and Objectives:

In December 2022, SWR launched a reverse mentoring programme with members of the Executive Team (Directors) and colleagues from staff network groups.

They currently have 5 network groups: Inspire (Gender Equality), ABLE (Disability), REACH (Religion, Ethnicity and cultural heritage), PRIDE (LGBTQ+) and MIND (Mental Health).

The aims of reverse mentoring programme were:

To facilitate greater access and reciprocal learning between diverse employees and members of the Executive group

To enable the organisation to harness the value of difference by enabling the experiences, opinions, and views of employees to be highlighted by members of the Executive group

To provide Mentors the opportunity to develop skills such as providing feedback and networking, and to influence senior stakeholders as well as SWR’s inclusion objectives

To provide Mentees with means to understand the lived experience of a diverse group of employees, and empower them to contribute to SWR’s inclusion strategy and objectives in an authentic way

To enhance the leadership, conflict management and coaching (listening and communication) skills of Mentors and Mentees

Planning:

SWR worked closely with a company called Inclusive Employers (IE) to roll out a thorough application process and training sessions. Whilst IE runs standard Reverse Mentoring training, they worked with them beforehand to outline what we specifically wanted by involving people from the network groups with diverse characteristics.

All applicants received an application pack which included a guide around the programme. Before expressing their interest, they were asked to read around the vision and objectives of the programme, understand what is expected of the role (time, commitment etc) as well as answering additional questions so we could understand more about them to match them with their mentee.

Once we had received all applications, SWR selected them based on the following criteria:

Clear understanding of expectations and commitment required for the programme.

Demonstrate a growth mindset, with a passion for ongoing learning and growth.

Commitment to providing feedback and influencing in an open, honest, and constructive way.

Ability to articulate an understanding of why this programme will benefit personal development and the business.

The equality characteristics from mentors were 7 people from a Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic background, 4 people identifying as LGBT+, 1 person who was neurodiverse and 7 women.

It was fantastic that most people held two or more diverse characteristics which was a great example of intersectionality. Afterwards, SWR spoke to all those who took part.

The post-programme survey showed that:

90% strongly agreed and 10% agreed ‘they felt able to talk about inclusion exclusion and discrimination’ after taking part.

100% will be continuing their mentor/mentee relationship following the programme finish.

The mentors were asked if they feel able to positively challenge colleagues more senior than them: 75% agree, 25% strongly agree.

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONAL

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONAL

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONAL

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONAL

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONAL

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONAL

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONAL

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONAL

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONAL

PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL

Shortlist

AECOM

Mithun Nair

Mithun is a valuable member of AECOM’s Rail Electrification and Power (E&P) team in London. He joined AECOM’s Engineering Graduate scheme in 2020, and is already a well versed and competent designer.

Over the last 12 months he has been assigned as a lead designer on the South Rail System Alliance (SRSA), producing and independently checking the detailed design of signalling power, points heating, and lighting systems across multiple Network Rail (NR) regions.

He is involved in critical interfaces with other railway disciplines including Track, Civils, Traction Power and Signalling, producing detailed CAD drawings, calculations, and reports for the design proposals, as well as ensuring the deliverables comply with railway standards & procedures (NR & BS-EN-ISO).

Mithun has successfully issued five E&P designs over the past year and his proudest achievement was leading the E&P design for a major renewal at Lewisham which involved 1000m of new track with 81 panels and 8 Switches.

Mithun also provides strong support to junior engineers, graduates and apprentices across the business helping to develop their own knowledge and skills whilst making meaningful contributions to each project.

AtkinsRéalis

Aishah Latif

From the moment Aishah Latif saw the iconic Burj Al Arab at the age of 12, she was mesmerised by the architecture and made it her mission to find out how it was constructed, sparking her passion for engineering.

Within six months of graduating an opportunity arose to work on HS2. Embracing the opportunity, Aishah relocated to Birmingham and engaged in BIM modelling, whilst working with Balfour Beatty Vinci.

During her time at HS2, Aishah became interested in rail. Establishing a reputation for her engineering passion and technical ability, Aishah was scouted and joined AtkinsRéalis in March 2022.

Joining the ancillary civils team, Aishah completed her Personal Track Safety (PTS) qualification and supported high-profile projects as a designer for Midland Mainline and Central Rail Systems Alliance.

Responsible for reviewing documentation and carrying out risk assessments, Aishah used her technical knowledge to compare designs with Network Rail guidance and make critical engineering judgement decisions.

Avanti West Coast

Dominic Todd

Dominic Todd, with less than a decade of experience in the rail industry, has demonstrated unwavering dedication, innovation, and leadership within the organisation and the broader rail industry. His contributions have been instrumental in improving safety, efficiency, and sustainability in Avanti West Coast’s operations. Dominic Todd's innovative solutions and tireless work ethic have significantly impacted its engineering projects, leading to tangible benefits to Avanti West Coast.

Dominic has completed an engineering graduate scheme, completed further experience within a railway engineering consultancy before moving into a train operator responsible for engineering projects. He achieved Chartered Status with the IMechE in 2020.

This experience before joining the team has given Dominic a very broad and valuable experience, complemented by his excellent attitude and ambition which has allowed an accelerated career path into an Engineering Manager position at Avanti West Coast.

His expertise in rolling stock engineering and strong leadership qualities has ensured that the innovative PANDAS trial was initiated on the Pendolino Fleet.

BTTC

Tom Jerrard

Tom graduated in 2017 with a 1st Class award in Quantity Surveying and began his career in rail upon leaving University. Tom is a Senior Consultant at BTTC, being promoted in April 2023, after joining the company in June 2022 as a Consultant.

He provides a fully dedicated service to its clients and has also seen an opportunity within BTTC to grow the business by independently leading on the development of a Graduate Programme. This is a project which he developed and launched within a 6-month period and something which is now in operation at BTTC.

Tom’s most recent experience has been delivering a range of renewal and enhancements schemes for Network Rail Southern, where he has commercially managed projects through all lifecycle stages. He was quickly promoted within that commission and now manages a team of 7 staff.

Independently, he reached out to City, University of London to provide work placement opportunities and to promote the rail industry as an excellent career option for prospective graduates.

Shortlist

First Rail Holdings

Emily Yolland

Emily recently joined the rail industry after specifically seeking a career change from publishing to rail.

In March 2022, Emily joined the First Rail Consultancy team as a Project Coordinator and the impression she has made on the business in just 18 months has been beyond expectations. Within a year, Emily passed the APM Project Fundamental Qualification and was promoted to Assistant Project Manager, a role she thrives in.

Emily displays passion and enthusiasm for both her role and the industry. She takes the initiative to upskill herself in project management and constantly seeks opportunities to learn from colleagues across the business, as well as with peers across the industry as a member of the Young Rail Professionals network.

Emily's passion also extends to making the Consultancy Team a friendly and inclusive environment. She is an active member of the wider team and never one to gatekeep, she always shares any useful information – whether that's wellbeing in rail initiatives, online seminars or networking events that she thinks will be beneficial for her colleagues.

First Rail Holdings

Euan McPherson

Euan joined the rail industry and the First Rail Consultancy team in 2021 after completing an LLB degree from the University of Edinburgh and an MA United States: History and Politics from the University College London.

Since then, he has been promoted twice. First from Writer to Consultant Writer, and recently to Senior Consultant Writer. His most recent promotion has seen him take on line management responsibilities. Euan has a mature approach to his work beyond what is expected at this early stage of his career.

Euan’s first project was the Driver Training Academy – a piece of work advising the Department for Transport and Rail Delivery Group on train driver recruitment. As well as leading on the writing, Euan also project managed this assignment, with colleagues saying that his ability to manage timelines and allocations seemed almost innate.

Euan is an expert at taking complex subjects and turning them into documents that are enjoyable to read. When a document is going through the feedback process, he is adept at responding to the opinions of subject matter experts.

GoMedia

Sven Koster

Sven began working in the UK and global public transport industries across multiple transport modes in 2016. His ambition, drive, and desire to be challenged have propelled him to a prominent role in GoMedia’s organisation and to the forefront of many cross-industry projects.

In his role as Head of New Business Development and Innovation, Sven explores opportunities for transport authorities and operators to enhance the journeys of their customers.

Sven embodies GoMedia’s spirit of social entrepreneurship, evidenced by his recent efforts to make public transport environments more accessible for everyone.

In the UK, more than 60% of users with accessibility needs struggle to make independent journeys on public transport.

Alongside major infrastructural changes, digital technologies using personal smart devices will provide more immediate and cost-effective wins through personalised, at-hand support, reducing the barriers to use for visual and hearing-impaired customers, and an aging population.

MTR Elizabeth line (MTREL)

Scott McCloud

Scott McCloud has spent 2.5 years, working incredibly hard, and being exceptionally effective, as an outstanding Communications & Stakeholder Manager for MTREL, before transitioning to expand his operational knowledge as Head of Customer Information in October 2023.

During Scott’s time as Communications & Stakeholder Manager, MTR Elizabeth line had its most challenging two years, with the delivery of the Staged Opening Programme and launch of the Elizabeth line.

In December 2021, Scott won MTREL’s internal annual Celebrating You Award, for Emerging Talent, for his dedication and successfully delivering above and beyond the requirements of his already extensive role; and in 2022, Scott was a finalist in the Rail Staff Awards’ Best Newcomer category.

Alongside a range of day-to-day media, stakeholder and communications deliverables, Scott has been instrumental in the design and delivery of a complex suite of events in the last 18 months, particularly centred around the Elizabeth line launch (known as Stage 3), and opening of the through running service.

Shortlist

South Western Railway

Bryce Hunt

Bryce has made a significant impact in the rail industry through various projects. Their passion, leadership, and dedication have left a permanent mark on the industry and its stakeholders.

Notable contributions include the launch of a Pride-themed train (unit 444019) in 2017, and delivering a refresh in 2023 to incorporate an industry first inclusive intersex company brandmark to promote diversity and inclusion; leading a station transformation project; enhancing security in Weymouth; and educating the community through the local Scouts.

While the Dorset Scouts Try the Train Initiative aims to educate the local community, especially young scouts, on railway safety, and facilitate safe and educational experiences for community groups using the railway network.

South Western Railway

Charlie Hatcher

Charlie Hatcher (Head of Train Presentation) was asked to develop an industry reaching collaboration forum to engage respective Train Presentation leads throughout the industry where best practice, innovation and other initiatives can be shared.

This was an industry first, so Charlie had to plan the sessions from scratch. He wrote a covering email explaining the terms of reference, intentions, aims and objectives of the proposed session and wrote to each person responsible for train presentation activities across the network. He organised the first meeting to take place at SWR, wrote a meeting structure and prepared the agenda.

Following overwhelming positive feedback from the first session, follow up sessions were organised at other operators’ locations, with four sessions having now taken place.

The number of operators joining the forums has increased since it was first launched. This is an industry first, and Charlie's commitment to making it a success is credit to its delivery and continuation.

SYSTRA

Lucy Davison

Lucy joined the business as an Assistant Track Technician in 2014 whist simultaneously undertaking her Degree Apprenticeship in Civil Engineering.

At each juncture Lucy has grabbed every opportunity with both hands always achieving the best and inspiring those around her in the process.

Lucy is a passionate advocate of rail and her enthusiasm for creating a sustainable future with rail at its heart has been rewarded with prestigious awards and appointments, including her appointment as a Future Leader by the President of the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE).

She regularly participates in Women in Transport and Women in Rail events. Lucy has participated in several engineering and rail themed All Party Parliamentary Group (APPGs) meetings at the House of Lords to share ideas and best practice.

Lucy established an Education Awareness Scheme in 2014, and has visited over 30 schools and colleges to encourage young people to consider an apprenticeship in the rail industry, and to share her work experiences through presentations and workshops.

Highly Commended

First Rail Holdings

Aaron Howard

Aaron joined the rail industry and the First Rail Consultancy team in 2020 after graduating from the University of Southampton with a BSc in Mathematics.

Since then, Aaron has progressed at a level beyond what would be expected at this early stage in his career. Within two years, he has been promoted from Data Insights Analyst to Consultant Analyst.

Aaron’s passion for his role and the industry comes across in the way that he engages with colleagues, showing genuine interest in the work his colleagues across the business are undertaking.

He is inquisitive and wants to experience all aspects of the industry. For example, he has requested to go on tours of Control Rooms and Depots across FirstGroup to enhance his understanding of the industry.

Aaron proactively assists and coaches junior team members with the tools required to do their jobs, including Excel and industry specific tools such as MOIRA and LENNON. He takes part in the team’s training forum, contributes to onboarding activities and displays enthusiasm for social events.

Winner

Angel Trains

Aamina Shah

Aamina Shah is the epitome of the perfect graduate professional rail engineer, with intelligence, determination, diplomacy and now proven delivery of projects, business benefits and change to her credit.

Engaging with, and enthusing, all levels of Angel Trains stakeholder relationships. She is not only a diligent and enthusiastic engineer, but is also passionate about sustainability, social responsibility, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion.

All demonstrated in action, with active roles in the IMechE, STEM and Women In Rail organisations. Aamina has received numerous plaudits, even with only 2 years employment in rail following graduation, also achieving this from the challenging start of joining as a graduate engineer during full covid-19 lockdown.

When resource constraints were forced upon the Fleet Engineering team, Aamina took the reigns as a DMU Fleet Engineer for 3 months. This included working with customers and suppliers to unlock several complicated engineering change agreements, which without Aamina’s engineering understanding, explanation and thorough documentation, would have been left unsigned.

Aamina has also dedicated a significant amount of time to professional engineering outside of Angel Trains, being an active STEM ambassador, taking part in the 2022 IMechE Technical Tour and serving on the IMechE Rail Division Events committee.

PLANT EXCELLENCE

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Shortlist

Aquarius Railroad Technologies Ltd

Project: Aquarius Sand R2R 4x4

Aquarius Rail has developed a solution called the 'Sand Road2Rail (R2R) 4x4', which is a specially adapted Road Rail Vehicle (RRV) based on a Land Rover. The vehicle is ideal for use on branch lines that have a high volume of leaf fall.

Aquarius Sand R2R 4x4s have now been added to the Aquarius hire fleet of vehicles, providing rail operators with another tool to combat 'leaves on the line'.

In 2022, the Sand R2R 4x4 vehicles were hired by Network Rail Operations teams all over Britain, including Devon, Somerset, Yorkshire, Anglia, Buckinghamshire, and the West Highlands, and worked from September through to the end of December. Each route has its specific treatment requirements.

Overall, Aquarius Rail's work for Network Rail is focused on improving the reliability, safety, and efficiency of train services by addressing the issue of leaves on the railway tracks.

The innovative approach, including the use of the Sand R2R 4x4 has demonstrated significant reductions in delays, enhanced safety and contributes to a smoother railway operation during this challenging season.

WM Plant Hire Ltd

Project: Collaborative, Solution Focused Specialist Plant Supply

With more than 50 excavators, WM Plant Hire’s wide-ranging fleet includes both long reach 4-110 tonnes and heavy-duty spider excavators with independent legs capable of navigating uneven terrain, climbing over barriers, working in water and on steep slopes up to 40 degrees.

WM Plant Hire’s aim is to be solution focused providing a “collaborative, innovative, value adding relationship,” to its clients in line with Network Rail stipulations so that they can deliver projects more efficiently and safely while also helping them work toward net zero targets.

Supplying to both Tier 1 and Tier 2 contractors across a range of Network Rail projects, the company has supported maintenance and reactive operations, primarily in the geotechnical sector assisting with slope stabilisation but also supporting scour protection, drainage operations, vegetation management and viaduct repairs.

WM Plant Hire’s excellence in this area is demonstrated not only in collaborative planning with clients for delivery of challenging schemes, but also in how it plans future investments in its fleet.

Winner

SPL Powerlines

Project: Plant Excellence

SPL Powerlines UK Limited is the leading overhead line electrification provider, with both a Principle Contractors’ Licence and a Plant Operators’ Licence. They provide turnkey overhead line equipment (OLE) capabilities from design through installation and commissioning to final testing.

They currently offer the following services across the UK:

OLE Design – High, Medium, Low Speed Systems

Isolations and Planning • OLE Installation

Testing and Commissioning of OLE Systems

Supply of plant

Full project management OLE services

Complete survey and design services

Labour resource of rail personnel

The vast portfolio of work, both as a Principal Contractor and sub-contractor demonstrates a proven track record of delivering projects on time and budget while maintaining safe standards of work.

The fleet can be supplied with different attachments that ensure our teams can deliver a variety of works. Our significant investments in rail plant vehicles ensure they are consistently able to support our clients’ needs nationwide. Our significant, multimillion pound investment from June 2022 to June 2023, has enabled the vision to provide innovative options.

Advanced machinery includes the ZECK Wiring Unit, the new RR19 long-reach MEWP, and the Doosan long-reach crane, which showcases cutting-edge technology in the rail industry. SPL Powerlines carried out a study looking at the equipment they have historically hired in, which also looked into any issues they may have had with certain models, to put together a comprehensive plan and investment into new, state-of-the-art plant machinery, much of which is unmatched in the UK market.

To keep their fleet maintained to a high standard the plant department moved into larger premises to maintain and store the growing fleet. Keeping in line with commitments to reduce their carbon footprint they have purchased 4 large electric vehicle hoists which have the capability to lift their heaviest vehicles.

They have also added electric vehicle charging points on all sites to meet the demand of a growing fleet of electric vehicles that are now being used throughout the company. They carried out a study looking at the equipment we have historically hired in, which also looked into any issues they may have had with certain types of equipment. To support our projects going forward they have invested in the following equipment:

1 x Doosan Crane

2 x Chieftain Trailers

6 x 19m long Reach RRV MEWP 500kg baskets.

4

1 x modular crane body to fit on the base unit of our ZECK unit to increase utilisation

OPERATOR OF OPERATOR OF OPERATOR OF OPERATOR OF OPERATOR OF OPERATOR OF OPERATOR OF OPERATOR OF OPERATOR OF

OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR

Shortlist

Greater Anglia

Project: Customer Focused Delivery

Greater Anglia has delivered an excellent customerfocused service over the past year, maintaining historically high and industry-leading levels of performance - with annual punctuality at 94.4%; very good cleanliness, and significant achievements across all aspects of its service.

Customers are benefitting from the complete transformation of train services in East Anglia. All services have been operated by new trains since 4 April 2023, providing significantly more seating capacity (at least 20% on most trains, but as much as 80% on some services), more comfortable seats, plug points, USP points, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, much improved accessibility and more cycle storage places, than on the trains they replaced.

ORR figures for April to June 2023 showed it as the operator with the best on time results and the lowest cancellations. For the 4-week period to mid-October 2023, Greater Anglia was the best UK operator for all key measures (on time, time to 3, time to 15, PPM and cancellations).

Wider sustainability and environmental progress saw a 3rd successive reduction in its Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions (by 17%, after 2 years of 11% falls).

South Western Railway

Project: Operator of the Year

Despite significant challenges over the last year, South Western Railway has improved its offering for customers and colleagues.

It is focusing on delivering the following objectives: Ensuring Safe & Reliable Operations, Delivering Great Customer Journeys, Creating A Great Place To Work, Becoming A Sustainable And Community Focused Railway, and Delivering A Better Future.

To help the whole business understand its strategy, in the past year, SWR designed and embedded an updated purpose, vision, mission and behaviours. They help all colleagues to recognise that SWR does more than simply transport people from one place to another; it brings social, economic and community value to people across the South West.

SWR takes a pioneering approach to sourcing and embedding innovation across its business. It runs a bespoke ‘Track’a’thon’ industry event that brings colleagues from a wide variety of roles across the business to design solutions to business challenges.

West Midlands Trains

Project: Commonwealth Games 2022

In July and August 2022, Birmingham played host to the Commonwealth Games with 1.5 million spectators attending events across more than a dozen venues, with five million people visiting Birmingham city centre during the 11 days of competition.

WMT is the main operator of rail services within the region, and it felt a huge responsibility to deliver a fantastic event and showcase the region for its customers and stakeholders.

Its role was to plan and operate an effective rail delivery service as part of the wider Games transport plan. With so many visitors descending on the city, the event required a mammoth operational effort from every department within WMT, as well as the support of other TOCs and Network Rail.

The redevelopment of Perry Barr station in time for the Games was a cornerstone of the rail service delivery for the event as the previous facility was in dire need of modernisation. As the station operator, it agreed to temporarily cease train services at the station between 2021 and 2022, to aid the delivery of the £30.9m rebuild in time for the Games.

Winner

MTR Elizabeth Line

Project: Opening the Elizabeth Line

The Concession Targets set by TfL for MTREL are focussed on Customer Experience objectives, which encompass strict and detailed KPIs for train and station cleanliness, and of course on-time performance and reliability.

In order to meet this, MTREL’ Customer Experience Business Plan outlines their ethos of putting customers first - ensuring an integrated and interlinked set of core customer experience programmes that have delivered our best in industry customer experience and satisfaction scores.

They needed to:

Address the complicated nature of our multipartner/stakeholder/agency environment, ensuring a 'one team' approach for our customers.

Recognise that many hundreds of our customer experience employees were newly employed and ensure our staff knowledge was excellent. Address that it was a new railway, with new technologies, new stations, a brand new fleet of 345 trains never before used in the UK, and many other aspects that made it an unfamiliar environment to customers, our own staff and other partners. Make sure that all of our partner colleagues working at Elizabeth line stations and at onward routes, had the same standard of knowledge as our employees. For the EL and through-running openings, and other major events.

The Customer Experience Business Plan is the umbrella document that encompasses the approach to CE and guides and/or outlines CE initiatives, available on request. Everything from the dayto-day operations and our planning for Stage 3, 5b- and new May 2023 timetable meant that they needed to deal with a complex range of local and national stakeholders, both inside, and external to, the rail industry.

Ensuring inclusive, transparent and 360 communication between MTREL colleagues and all stakeholders/partners/agencies was essential to be successful in achieving the objectives, in a very complex and fluid environment.

MTREL have spearheaded the development of cohesive multi-agency, partner and stakeholder relations with a range of innovative industry and sector-firsts, like Project Welcome and Customer and Community Ambassadors. For example, the 'one team' approach incorporating multiple partners and stakeholders is a sector first and, with initiatives like training, partners in the Elizabeth line routes and customer experience approach, has seen incredible benefits and ensured they have been rated as the best train operating company across a range of customer experience measures, as well as staff knowledge scores.

DELIVERING FOR DELIVERING FOR DELIVERING FOR DELIVERING FOR DELIVERING FOR DELIVERING FOR DELIVERING FOR DELIVERING FOR DELIVERING FOR DELIVERING FOR DELIVERING FOR

FOR THE CUSTOMER FOR THE CUSTOMER FOR THE CUSTOMER FOR THE CUSTOMER

FOR THE CUSTOMER FOR THE CUSTOMER FOR THE CUSTOMER FOR THE CUSTOMER FOR THE CUSTOMER

FOR THE CUSTOMER FOR THE CUSTOMER

Shortlist

Diamond Rail Services and Siemens Mobility

Project: Refurbishment to the Class 350/3 Units for West Midlands Trains

From contract appointment and throughout mobilisation, the two companies have worked collaboratively to deliver a fleet refurbishment.

Diamond Rail Services and Siemens Mobility first began working together in 2017, working on the Class 185 Refurbishment. This saw 51 trains completed in 52 weeks. For this project, Siemens Mobility were delivering the interior refurbishment for TransPennine Express and Diamond Rail Services were the contractor for the Standard and First Class seat refurbishment.

Diamond then went on to supply seat refurbishment for Siemens Mobility’s Class 350/1 and 350/4 fleet refurbishment in 2019/2020. In 2023, West Midlands trains required their 350/3 fleet to be refurbished and Diamond Rail Services were selected by Siemens Mobility to support.

Their collaborative solutions have streamlined processes and therefore enhanced efficiency, resulting in cost savings and improved project outcomes.

GoMedia

Project: Visor – Accessibility Solution Trial with KeolisAmey Docklands (DLR)

Approved by and developed in conjunction with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), Visor is combining proven technologies in an innovative and collaborative manner to ensure that passengers can receive in-depth information about their surroundings as well as timely updates on their journey.

Operator of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), KeolisAmey Docklands (KAD) commissioned GoMedia to demonstrate Visor’s effectiveness as a solution and its ease of deployment through collaboration between numerous stakeholders: KAD, GoMedia, NaviLens, RNIB, TfL, Sight Loss Councils, and AJ Wells.

The joint effort saw Visor deployed at key stations throughout the DLR network by combining KAD’s organisation and staff assistance at stations, NaviLens’ wayfinding technology, GoMedia’s live, cloud-based passenger information system and project management, RNIB and Sight Loss Councils’ support, advice, and testing from the perspective of users with vision loss, Transport for London’s robust logistical resources and planning capabilities, and AJ Wells, who printed and installed the codes around the stations.

MTR Elizabeth Line (MTREL)

Project: Customer Experience Business Plan

MTREL was awarded the Elizabeth line concession by Transport for London (TfL) in July 2014, and continue to work closely with TfL and other industry partners to deliver the Elizabeth line for millions of people every week.

Its Customer Experience Business Plan ensures an integrated and interlinked set of core customer experience programmes that have delivered the best in industry – and sector – customer experience and satisfaction scores.

Its vision is to provide an excellent ‘one-team’ customer experience at key interchange points across the Elizabeth line.

A core CE initiative is its new ICON training – Be more than a colleague, be an Icon. Developed in conjunction with Customer First, it ensures its customer-facing team provides the best quality customer service that sees the ‘soft product’ match the excellence of the ‘hard product’.

Shortlist

South Western Railway

Project: SWR iQR Dashboard

Using the SWR iQR Dashboard (powered by Whoosh), with just a scan of a QR code, customers can instantly access live information relevant to their specific location or journey.

The dashboard includes first of its kind features including, ‘Talk to Us’, contextualised reporting and the Wimbledon Championships module for multimodal event onward journey information.

SWR is currently trialling an award-winning digital service on board a select number of trains and stations. This initiative was sparked by a winning idea presented by a team of SWR colleagues at an internal innovation event, ‘Track’a’thon’.

The winning team came up with the idea of installing QR codes onboard its services: ‘iQR –Information, Question, Report’. These codes would allow customers to connect to information relevant to their journey and to send contextualised reports directly to SWR for issues such as on-board faults.

West Midlands Trains

Project: Accessibility Schemes

Inaccessibility has been a relevant problem throughout the public transport industries, however, West Midlands Trains have proven its commitment to tackle this issue through its Accessibility Schemes.

In a statement issued to WMT by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) stated that ‘over half of people with sight loss find it difficult to navigate public transport facilities’. Such realities have compelled it to breakthrough these barriers through strategically implemented small-scale targeted changes.

Its goal is to provide a seamless and comfortable experience through non-invasive procedures, minimising inconvenience for all passengers and preserving their pre-existing knowledge of the stations with marginal yet effective alterations to the overall layout.

Continued collaborations with its Stakeholder Equality Group (SEG) panel - an expert board comprised of representatives from various impairment organisations allowed MWT to create such impactful, long-term alterations.

Winner

Avanti West Coast

Project: Superfare

Aims and Objectives:

Superfare is an innovative low-cost ticket that Avanti West Coast created for these customers. It aims to give them a fixed affordable price for trains that have spare capacity so not only meets the need of delivering for customers but also fills capacity on services that have headroom and drive incremental revenue for the business and industry. Avanti West Coast has an additional aim to improve value-for-money perceptions among customers, so Superfare is also designed to help shift the dial here and show us as being a brand that offers customers value.

Planning:

Given this was the launch of a brand new product for Avanti West Coast, ensuring there was a solid planning process was fundamental to the launch. This started with the conducting of indepth customer research, where we learned this proposition appealed most to 16–34-year-olds as they are most likely to travel long distances, be non-train travellers and travel by coach. We also found this group were more likely to be students, who need low prices but also have the flexible lifestyle that would suit the Superfare product. Research also showed they are frustrated at the perceived lottery of rail pricing, so the transparency of a product with fixed pricing per route is appealing to them. Superfare was then built as

the new simple, cost-effective train ticket for these customers. The premise of the product is that you can book a ticket 7-21 days in advance for either a morning, afternoon or evening slot. Avanti West Coast then sends the customer a specific train 24 hours before departure. In return for the flexibility, the customer gets a fixed price that is as affordable as a coach fare, as well as a more relaxing experience with tables, more legroom, refreshments available and shorter journeys. For Avanti West Coast, we get to fill the empty seats and drive incremental revenue.

Innovative Delivery:

Superfare was a UK rail industry first for a product of its kind. After the successful launch of it, Avanti West Coast presented the product to the National Marketing Committee of the Rail Delivery Group, to other TOC lead marketing contacts. On the back of this presentation, several other TOCs have since decided to create a similar product of their own, showing the benefit of Avanti West Coast’s innovation to the whole rail sector. As of 26 June 2023, Superfare had driven £93,870 in revenue to Avanti West Coast, which was 1% ahead of the budget. 5,000 tickets had been sold, the majority of these for the London to Manchester (2,315) and London to Liverpool (1,545) flows that have seen the most popularity.

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Shortlist

7N Architects

Project: Hub station – a Blueprint for Sustainable, Community Focused Transport Hub

Hub Station is the blueprint for a new generation of environmentally sustainable, community focused transport hubs.

Design guidance and standard designs define an adaptable kit of parts to transform stations across Britain and equip them for a net zero future.

This kit of parts comprises a simple, adaptable, and scalable catalogue of standardised elements that can be tailored to the context and locality of each station, whilst maintaining a consistent national identity.

There is considerable complexity with thousands of potential variations for different locations and requires coordination across design disciplines.

The clearly structured project plan establishes a clear framework for decision making that is informed by feedback from industry and the public. This allows the team to make progress without taking shortcuts, and for decisions to be robustly justified – this is fundamental to ensuring deliverability of the designs.

Amey Consulting

Project: “SMART” Electrification of Core Valley Lines

Amey Infrastructure Wales has come up with a solution for the new Metro in South Wales that will make use of this state of the art, yet wellestablished hybrid technology in its new train fleets; both tri-mode and metro vehicles.

This change from the existing diesel multiple units on the network to hybrids will lead to a profound reduction in carbon footprint and the on-board batteries will significantly reduce the cost of electrification.

The aim of the solution is to create a discontinuous electrification system with wire-free and Permanently Earthed Sections, that utilises the on-board energy storage of the new rolling stock.

In addition, Amey aimed to improve the industry’s understanding of optimising Discontinuous Electrification (e.g. onboard storage, charging, pantograph raising/lowering) to avoid expensive civil alterations associated with accommodating the contact system in areas of restricted electrical clearances.

AtkinsRéalis

Project: Decarbonising the Railway

AtkinsRéalis is working with the four TOCs (Southeastern, Northern, TransPennine Express, and Govia Thameslink Railway) to address challenges and identify opportunities for positive change through developing Science Based Targets (SBTs) and Decarbonisation Roadmaps.

The AtkinsRéalis developed Decarbonisation Pathway Tool enabled TOCs' entire purchased goods and services - essentially all procurement activities to be reviewed. This included quantifying the enormous volume of data to determine how much carbon each emits annually and, subsequently, their impact.

Coordinating innovative and interactive Scopebased workshops with the TOCs’ to explore options available to set strategic decarbonisation targets with ongoing monitoring, management and reporting, AtkinsRéalis quantified the level of decarbonisation required to meet SBTs.

The findings were used to develop recommendations and solutions within a number of parameters, including cost, timescale and technical complexity, to provide an overall high, medium or low feasibility ranking.

Project: HS2 Crew to Manchester, Phase 2b

Mott MacDonald and WSP worked collaboratively as a joint venture (MWJV) to identify and implement opportunities to reduce GHG emissions arising Lot 1 of the Phase 2b Civils Design and Environmental Services contract (Crewe – Manchester) of HS2.

Reducing GHG emissions as part of a Value Management (VM) process formed a key part of MWJV’s role assisting HS2 in identification of opportunities for GHG reduction.

A team of specialists, including design leads and carbon management specialists, worked collaboratively to drive cost and GHG emissions reductions arising from the design.

Workshops and carbon working groups were held within MWJV to embed a culture that emphasised the importance of GHG reductions across the project. This culminated in producing a carbon reduction waterfall which visualised the GHG reductions and their planned delivery dates.

MWJV has been at the forefront, exemplifying remarkable initiative by developing case studies based on successfully realised opportunities. These case studies have effectively spotlighted the best practices in carbon management for achieving reductions in GHG emissions.

Mott MacDonald/WPS Joint Venture – MWJV

Shortlist

South Western Railway

Project: SWR Journey to Net Zero

In 2022, SWR launched an industry-leading roadmap to net zero, these were its aims: A longterm target of 2040 for net zero, and a SBTi backed, near-term target of a 33.6% overall reduction (scope 1 & 2) to 2027.

In September 2022, the strategy was released. The roadmap has incorporated the latest science-based targets in line with the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.

These targets have been independently assessed and audited by the Science Based Target Initiative.

Environmental responsibility touches on all areas of business, at SWR it is constantly striving to not just reduce its carbon footprint, but also use its projects to gift both its colleagues and customers with improved qualities in work and travel.

From projects to replace traditional blown-air heaters with upgraded infrared panels in waiting rooms to keep customers warm, to working crossfunctionally to understand how driver behaviour affects traction emissions, it is always striving to lead the rail industry into a greener future.

SPL Powerlines UK Limited

Project: Net Zero Pioneer

SPL Powerlines’ net zero journey is part of rail decarbonisation of multiple rail projects across the UK. These include the Midland Main Line (MML) upgrade programme as well as the Carstairs junction upgrade in Scotland.

The projects include the use of multiple off-grid work sites, where traditionally diesel generators are used to power site welfare cabins, lighting as well as tools and equipment. This typically is associated with evening and night work possessions of the rail line where the traditional site equipment produces significant emissions and noise pollution due to the use of fossil fuels.

SPL were contracted to reduce operational carbon or carbon avoidance by more than 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent while maintaining its cost targets as part of the MML project over the duration of the project.

MML was part of a strategic vision to initialise the decarbonisation of more projects across the business, impacting site and works activities across the UK, utilising renewable energy and minimising the use of fossil fuel on-site.

SPL was able to meet the carbon avoidance target set for the MML project more than six months ahead of the deadline.

Highly Commended

Torrent Trackside

Project: Zero Emission Tools and Equipment for the Rail Industry

Torrent Trackside has assisted Network Rail with its net zero pledge by introducing a large range of emission free, battery and solar powered tools and equipment.

The objectives were around collaboration to source the best tools and equipment, demonstrating the effectiveness of the tools and equipment, communicating with and educating the rail market to the existence and availability, training and supporting customers, planning towards a totally emission free work site, and evaluating and implementing measures to reduce its own carbon footprint.

It worked closely with its suppliers to develop the new equipment. This collaborative approach maximised innovation from suppliers who were unable to develop such cutting-edge equipment by themselves or found the process financially unviable without a strong commitment.

Once working demonstrators were built, it planned and implemented a programme of roadshows with its suppliers to educate and inform its customers about the new products.

The new tools will help towards Network Rail reaching net zero by 2050. If all the assets were fully utilised the on-site generation of over 2,500,000kg of carbon emissions would be saved per year.

Winner

Greater Anglia

Project: Continuous Improvement of Environmental and Sustainability Performance

Greater Anglia has proactively, innovatively and effectively improved its environmental and sustainability performance over the past year. Progress included increased energy efficiency, reduced waste, reduced water usage, increased biodiversity and reduced adverse impacts on the environment.

They’ve also championed a sustainable, carbonfriendly approach in the region, increasing station garden areas, pledging land to the Wild East project and extending the pioneering Wildlife Friendly Stations biodiversity accreditation scheme for station adopters. Work with the Carbon Trust has better quantified their environmental impact, as they work to become an even greener and more sustainable company.

They’ve succeeded in reducing the Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by for a 3rd year running –by a further 17%, following two years of 11% reductions. They also further reduced overall waste (including waste to landfill). The new trains are more energy efficient, and stations have been upgraded with more energy efficient lighting and heating. Greater Anglia have also published our first annual Environment and Energy Report, detailing our progress and plans in delivering greener travel in East Anglia.

As well as the headline reductions in carbon emissions (17%) and overall waste, they have sought to be more sustainable and efficient in everything we do. Notable highlights include:

Sustainability

They have made further progress in implementing their Sustainability Strategy. As part of these plans, they are again looking at the overall carbon footprint

and reviewing all opportunities to further reduce overall energy consumption and environmental impact.

Traction Carbon

Overall Traction Carbon is approximately 94% of our total Scope 1 and 2 emissions, so work to improve fleet energy efficiency and deliver more energy efficient driving is helping to reduce overall carbon emissions.

New trains

The new bi-mode trains have the flexibility to operate using both diesel and electric power, as appropriate. This means Norwich to Cambridge/ Stansted Airport services; Ipswich to Cambridge/ Peterborough services; movements in the immediate environs of Norwich and Ipswich: and empty stock workings on the Great Eastern Main Line, can all use electric power for parts of their journeys.

Waste

When you take into consideration rates of energy recovery from waste, where non-recyclable material is converted to energy rather than sent to landfill, their recycling plus recovery rate was 99.8% during this period.

Domestic Energy

Work to reduce domestic energy use and improve energy efficiency is in place at the stations and depots. The implementation of Wireless Energy Management Systems had saved over 6 million kWh by December 2022, equivalent to over 1500 tonnes of CO2e.

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Shortlist

Hitachi Information Control Systems Europe Ltd

Project: Thameslink ARS

Collaboration was essential to the success of the commissioning of ARS (Automated Route Setting) into Three Bridges Rail Operations Centre (TBROC) in December 2022.

This project superseded the Thameslink Traffic Management (TM) programme at TBROC that in conjunction with the fitment of ETCS and ATO on the Siemens trains, was intended to deliver one of the long-term objectives of the DfT – the delivery of 24 trains per hour through the Thameslink core.

The Thameslink contract covers a distance equal to 20 minutes’ travel time on either end of the central section between Blackfriars and St Pancras International which is a bottleneck where several lines converge. One of the major project challenges is regulating trains through these areas at times when the schedule becomes disrupted.

The ARS system compares real-time train running with the timetable and sets routes automatically. The aim is to reduce the Signallers’ workload, allowing control of a larger area.

SPL Powerlines UK Limited

Project: Delivering a New ECR

The Electrical Control Room (ECR) at York IECC (Integrated Electronic Control Centre) controls and monitors the Traction Power of the North East, East Midlands and East Coast Mainline (ECML) Routes.

Strategic vision was to initialise the decarbonisation of the Midland Main Line (MML) route to support the Traction Decarbonisation National Strategy (TDNS) to enable electric trains to travel to Sheffield, via Derby, and Nottingham.

SPL Powerlines were contracted under a target cost contract (circa. £2.3M) to deliver a new ECR and Emergency Electrical Control Room (EECR) to mitigate the risk, primarily pertinent to the introduction of L2W but also future Projects. The chosen locations were East Midlands Control Centre (EMCC) and the Maintenance Depot at Mercia House.

SPL Powerlines engaged with the Client throughout the project life-cycle. This included supporting the client pre-contract to assist in the resolution of key questions that needed to be confirmed prior to work commencing on the Client Approval in Principle Designs (AiP).

Winner

7N Architects

Project: Hub StationA Blueprint for Sustainable, Community Focussed Transport Hubs

Through the Re-imagining Railway Stations Competition, Network Rail sought proposals to challenge what a ‘station’ could become in the 21st century. 7N Architects’ winning concept, selected from over 200 international entries, identifies the railway as a progressive, sustainable mode of transport with a pivotal civic role in serving communities throughout the UK.

HUB Station is the blueprint for a new generation of environmentally sustainable, community focussed transport hubs. Design guidance and standard designs define an adaptable kit of parts to transform stations across Britain and equip them for a net zero future.

This kit of parts comprises a simple, adaptable, and scalable catalogue of standardised elements that can be tailored to the context and locality of each station, whilst maintaining a consistent national identity.

Hub Station is an ambitious and far-reaching project. There is considerable complexity with 1000s of potential variations for different locations and requires coordination across design disciplines.

The clearly structured project plan establishes a clear framework for decision making that is informed by feedback from industry and the public. This allows the team to make progress

without taking shortcuts, and for decisions to be robustly justified – this is fundamental to ensuring deliverability of the designs.

Key phases:

International design competition (Q4 2020)

Design development period 1

ExploreStation nationwide consultation (part 1) including online questionnaires, in-person workshops and exhibitions. (Q4 2021)

Design development period 2

ExploreStation nationwide consultation (part 2) including VR consultation events at 5 locations across the UK. (Q2 2022)

Form A and D submission

Publication of the Design Manual for Medium to Small Stations (Dec 2022)

Design development period 3

Form B submission (current stage)

10. Full-scale prototype at UCL PEARL facility for extensive user testing

11. Publication of standard designs and Technical User Manual (‘TUM’)

For this project the design process itself is intended as an exemplar for the delivery of station projects across the entire UK and at a variety of sizes. The result is a thoroughly researched, iterated and consulted proposal that benefits from processes far beyond the scope that is usually feasible for small and medium scale station projects.

Key innovations include:

Design team selected through international design competition based on their strength of design thinking.

Extensive public consultation process, called ExploreStation, that reached nearly more than 29,000 people across Britain.

Rigorous independent design review facilitated by The Design Council including Design Advisory Panel and Built Environment Accessibility Panel reviews at key stages throughout design development.

Whole life carbon analysis undertaken throughout design development using the RSSB Rail Carbon Tool to inform options selection and design optimisation.

Cost benchmarking against recently delivered stations of a similar scale to ensure credibility and deliverability of proposals and demonstrate how better value can be achieved.

Contractor led buildability review to feed live project knowledge into design development.

Prototyping of standard components and configurations standard designs in collaboration with UCL PEARL including extensive user testing (work in progress).

Approval in principle for standard configurations of the Hub Station kit of parts, offering certainty and programme benefits for live projects adopting the concept.

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Shortlist

Avanti West Coast

Project: Avanti West Coast Fleet Refurbishment Project

Avanti West Coast in conjunction with Alstom and Angel have introduced 38 of 56 refurbished Pendolino trains in the biggest UK train refurbish project ever.

Widely regarded as the UK’s hardest working train fleet, the Pendolinos have served towns and cities along the West Coast Main Line for 20 years, clocking up more than 300 million miles – enough to go to the moon and back more than 500 times.

An investment of over £120m has transformed the customer proposition on the Pendolino Fleet including: 25,000 brand new ergonomically designed Standard Class seats with extendable fold down tables, fully refurbished First and Standard Premium Class seats, and the conversion of one First Class carriage (on all 35 x 11-car trains only) providing more than 2,000 extra Standard class seats.

In addition to this, it has seen the introduction of a new Café Bar, improved lighting and new interior carpets, greater use of technology with customerfriendly passenger information screens, new tables which feature integrated wireless mobile phone and USB charging, additional luggage spaces, power points at every seat, and refurbished toilets.

Siemens Mobility

Project: Birmingham New Street Resignalling Project

Installed in the 1960’s, Birmingham New Street’s signalling system was ageing and unable to cope with current levels of traffic. That was until the Birmingham New Street resignalling project, where the archaic signalling system moved into the 21st century.

This project has been about providing increased route reliability and station platform flexibility, resulting in a better overall passenger experience and greater operational efficiency.

The objectives of the project included modernising the historic signalling system at Birmingham New Street station; renewing all the life expired signalling systems and trackside substructure in the Power Signal Box, which was over 60 years old and no longer efficient; and streamlining traffic management to make train travel across the West Midlands more efficient.

The project was and is a monumental milestone for the West Midlands portfolio and builds on Network Rail’s strategy of resignalling the West Midlands and assists the government mandate of climate-friendly energy-efficient transport.

Winner

AtkinsRéalis & Network Rail

Project: Feltham & Wokingham Re-signalling Programme

The Feltham and Wokingham (F&W) Re-Signalling programme is a 4-year programme of works to upgrade and renew level crossings (LX) and signals in the Feltham and Wokingham area.

The upgrade will see old, out-of-date signalling equipment replaced with AtkinsRéalis' Advanced Signalling Method (ASM), which was recently fully product approved by Network Rail.

The programme has just commissioned Phases 3 & 4 in August 2023 and is moving onto the delivery of Phase 5, with completion of the programme planned for February 2024. The upgrades along the F&W route will enable increased reliability and resilience of both signalling equipment and rail services for customers going from Southwest London into Waterloo.

AtkinsRéalis' ASM solution is modernising signalling technology across the country and is the only UK solution capable of integrating multiple signalling systems. This is critical for the UK railway as it enables Network Rail to effectively maintain signalling equipment with minimal disruption to services and passengers.

For a large programme such as F&W, the programme was split into several phases to manage time and resources more effectively.

The new Feltham depot was set up to provide a centre of operation for the programme, including office and meeting space, testing facilities, storage and welfare space. To aid more integrated working and promote collaborative behaviours, AtkinsRéalis facilitated integrated workshops (in addition to Tsessions) at the start of the programme and before each programme phase.

The workshops were fully integrated planning workshops with NR (capital Delivery and Maintainer), NR's civils contractor, our supply chain and testers with the aim to de-conflict activities, de-risk delivery and agree responsibilities for each task in the programme. Contingency planning was also developed and agreed at these sessions. These sessions were very well received by our client Network Rail and the wider supply chain.

AtkinsRéalis have taken the approach of working with contractor partners to deliver the construction phases of the work. They collaborate closely, but this trust in our partners enables AtkinsRéalis to add value to the design, engineering, testing and commissioning phases of the programme.

The phased approach (Phases 0 - 5) enabled them to de-risk the overall programme by staggering construction and possessions on level crossings. The programme was developed so that advance works were undertaken on a number of level crossings as staged works prior to the main commissioning, in order to de-risk the possession programme and reduce the demand on key resources such as testers during the main commissioning.

This also allowed them to review and improve how the remaining level crossings were delivered during the main commissioning period. For example, they trained their own team to re-configure barrier machines to take account of local road alignments once the machines were installed on site. This reduced our reliance on the manufacturer being available to undertake this fine-tuning of the setup.

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