Andy Parker

Is a unified approach the key to solving the UK's rail industry challenges? James Holmes, Rail Sector Director for Amey, shares how Transport for Wales and Scotland’s Railway have demonstrated the transformational potential of a vertically integrated approach. Aligning operations and infrastructure for improved efficiency. Read the whole feature by James Holmes here: 🔗https://ow.ly/HUYE50UAs5S #RailIndustry #Transportation #Infrastructure #RailReform #TLImagazine

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Discussions at TfN's Rail North Committee (20/11/2024) highlighted the challenges still facing rail services in the North of England. While Northern Trains' representatives provided an honest assessment of the systemic and operational issues they are tackling, the frustration among committee members was palpable. For customers, the reality remains stark: unreliable services, disrupted journeys, and an erosion of confidence in rail as a mode of transport. The challenges are systemic, affecting all TOCs across the country. From historic under investment and outdated infrastructure to fractured accountability and persistent industrial relations disputes, the rail industry has been struggling to meet the needs of passengers and freight customers alike. The government’s solution, Great British Railways (GBR), aims to address these problems by putting the customer at the heart of decision-making, simplifying ticketing, and providing a more coherent and efficient rail service. However, this ambition is tempered by the reality that implementing GBR could be many years away, given the complexity of merging such a fragmented industry. Will GBR really resolve the deep-rooted issues plaguing the industry? And, perhaps more critically, will it do so in time to restore passenger trust and deliver meaningful improvements for customers, including rail freight users? A key concern for me is whether the long-standing industrial relations issues can be resolved to everyone's satisfaction. While unifying management structures may improve some aspects of planning and accountability, it does not automatically resolve disputes over pay, conditions, or working practices. For GBR to succeed, it will need to engage all stakeholders, including unions, in a collaborative effort to design a sustainable future for the railway. The rail industry must move beyond short-term fixes. As the Rail North Committee discussions revealed, operators are grappling with legacy systems and practices that no longer serve the modern needs of passengers. Addressing these issues requires a whole-system approach, involving not just GBR but all parts of the industry working together at pace. This includes embracing digitalisation, investing in infrastructure, and ensuring that freight has a stronger voice in the conversation. Customers don’t need blame; they need solutions. They need the assurance that rail will become a reliable and affordable choice. They need the industry to work collectively and transparently towards a vision of rail that supports economic growth, environmental targets, and social connectivity. GBR presents an opportunity, but only if the industry seizes this moment to reset its approach, break down silos, and act decisively. While the way ahead may be challenging, the goal must remain clear: delivering a rail system that works for everyone. How can we ensure that GBR delivers meaningful change and addresses the concerns that have frustrated passengers for so long?

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Cluttons Managing Director John Gravett shares his initial thoughts on today's release of the updated #NPPF: “New wording in the NPPF underlines the importance of digital infrastructure, as well as gigafactories and data centres, and the grid connections to power them. The Government’s new guidance underlines that all planning policies and decisions should factor in these considerations, and identify suitable locations for these assets as well as laboratories, and industrial sites for freight and logistics when creating local and strategic plans. However, while the importance of connectivity and energy infrastructure is acknowledged in the drive for planning policies that encourage economic growth, the detailed discussion of planning for full-fibre, mobile and 5G connectivity in the NPPF has not been updated at all, perhaps a missed chance amid such a large-scale overhaul of the planning framework. The importance of ‘connectivity’ when designing and implementing placemaking strategies is vital to future-proof our communities. Our recent research highlighted that while many people want improved connectivity, there is a disconnect when it comes to recognising the need for the infrastructure that provides it. At the same time, overloaded planning departments can hinder the progress of essential infrastructure achieving planning approval status. So the Government’s separate pledges for more investment, additional planning officers, and a streamlining of the planning process will be positive if they are delivered." The NPPF will be updated again in 2025, along with the Industrial and Infrastructure Strategies that will both be published in the Spring. #connectivity #5G #mobile #planning #industrial #commercial #residential https://lnkd.in/dZ5h6kN7

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Railways are about people. You often hear that phrase repeated and it’s true. When you are building a new railway you aim for it to be safe, easy, satisfying, even delightful for people to use whether they are a customer, member of staff, supplier or passing member of the public. To give yourself the best chance of that being true you need good Ergonomists and Human Factors specialists. Fortunately in HS2 we have the very best. Anthony Coplestone and his team are brilliant! They won the Presidents medal from their Institution as proof of that. I really recommend taking a look at this article. Ask yourself whether your project is getting sufficient Ergonomics and Human Factors advice.

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📢 This. Is. Not. A. Drill. This is a call to climate action for members of the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT). We are delighted today to announce the launch of an important new initiative called ‘CIHT CLIMATES’. I can’t wait for the broad church of our members to step up and engage. Last night I was in London. At 8pm it was sweltering at 28C. I couldn’t imagine being in Delhi where it recently sailed close to 50C …. in 2024. Thanks to the billions of tonnes of CO2 each year still pouring into the atmosphere from human activity, global warming is continuing. New temperature records will be set and broken. Even when annual emissions peak, the CO2 already in the atmosphere will continue doing its work. So where is the world heading? Will global climate action be enough to bend the emissions curve? Or will we follow one of the possible paths depicted by the IPCC that leads towards a catastrophic 4C+ future? What does this mean for the transport sector and the organisations and individuals involved? By exploring possible futures, what insights can we bring back to inform our actions in the present? CIHT CLIMATES – ‘Changing Landscapes for Infrastructure and Mobility: Assessing Transport and Environment Scenarios' – will involve a series of 8 UK workshops from September to December 2024, followed by further online workshops in early 2025. They are open to CIHT members and free to attend – but you need to book a place to secure your spot. Don’t delay! Head to https://lnkd.in/eU2KuhtW The more diverse the attendance at workshops is, the better – whether or not you feel well-informed about climate change and climate action, whether or not you are seriously concerned about the future, whether you are in contracting or consulting, in planning or engineering, or love heavy metal or not – you would be very welcome at one of the workshops. Workshops are day-long allowing participants to fully engage in shared thinking and insights as they explore their views, travel forward as CIHT scouts to 2035, and home in on the priority actions for the different actors in our sector back here in 2024/25. The initiative will later include a survey to gather wider views on where we might be heading and what we should be doing to equip ourselves and our sector for what may be approaching. Please don’t pass this initiative by – spread the word and consider attending. I am looking forward to each and every workshop and can’t wait to see who comes along and what we learn from each other. Thank you Mott MacDonald for sponsoring CIHT CLIMATES and making possible the journey ahead we are about to embark on. P.S. If you're taking part please feel free to bring your authentic self and wear what you like. #climateaction Andrew Crudgington Annette Smith Janice J. Daniel Isichei Andrew Theobald Nikki Van Dijk Sharad D Kerai Swati Mittal Emily See Peter Molyneux Sue Percy Stephen Cragg Thomas Knight Greg Marsden Jillian Anable Kim Yates

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High Speed Rail Group has launched a new report ‘Driving Investment in Rail Infrastructure'. The report calls for the government to adopt a whole system approach to #rail, and outlines the critical steps needed to create a long-term rail infrastructure strategy that brings in private investment and explores a range of funding options. The multitude of benefits new rail infrastructure offers is not unknown but is not always articulated as clearly as it could be. Our high speed rail director, Neil Henderson FICE CEng, delivers that insight in the report by detailing how new rail infrastructure offers significant opportunities for economic growth, as well as social and environmental benefits. It creates new jobs, connects communities, and stimulates investment in areas of greatest need. Additionally, the new UK government’s planned housing-led growth is impossible without supporting #infrastructure. Despite these benefits, the UK lags behind the rest of Europe in new rail infrastructure development, particularly in northern England. The report stresses the need for pragmatic solutions and rebuilding confidence in the UK’s design and construction sector to deliver rail projects on time and within budget. Find out more and read the full report here: https://mottm.ac/3BWZgas

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Culture Change is required to stop GBR becoming Network Rail 2.0. Is it that easy to change culture of any organisation? Culture is a reflection of societal values and accepted norms. We all need to look at the things differently to bring that culture shift. https://lnkd.in/edwkWG7H

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The Global Centre Of Rail Excellence is delighted to be referenced in a major new RSSB document: 'Guidance to railway testing and validation in Great Britain' published recently. The guidance provides a high-level overview of rail testing, offering information on roles and responsibilities in the industry, why testing is important and how and where testing can be carried out. It also points to key resources that those involved in testing should be aware of. As a site for world class rail research, testing and certification of rolling stock, infrastructure and cutting edge new technologies, the Global Centre Of Rail Excellence will be a facility unique in Europe in terms of the wide range of services it will provide. GCRE will significantly enhance the rail industry's testing and validation capabilities and support manufacturers, governments, regulators and infrastructure managers across Europe, the Middle East and beyond. You can find the guidance here: https://lnkd.in/eJNnFNDT #GCRE #GlobalCentreOfRailExcellence #RailInnovation

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𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆, 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀? 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲? 🚄💡 In the first article of this two-part agenda series, we dive into the regulatory challenges and opportunities presented by the introduction of Great British Railways. From balancing competition to ensuring efficiency and accountability, we explore the complexities of designing a system that delivers for all stakeholders—passengers, operators, and regulators alike. 📄 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dPTkR-cY This piece was a collaborative effort with my talented colleagues at Oxera Consulting LLP including Rob Catherall, Andrew Meaney, Enrico Russo and Wiktor Woszczek #Rail #GBR #GreatBritishRailways #Transport #Regulation

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Today's rail headlines - #InTheNews: Aslef strikes, brand new trains on the Ebbw Vale line, Siemens submits plans for a new £100m facility, and GB Railfreight new intermodal service. Listen here: #UKrail #railways #headlines

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[edit to add faq] Great Announcement from the Government today for #EV drivers without driveways, with the release of their guidance to councils on cross pavement cable channels & also the accompanying addendum to the SROH (on how to reinstate roads after fitting one) to make it easier for more Local Authorities to adopt cable channels like the totally flat & flush Kerbo Charge & open up convenient 5x to 10x cheaper home charging for those without driveways! Hopefully this will speed up the adoption by more councils in the new year, & allow far more households to have fair access to the switch to electric, not just those with driveways. Links: Guidance: https://lnkd.in/eqf8BYx6 SROH Addendum: https://lnkd.in/eMK9Ecs9 Sign up here to get emailed when Kerbo Charge is available for your area https://lnkd.in/eS5SFyRT =========== FAQ: (response to common comments now post has >250k impressions) What if I can't park outside my house every day? Average driver needs to charge once or twice per week, so if you can get to one of the three spaces closest to your house that often, then this would work for you. If you cannot then don't buy a cable channel! Isn't it a trip hazard? The cable channel with a lid is completely flat and flush with the pavement surface with no bumps, so has no trip hazard for the blind, & no gap for walking sticks, high heels etc to fall down. Have a look at videos & photos on https://lnkd.in/gNTi7vzz to get a better idea. Who takes liability? Driver accepts liability for any cable trips, just like when you use a lamp post charger. Who does maintenance? Usually the council who has done the fitting, paid for by an up-front maintenance accrual, or an annual fee, by their choice. The product itself has a 10 year warranty from Kerbo Charge & should last much longer. Who pays? Resident pays for it, just like a dropped kerb. Won't my cable be stolen? Cable plugs "lock in" to the car & charger while charging, & unlock when the car is unlocked. Insulated cable cutters can steal these, but massively devalue the cable by doing so, & these thin 16A or 32A home AC cables have barely more copper than a domestic mains extension cable, not a huge weight of copper like 500A fast DC charging cables that are targeted for copper theft. Statements like "EV's are rubbish!" , "renewables are a con" & "I like my smoke-spewing 300,000 mile diesel" etc.... That's not what this post is about. This post is about helping those in terraced houses to have a cheaper way to charge an EV *if they want one*, using more renewable off-peak electricity, making it easier for grid to supply EV power than if everyone used public chargers. Whether or not you yourself choose an EV, we are keen that economic benefits of EV's are not held back only for those with driveways, which would disadvantage lower income housing. https://lnkd.in/efxVT4hB

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Rt Hon Rachel Reeves, Congratulations on becoming the UK’s first female Chancellor of the Exchequer. Whilst “there is not much money there”, there are opportunities to fill the gap. £43.2 billion of value was destroyed by road collisions in 2022, £5 million every hour, and that is a conversative estimate. The value of preventing a road fatality is £2.25 million. While the true value of preventing a road fatality is someone living their life to the full with their family and friends, nevertheless reducing road casualties will enable our emergency, health and social services to focus on other priorities. In the PACTS Road Safety Manifesto https://lnkd.in/ev6mQw5G there are three proven evidence-led actions that can be implemented immediately to reduce road casualties: ·       establishing a road safety investigation branch ·       introducing a graduated driving licence ·       adopting advanced vehicle safety regulations The fourth action in the manifesto is to develop a national road safety strategy that applies the safe system to continue to reduce deaths and serious injuries and meet the UK’s commitment to the UN second decade of action for road safety by halving road deaths by 2030. From 2003 to 2012 road deaths in Great Britain halved from 3508 to 1754. From 2013 to 2022 they reduced by just 0.1% from 1713 to 1711. With the right actions, #50by30 is achievable as are the economic benefits. Louise Haigh MP #YvetteCooper Wes Streeting Brake, the road safety charity RoadPeace The Road Victims Trust aftermath SUPPORT ASSIST Trauma Care RAC Foundation TRL Thatcham Research Road Safety Foundation UK Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety Road Safety GB Towards Zero Foundation The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Lucy Straker Ross Moorlock Nick Simmons Rebecca Morris Paul Cook Elizabeth Box Shaun Helman Neale Kinnear Jamie Hassall Jamie Morris David Ward Dr Suzy Charman Edmund V King OBE Sarah Jones David Walker Andy Cox MSt Dr Ian Greenwood Sharron Huddleston Meera Naran MBE Dave Gaster Mr Pothole Nicholas Hellen

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Extreme weather events will become more common as the climate crisis intensifies. “Climate change is the biggest challenge our railway faces," says Network Rail's Chief Executive, Andrew Haines. "The extreme weather of the past year that has seen an unprecedented 14 named storms, has taken its toll on our railway – with experts predicting more of the same to come." New Civil Engineer details Network Rail's climate resilience priorities for Control Period 7 (#CP7) here: https://bit.ly/3wwySlF Read our article about how extreme weather affects civil engineering design here: https://bit.ly/4b86EN3 #ClimateResilience #RailIndustry #RailInfrastructure #ExtremeWeather

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As part of our #IPR24 this year the Commission has undertaken new analysis (see map below) of the current gaps in connectivity in #rail #infrastructure in the North and Midlands. The conclusion we come to is that a long term plan is needed to address the #connectivity, capacity and reliability issues across the #railnetwork in these regions. East-West connectivity remains an issue, especially across the Pennines, and while we think current proposals could help, more detail on scope, cost and benefits for each project - and the package of measures as a whole - is needed. North-West connectivity (esp. Birmingham to Manchester/NW) is also hampered by limitations on the scope for new capacity for #freight and #passengers, following the decision to scrap HS2 north of Birmingham. There remain critical gaps here, which can only be addressed by new infrastructure investment. We call on government in the report to examine options to address this. Find our more online: https://lnkd.in/e-cjPsZg

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New research commissioned by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) and conducted by WPI Economics has revealed the significant economic, environmental, and social benefits that the rail industry brings to Greater London. The study found that the rail industry contributed £11 billion to the Greater London economy in the past year, with rail customers spending an additional £48 billion in local communities.

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