Initial Activities and Progress 2010

The priorities described in this document were arrived at through a co-ordinated programme of activities: The RTS 2007 had identified 8 ‘industry long-term themes for change'

Optimised track train interface
High reliability high capacity
Simple flexible precise control systems
Optimised traction power and energy
An integrated view of safety, security and health
Improved passenger focus
Rationalisation and standardisation of assets
Differentiated technical principles and standards

Initial route mapping was undertaken with the help of the Institute for Manufacturing at the University of Cambridge, between August 2008 and April 2009. This process considered where the industry was positioned in terms of its technology and why and in what way it should move on to a different position in the long term. A set of 30-year aspirations were adopted for each of the ‘4C’challenges referred to in the 2007 White Paper.

These were:

• Customer – shifting customer satisfaction from 90% (2008) to 99% (2038)
• Cost – halving the unit cost of operating the railway from 2008 to 2038
• Capacity – doubling of capacity from 2008 levels by 2038 
• Carbon – halving carbon impact of the railway at point of use from 2008 levels by 2038 These challenges set the ‘destination’ for the route maps.

It was recognised that to be effective the process of producing the route maps would need to fully involve the rail industry, drawing on its pool of technical expertise. A series of workshops was held to consider each of the eight themes identified in the Rail Technical Strategy. The sessions were each attended by senior managers and directors of passenger and freight train operating companies, infrastructure contractors, manufacturers and suppliers, rolling stock leasing companies, Association of Train Operating Companies, Rail Freight Group, Rail Industry Association, Network Rail, DfT, ORR, RSSB, and
London Underground, together with passenger groups, transport economists, academic interests and experts from other industries. The wide ranging input from senior people with knowledge of all aspects of the rail industry provides an assurance that the outputs can be considered robust.

The workshops considered a total of 200 applications which were evaluated for importance in contributing to the ‘4C’ challenges. From this process, 64 applications were progressed and subsequently consolidated to 50; these were tested against the set of four future ‘scenarios’ developed by RSSB for the Sustainable Rail Programme. Finally, a specification was produced for each application and for some, outline implementation plans were developed.

The 50 applications were ranked by their likely contribution to the ‘4C’ challenges over 30 years and their relevance to the four future scenarios. Significantly, there was a high degree of correlation between the rankings and 15 applications were identified as having the highest priority. Some of the applications would require major capital investment to make significant changes to the infrastructure or rolling stock (or both) whereas others are enablers, with the potential to enable new activities to take place.

The applications were used as an input to the development of a set of route maps. These show how the applications mesh with existing industry technical and planning activities and were drawn up in close consultation with industry technical experts to reflect the eight RTS themes. They also identify where research is needed to input to the industry’s strategic planning. The final 16 route maps are:

Optimised track train interface
ATO & Cab signalling
Station capacity
Operational communications
Active load management
Traffic and disruption management
Network capacity
Reduced energy requirements
Segregated railway
Electrification systems
System reliability
Alternative fuels
Lower cost railway assets
Management of technical change
Low carbon assets
Intermodal integration

The route maps were subjected to an intensive stakeholder review to validate their vision and detail, and the costs and benefits to the rail industry. They were also assessed for their contribution towards the 4C challenges, not only over the full 30-year timeframe but also how they might achieve significant results in the medium term up to 2019. The review also identified themes for a ‘technology watch’,
keeping track of technological developments outside Britain’s rail industry. The really key activity, however, was in determining ways in which the gap between activities already planned and what would be need to achieve the vision could be closed. The review endorsed the route maps and identified areas where TSAG needed to initiate evaluation work to establish base positions or ensure that gaps were filled. It grouped the proposed interventions
into those that would make a key difference to the industry (‘change the game’), those to help with the technology choices industry needs to make, and those aimed at solving specific industry problems. In addition, a set of start-up projects were put in place to launch and build the programme.

These related to:

• Remote Condition Monitoring
• Reliability
• Enabling Innovation

Opportunities for collaboration with research bodies beyond the industry were pursued. This enabled the programme to leverage co-funding, and to contribute to the delivery of solutions relevant across the transport sector. Examples are the joint work with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and prospective developments with the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and the emerging industry Knowledge Transfer Network.