RIA's Learning from Major Rail Projects - A Supply Chain Perspective report, highlights the capabilities of the supply chain to deliver major projects on the railways. 

The report, which includes a series of examples from across the industry, documents the expertise and experience of the supply chain in completing rail projects successfully. It also sets out some of the lessons that can be learned from previous schemes, to enable more efficient project delivery.

Major projects are complex and not everything goes to plan – this makes it more important than ever to foster a continuous learning and development culture with honest and positive relationships. RIA believes that with the right strategic partnerships, the supply chain can enable successful delivery and innovation as it has already proven on many significant projects. However, strong leadership and a commitment to agreed outcomes is needed as it brings certainty, which in turn, increases efficiency and productivity.

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Key Messages 

1. Collaboration and Leadership: Create strategic partnerships with the contractors and clients that are based on shared goals. Recruit for and reward positive team behaviours including a continuous learning and development culture and the ability to manage change effectively.
2. Visibility and long-term investment: Once committed do not look back, share pipelines and plan long-term investment to drive competition, grow supply chain capability and efficiency and give confidence to private sector to invest in skills, assets and innovation.
3. Innovation and SMEs: Support innovation at earliest stages of a project, take full advantage of supply chain capability including international, SME and cross sectoral ideas and expertise. Harness supply chain skills on system thinking and whole life value.
4. Procurement: Engage suppliers early. Publishing transparent procurement pipelines and targeted outcome-focussed procurement models, support competition, efficiency, innovation and delivery. Effective procurement enables the development of intellectual property and unlocks collaborative funding and financing models. 
5. Economic, Environmental and Social Value: Recognise the full economic, environmental and social value that rail brings to the UK.  
6. People Trade and Exports: Celebrate the diversity of the supply chain and its people and promote UK rail expertise and capability internationally.  
   
    

The Government is making very significant investments in rail infrastructure, including in High Speed Two. West Coast Partnership is working closely with industry and Government to make the most of this investment in high speed rail for the benefit of customers and communities. Understanding the key enablers to successful delivery of major projects is essential to unlock the full potential of rail to support a more productive, healthier and greener economy. 
Caroline Donaldson, Managing Director, West Coast Partnership Development