Rail industry responds to East Coast Mainline digital railway announcement

22 June 2020

 

Today the Government has announced £350 million for digital signalling on the East Coast Mainline.

Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association, said: “Today’s commitment of funding for the East Coast Mainline’s digital signalling is very welcome, as is the announcement of the fitment of in-cab signalling for the Midlands Mainline and development work on other lines.
 
“Over the coming 15 years, 60% of the UK’s signalling equipment units require replacing, posing both a significant challenge, but also an opportunity to revolutionise our rail network’s signalling systems through digital technology. So today's announcement is an important step for UK rail and for realising the vision of the Rail Sector Deal to deliver a pipeline of cost-effective digital signalling.
 
“For businesses supplying the UK’s rail network with digital signalling, including schemes like ECML, it is vital there is a smooth and consistent build-up of work over the coming years, so that the sector can develop the capacity and capabilities to deliver this programme of investment. The Railway Industry Association and its supplier members look forward to working with the Government to explore how this investment can be sped up further, increasing the roll out of digital signalling, whilst also boosting investment and jobs at such a critical time for the UK economy.”

Notes to Editors

 

  1. You can find out more about the Digital Railway programme at RIA's upcoming Unlocking Innovation webinar series here
  2.  The announcement can be found here
  3. The Rail Sector Deal is an agreement between industry and Government to deliver a more effective rail network - more information can be found here.
  4.  About RIA: The Railway Industry Association (RIA) is the voice of the UK rail supply community. We help to grow a sustainable, high-performing, railway supply industry, and to export UK rail expertise and products. We promote and represent our members’ interests to policy makers, clients and other stakeholders in the UK and overseas. RIA has 300+ companies in membership in a sector that contributes £36 billion in economic growth and £11 billion in tax revenue each year, as well as employing 600,000 people—more than the workforce of Birmingham. It is also a growing industry with the number of rail journeys expected to double over the next 25 years and freight set to grow significantly too. RIA’s membership is active across the whole of railway supply, covering a diverse range of products and services and including both multi-national companies and SMEs (60% by number). RIA works to promote the importance of the rail system to UK plc, to help export UK expertise around the globe and to share best practice and innovation across the industry.