Peter Kyle champions cross-sector collaboration in decarbonising our transport sector during RIA visit

6 August 2019

Today, Peter Kyle, MP for Hove and Member of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Select Committee, visited Ricardo’s Technical Centre as part of the Railway Industry Association (RIA) 2019 Rail Fellowship Programme.


Kyle spent the day at Ricardo’s Technical Centre in Shoreham where he toured the site and learnt about the unique mix of operational, technical and strategic expertise Ricardo offer in the rail sector. In particular, Kyle was given a preview of how the cross-pollination of transport technologies has seen integrating expertise and knowledge from the automotive and energy industries to deliver innovative solutions for rail. 

Technology cross-over between the automotive and rail sectors has seen innovative breakthroughs for Ricardo in propulsion solutions and in developing carbon-free rail. As a Member of the BEIS Select Committee, Kyle was keen to learn about how this approach is seeing particulate reduction in the industry. 

The visit was part of the RIA Rail Fellowship Programme 2019, which showcases the work of the UK rail supply chain by encouraging parliamentarians and influencers to gain hands-on experience in the industry. Kyle joins Sir Patrick McLoughlin MP (former Transport Secretary), Lilian Greenwood MP (Chair, Transport Select Committee), Priti Patel MP (Home Secretary) and Chris Heaton-Harris MP (Transport Minister) alongside a host of other cross-party parliamentarians who have taken part in the Programme to date.
 
Peter Kyle MP said: “Witnessing first-hand the cross-industry cooperation and sharing of knowledge, and how it is benefitting the rail and energy sector, has been fantastic. I would like to thank Ricardo and RIA for organising this visit and encourage my fellow Parliamentarians to show their support for the invaluable work going on in our rail supply chain and shine the spotlight on the behind-the-scenes work rail suppliers do up and down the country to keep our railways running.”

Richard Cornwell, Engine Performance Development Specialist at Ricardo said: “Here at Ricardo we pride ourselves on offering world-class solutions for critical and complex rail systems, so it was great to show how the latest thinking in the automotive sector can be used to decarbonise our rail network. We thank Peter for coming to our Technical Centre today and RIA for organising the visit.”

David Clarke, Technical Director of the Railway Industry Association, said: “The Railway Industry Association is proud to demonstrate the unique work our members are undertaking in the rail supply chain through valuable visits like Peter’s. The Government has set the rail industry the challenge of decarbonising by 2040, so it is important that the rail sector is able to transfer learning from other sectors as RIA member Ricardo is doing. 

“We are particularly looking forward to seeing the outcome of the research that Ricardo are currently undertaking for the rail industry exploring the options to decarbonise rail freight, where – other than electrification – there are no obviously available carbon-free technologies that can deliver the power required. 

“It was great to show Peter the importance of all this work.”
 
RIA is the representative body for UK-based suppliers to the UK and world-wide railways. RIA has more than 290 member companies and 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.
 
The rail sector is of crucial importance to the UK economy, contributing £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. 

Notes to Editors 

  1. For all media enquiries please contact: [email protected] or telephone: 020 3826 6211.
  2. About the RIA Rail Fellowship Programme: The RIA Rail Fellowship Programme is an exciting opportunity for UK parliamentarians and commentators to gain an insight into the valuable work of the UK rail supply chain at a RIA Member location. “Fellows” spend a day ‘on location’ with a RIA Member whose work is relevant to their role or constituency and experience opportunities reflecting the great diversity of technical disciplines within the rail sector. Candidates are gaining an invaluable understanding of a diverse workforce that together contribute £36 billion in economic growth and £11 billion in tax revenue each year, as well as employing 600,000 people. Alison McGovern is the second MP to complete her site visit for the RIA Rail Fellowship Programme, following Luke Pollard’s visit on 1 August. An additional 8 MPs are set to complete visits in the next few months. The RIA Rail Fellowship Class of 2018 will be awarded at the annual RIA Parliamentary reception on Tuesday 27th November 2018. Find out more here.
  3. About RIA: The Railway Industry Association (RIA) is the trade association for UK-based suppliers to the UK and world-wide railways. It has some 290 companies in membership, in 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.