Tended and Network Rail’s Western Route have launched a six-month pilot of the company’s geofencing technology. Before work starts on site, virtual fences are mapped out to create safe working zones and access points. Track workers are then provided with a wearable device at the start of their shift, which determines their position within the safe work zone with centimetre accuracy. If a worker moves outside a safe zone they are alerted via the wearable, helping them regain situational awareness and preventing them from straying onto an open line.
ScotRail now offers cycle reservations through its mobile app; previously booking was only possible through the website. The app upgrade forms part of the £2m 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships Legacy Investment Programme, which includes green signs highlighting onboard bike spaces, the creation of cycle hubs at Inverness and Fort William stations and expansion of the hub at Glasgow Queen Street.
Network Rail Eastern Region is engaging with its supply chain to understand the best way of setting up a framework for the procurement of minor civil works relating to signalling assets and equipment.
Gareth Roberts has been appointed as Managing Director of rolling stock engineering, fleet management and train care provider UK Rail Leasing Ltd. He takes over from founding partner Mark Winter, who will remain as a non-executive director. Roberts joins from Hitachi Rail where he was UK Operations & Services Director. Steve McBride has also joined the UKRL board as a non-executive director.
On October 30 Transport for Wales and Balfour Beatty announced the completion of 25 kV 50 Hz electrification on the routes from Pontypridd to Aberdare and Abercynon to Merthyr Tydfil. More than 60 km of overhead line equipment has now been energised across the South Wales Metro network.
CrossCountry appointed Zoe Kennedy as HR Director with effect from October 23, following a secondment as interim Head of HR Operations.
Network Rail has issued a request for information on the potential creation of an integrated system that combines interferometric synthetic aperture radar with existing asset data to provide insight into ground movements across and beyond its boundaries.
Network Rail is to undertake a £6m programme to make Herne Bay station fully accessible. Funded by the Department for Transport’s Access for All scheme, the project will include installing a new footbridge with two 16-person capacity lifts, ‘refreshing’ the lighting and adding CCTV.
Rail Forum has launched a Rail Safety Showcase brochure featuring a range of industry contributions to rail safety, and listing the supporting organisations of Rail Safety Week 2023. It also provides highlights of RSW 2023 and a selection of key resources for schools, community and workplace engagement.
RAIB has made 10 recommendations in its report into the collision between passenger trains at Salisbury Tunnel Junction on October 31 2021. Seven addressed to Network Rail relate to: a review of the management of leaf fall low adhesion risk; training and competence of staff dealing with vegetation management and seasonal delivery; responses to emerging and potential low adhesion conditions; management of treatment regimes; assessment of the risk of over-run at signals with a high risk of low adhesion on the approach; and a review of the retrospective application of design criteria for TPWS. A recommendation to South Western Railway is to improve arrangements for training and briefing drivers to ensure that they are able to effectively identify areas of low adhesion and report them as appropriate. A recommendation is made to the Rail Delivery Group in consultation with train operators and the Rail Safety & Standards Board regarding the review of technologies other than sanding systems and wheel slide protection to improve braking in low adhesion conditions. A recommendation is made to Porterbrook, Eversholt and Angel Trains regarding the design of the internal sliding doors on class 158 and 159 DMUs.