£92m rail excellence initiative

The rail industry is partnering with eight universities to create four Centres of Excellence in a £92m initiative covering rolling stock, infrastructure, digital systems and testing.

The UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) is designed to enable industry to deliver new products and technology to market faster using advanced purpose-built development, simulation and testing facilities.

The key objectives of UKRRIN are:

Support and build UK rail sector capacity and capability to develop, deliver and deploy new technologies;

Deliver a step change investment in rail innovation through a world-leading network of UK- based research and testing centres;

Radically increase UK rail productivity and performance by delivering transformational innovations and accelerating its uptake;

Develop new strategic relationships with the small – medium sized enterprise supply chain, rail industry and wider transport sector.

Rail minister Jo Johnson said: “We are investing in the biggest modernisation programme of our railways since Victorian times, delivering what passengers want – more frequent trains and quicker and more comfortable journeys.”