DfT Announces 26 Passenger Experience Improvement Projects Across UK Rail

The Department for Transport has announced the commencement of twenty-six new projects aimed at improving passenger experience on the UK’s rail network.

The projects have been funded as part of the First of a Kind competition, which offers grants for projects to be tested on the railway in order to showcase their abilities to potential investment opportunities from train operators, freight companies and Network Rail.

The competition is being delivered in conjunction with Innovate UK, the DfT, Network Rail and a number of train operators.

Winning projects include those focusing on platform safety improvement, overall passenger safety and the reduction of vehicles hitting railway bridges.

Among these projects is IntelliPan Network, which aims to reduce delays via the use of AI to detect faults on overhead lines.

Elsewhere, SafeRide 5G looks to enable passengers to report incidents utilising their own devices via onboard Wi-Fi.

The twenty-six projects are set to be supported by 5 million GBP in funding from the DfT.

Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said:

The winners of this competition are taking cutting-edge technology to address some of the biggest challenges facing the rail industry, making a railway that works better for the people and goods using it.

These innovations are putting safety, reliability and passenger experience first, like IntelliPan Network using AI to detect faults on overhead lines, reducing disruption caused by dangerous dewirements.

Through this funding, we are building a platform on which innovation can thrive, giving new technologies a chance to succeed and driving economic growth as part of the Plan for Change.

Previous competition winners include the Portable Track Geometry Measurement System, which provides real-time track information to engineers to speed up the lifting of speed restrictions or line closures.

Mike Biddle, Executive Director for Net Zero at Innovate UK, said:

The innovations receiving support through this competition will contribute to a more accessible, safer, and efficient railway system throughout the UK. The competition highlights the importance of collaboration with industry partners and focuses on delivering high-maturity demonstrations, ensuring seamless integration into the existing railway infrastructure.

Delivered by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, on behalf of the Department for Transport, the FOAK rail programme seeks to identify and support outstanding, innovative solutions. Funded organisations will showcase the creativity and impact of their ideas through live demonstrations.