In a bid to see new ideas, greater efficiencies and more investment in the railway, Network Rail is partnering with Innovate UK — the innovation agency that helps the UK economy to grow by helping businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas from the UK’s research base.

This news comes as the railway infrastructure company says it is changing, and increasingly opening up to new ideas that bring value for money and innovation.

Aligned to the Open for Business programme (introduced following the Hansford Review), the partnership “illustrates Network Rail’s commitment to breaking down barriers to entry, making it easier for other organisations to invest in and help build the railway”.

To mark the new partnership, Innovate UK and Network Rail have opened a competition for UK businesses to win a share of up to £300,000 for projects that develop and demonstrate tools to automatically plan rail infrastructure, helping to deliver the Whole System Modelling agenda to put performance at the heart of planning.

By working with Innovate UK, Network Rail will make it easier for other organisations — especially those not familiar with working in the railway sector — to get ‘a foot in the door’ where they have not been able to before.

Indeed, it says this relationship could result in increased efficiency and reduced cost for the taxpayer-funded organisation by tapping into new suppliers, as well as help UK-based companies develop new products and services to
export.

The competition is open until 19 December 2018. (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/252/overview#summary).