Siemens Mobility Ltd has applied for planning permission to build a £6 million centre for R&D and innovation for the UK rail industry in East Yorkshire.

Located in the Goole 36 Enterprise Zone, this will focus on accelerating the adoption of technology within the rail industry.

It will be the first phase of an innovation cluster known as the Rail Accelerator and Innovation Solutions Hub for Enterprise (RaisE), which will complement a £200 million rail manufacturing facility being developed by Siemens Mobility on a neighbouring site.

Supported by a network of partners from the UK rail industry and higher education, RaisE will offer a high-quality facility for start-ups and for small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs).

It will be predominantly linked to the rail industry supply chain and will include spaces for collaboration.

The project is linked to the development by Siemens Mobility of an industry-leading facility to manufacture and commission ‘state of the art’ trains for the expanding UK market.

The planning application indicates that further R&D facilities will be established to the north of the first building.

Sambit Banerjee, rolling-stock and customer services managing director for Siemens Mobility (www.new.siemens.com), said: “We have been working closely with partners to bring these exciting proposals forward.

"As well as accommodating support teams for our new rail manufacturing facilities, this building and other later related facilities will offer significant benefits to partners from industry and academia.”