Return on collaboration: a whole-system approach
RSSB is the only rail organisation dedicated to improving the entire network – passenger, freight, and infrastructure.
The GB rail system has always been under pressure to operate efficiently as well as safely. But today, cost pressures are particularly acute. Revenue still hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels. And external factors mean that the industry needs more changes. These come with more costs.
The changes to come
Rail has an inbuilt advantage when addressing the global need to decarbonise. But to capitalise on it, the industry must stay at the forefront of technical change. And it must keep ensuring safe operations in the face of extreme weather events.
Rail must also remain a prominent part of the UK’s journey to Net Zero. This includes encouraging more people to avoid Britain’s congested roads, as well as transporting even more vital freight around the country.
Complex systems require a whole system approach
Taken alone, each of these issues would be complicated to address. But rail’s complex systems mean we can’t address them in isolation. We need cross-industry collaboration. This will ensure we capture the knowledge and experience of all rail organisations, whether part of GBR or not.
The upcoming reorganisation of rail will help lay the foundations, but effective collaboration will still be vital.
RSSB’s whole-system approach breeds cooperation
We are the only technically-focused organisation with a remit to support the entire industry. This includes passenger, freight, ROSCOs, supply chain, and more. We have a wide range of expertise in house, from horizon scanning to some of the world’s leading technical and subject-matter experts. And we can harness our members’ knowledge and enthusiasm to direct our resources where they will do most good.
For example, PRIMA is a decision support tool. It will evaluate safety risk, economic impact, and drivability of proposed speed restrictions. It gives advance estimates of optimum speeds for severe weather events, and ensures a proportionate response to extreme rainfall. This means the end of blanket 40mph speed restrictions. Trains will be able to perform not only safely, but also more efficiently. This project required wide collaboration. Thanks to RSSB’s whole-system approach, the required skills weren’t just in-house, but sitting at adjacent desks. The end result? A free flow of collaboration and expertise, backed up by member involvement.
RSSB’s freight coupler research will allow many freight trains to run extra wagons. This will deliver cost and carbon savings, making freight more commercially attractive. The project required collaboration between industry and RSSB, including the National Freight Safety Group, and RSSB’s data and research teams.
Our whole-system approach breeds value
There are strong industry incentives for collaboration. It allows our members to guide and support research that benefits them and considers their experience and needs. And quick collaboration between disciplines produces faster, more focused benefits.
That’s why we’re putting more effort into building the foundations that will allow a better return on collaboration in the future. We call these ‘strategic multipliers’. They include:
- Creating future tools to provide safety and health insights
- Increasing data interoperability
- Making the most of automation and AI
- Improving testing capabilities
- Improving weather resilience.
Together these will provide a rising tide of capability designed to address the whole industry’s priority issues. The result will be greater performance and reduced cost.
Our work depends on the free flow of information and expertise. So do the cost, efficiency, and performance benefits we offer our members. Our expertise, and that of our members, has improved safety performance while creating savings. In 2023-24 alone, our work saved the industry £527 million in operational costs.
Many sectors talk about return on investment – at RSSB we prefer to think of it as return on collaboration.
Related articles in this campaign series
“RSSB’s work saved £527 million for rail in 2023-24”
“We’re building the foundations that will allow a better return on collaboration in the future”