Cutting delays, delivering better journeys

In the past year, we’ve done many projects that will reduce delays. We know that reduced delays will make customers safer and more satisfied. Many of them are ‘behind the scenes’ of what passengers or freight customers see. But they will all reduce delays.

Trespassing on or near railway lines is a major issue that can lead to delays and safety hazards. There’s already been a lot of good work by industry to reduce this issue, including working collaboratively with other organisations involved such as the Samaritans. To increase the effectiveness of this work, rail needed a common approach.

Through our work, the industry has agreed a Rail Industry Standard (RIS-3786-TOM) to support duty holders when they complete trespass risk assessments. This gives a framework for a common risk assessment to help reduce trespass incidents. We estimate that introducing this framework will save rail £3 million over five years as well as helping to reduce trespass.

The direct tangible benefit is saving lives and injuries. However, this also has the consequence of reduced delays. A smoother, more punctual service is good for our present customers. It will attract more customers over time too.

Planning happens at many different levels of granularity in rail, from multi-decade strategic thinking to planned changes when a service is operating. When planning is improved, very short-term changes to train services can be overlooked. To address this issue, we gave £3m of funding to the Dynamic Train Planning competition, which was also supported by DfT. The competition’s aim was to find better solutions for very short-term changes to train services. There were three winning projects which showed how to improve the flexibility and responsiveness of train schedules. This ensures that services can adapt quickly to unexpected changes. In turn, this proactive approach helps to reduce delays, so that passengers can reach their destinations on time.

We're focused on reducing adhesion, a key factor in both safety and delays. In 2024, one project focused on delivering better adhesion information to drivers.

Better adhesion information can boost driver confidence and efficiency. When drivers are well-informed about track conditions, they can take appropriate actions to maintain safety and punctuality. Overall, more timely and accurate information about track conditions helps drivers to manage low-adhesion situations. This reduces the likelihood of incidents that can cause significant delays.

Another project has focused on making health and safety data easier to find and analyse. We’ve used Power BI to create several data hubs for industry, including three health and safety data hubs. As a result, risk groups can access relevant safety data more efficiently. They can also use new tools to analyse it. And we’ve transformed the decades-old, well-established Safety Management Information System (SMIS) into the data hub Safety Insights. Not only is this easier to use, it can provide even more sophisticated analyses.

When safety data is easily accessible, rail operators can quickly identify and address potential issues. This reduces the likelihood of delays caused by safety concerns, and customers experience a more reliable and punctual service.

These projects will all help a significant step forward in improving the efficiency and reliability of UK train services. By addressing short-term planning, safety, and operational challenges, these projects reduce delays and enhance the overall passenger experience. We look forward to reduced delays, and happier and safer customers, in the months and years ahead.