The House of Commons Transport Committee has published a report outlining work that could be taken forward by the new committee in the next parliament, including a focus on rail reform and accessibility. ‘The government will inherit a long to-do list after the election’, said Chair Iain Stewart. ‘We hope that by setting out lessons from our scrutiny during the last parliament, our successors can hit the ground running and continue to make an important contribution to improving policies that have a real day to day impact on people’s lives.’
Network Rail is using generative AI capabilities from Oakland to make it easier for staff to access information stored across formats including PDF and video. A dynamic chatbot interface enables users to pose queries and receive tailored responses drawing from Network Rail’s extensive library of data sources.
Northern’s Allerton TrainCare Centre has worked with Icomera and DG8 to deploy a passenger counting system on its eight Class 769 multiple-units. This provides ‘an exciting testbed for future applications of AI video analytics’, said Peter Kingsland, Icomera SVP in the UK.
Network Rail has completed a £5m project to install two lifts to serve the historic footbridge at Bridlington station, replace the bridge deck and strengthen the structure.
Northern reports that over 10 000 kg of old uniforms have been collected, shredded and recycled in the last 12 months under a deal with Avena. The specialist recycling company said ‘the implementation of SecureBrand across 25 Northern sites ensures branded uniform is captured, heavily reducing the risk of uniform breaches and impersonation attempts’.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch’s annual report highlights six themes which ran through its work in 2023: safety of trackworkers, the safety of people getting on and off trains, management of low adhesion, overspeeding, understanding the integrity of assets and corporate memory.
East Midlands Railway has completed the installation of 20 LED customer information screens across rural stations in Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire; many of the stations have not had screens before.
Commenting on the announcement of the general election, David Pitt, VP UK Rail at SilverRail, said ‘the rail industry has been in a state of flux for too long, so it is positive that the election has come sooner than expected as it could be the catalyst needed to push forward with substantial reforms’. He called for ’a middle-ground approach’ that ‘leverages the best’ of the private and public sectors, saying ‘the industry deserves a clear, actionable strategy that moves beyond political debates to real-world impacts’.