Railway Industry Association

📣 RIA Manifesto 2024: A fresh start for UK rail Today RIA has published its five main asks of Government, in a manifesto for the next Parliament which seeks a fresh start for UK rail. These are: 🔹Publish a long-term rail strategy; 🔹Deliver on railway industry reform; 🔹Accelerate new train orders and low carbon network upgrades; 🔹Support a sustainable supply chain; and 🔹Leverage private investment. Read the full press release and manifesto here: https://lnkd.in/dErNNSed #RIAManifesto24 #Manifesto #RailReform #SupplyChain #NetZero

🎂 At the start of 2025, the Railway Industry Association (RIA) celebrates a significant milestone as we reach our 150th Anniversary this year. Commenting on the milestone, RIA Chief Executive Darren Caplan, said: “The Railway Industry Association’s 150th Anniversary is a major landmark in the organisation’s proud history. And I would like to pay tribute to all the supplier companies who have made up RIA’s membership going right back to 1875, working with the Association to champion the collective interests of a dynamic rail supply sector." He added: “In this 150th year of RIA we have planned an exciting programme of activities and events, to both celebrate RIA’s heritage but also to anticipate the next evolution of UK rail – itself celebrating an amazing 200 years – and RIA’s history within it. We are looking forward to seeing faces both new and old(!) related to rail and RIA throughout the year, as we remember and celebrate the Association’s past and also its future.” To mark the occasion, we will be hosting a special celebration event on 10 July 2025 in London, delivered in partnership with Railway 200. 🔗 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eJdx6_gk #RIA150 #RailIndustry

Further to the Network Rail ennoblements mentioned earlier today, RIA also congratulates GB Railfreight’s Chief Executive Officer, John Smith who has been made an OBE in the King's New Year Honours List, for services to the rail freight industry.

𝗥𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 - 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗖𝗘𝗢, 𝗦𝗶𝗿 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘄 𝗛𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗢𝗕𝗘 RIA would like to congratulate the leader of Network Rail for recognition in the New Years Honours List 2025, announced today. Having received an OBE in 2016 for services to transport, the NR CEO has now been awarded a Knighthood and becomes Sir Andrew Haines OBE. Sir Andrew has received this recognition for his role as a “once-in-a-generation transport leader addressing challenges head on whilst maintaining a focus on safety and delivering the best possible services for the public”. Rail and NR were further recognised with gongs going to: 🏅 Kathleen O'Malley, Project Manager in NR’s Southern Region, awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for her work creating the Routes Out of Homelessness charter for the railway; 🏅 Peter Gibbons, NR Chief Security Officer, received a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for exceptional leadership in delivering the UK’s £10m aid programme to Ukrainian Railways; and 🏅 Janet Trowse, NR Human Resources leader, received an MBE for her legacy around menopause awareness. You can read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/eD7r79rM Well done to all!

The Railway Industry Association (RIA) hosted its second SigEx conference and exhibition on innovations in the signalling and control sector, and delegates were informed, impressed and even stunned by some of the topics discussed. Read Nigel Wordsworth’s roundup here: #UKrail #railways #RailDirector

“The power of technology, harnessed in the right way, can make a big difference.” The Railway Industry Association (RIA) recently hosted its latest Unlocking Innovation event at the University of Strathclyde's Technology and Innovation Centre in Glasgow. Nigel Wordsworth reports: #UKrail #railways #RailDirector

🎫 The early bird rate for the RIA Innovation Conference 2025 ends today - secure your tickets now! https://lnkd.in/ewV2cgz6 #RIC25 #RIAInnovationConference #Innovation

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has today published positive figures on the number of passenger journeys on the UK rail network. A total of 433 million journeys were made by rail passengers in the last quarter (1 July to 30 September 2024), which is a 9% increase from the same quarter in 2023, and there has been a 12% increase in the number of journeys made over the last 12 months. Commenting on the figures, RIA Chief Executive Darren Caplan, said: “This really is a positive Christmas gift for the railway industry. For the years after the pandemic it was generally held that people would in future travel less by rail. Reaching the milestone of 1.7bn journeys in the 12 months to September debunks this myth. “These passenger journey and revenue figures show a clear trend upwards at impressive rates. They show how important it is that the UK Government not only ensures strong support for the existing network but plans for building more capacity for the future too." 🔗 Read the full comment here: https://lnkd.in/eT9g53ja #RailPassengerUsage #RailDemand #RailIndustry

The agenda for Unlocking Innovation North West and Central, on 16 January in Birmingham, is now live! The day will focus on Network Rail's priorities for the North West and Central region, via keynotes, spotlights, presentations and an exhibition. The four key priorities are: 🟣 Supporting and enhancing recent train performance improvements 🟣 Improving safety for colleagues and partners 🟣 Delivering greater financial efficiency 🟣 Climate adaptation and resilience We have a great range of speakers, including: 🔹 Christian Irwin OBE, Capital Delivery Director, Network Rail 🔹 Kamini Edgley, DEAM North West & Central, Network Rail 🔹 Ameet Masania, Head of Innovation, Central Rail Systems Alliance 🔹 Hari Patel, Technical Programme Manager - Rail and Stations, Connected Places Catapult 🔹 Tara Walsh, Project Manager, Innovation Acceleration Forum 🔹 Susan Millington MBA ChPP FCMI CMgr RPP MAPM, Head of Programme Management, Network Rail 🔹 Luisa Moisio, Director of Research, RSSB Register your attendance now! https://lnkd.in/dEr4kUBK Thanks to our strategic partners Network Rail, Telent Technology Services Ltd and UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN). #UnlockingInnovation #RailIndustry #Innovation

We are pleased to announce our keynote speaker for the second Future of Rail event of 2025, focusing on Reform – Laura Shoaf, CBE, Chair of Shadow Great British Railways and Chief Executive of the West Midlands Combined Authority. The Future of Rail series leads and shapes the national debate on the future of the rail sector. Through a programme of dynamic events held across the UK, this series tackles some of the rail industry's most pressing topics, from demand and investment to devolution and exports. We are very grateful to Laura for offering her time to come and engage with the industry and look forward to working together. Sponsorship opportunities for this event are still available – please contact the RIA team to learn more. 🔗 Register for the event here: https://lnkd.in/eVsy224n 📍 London | 13 February, 10:00 - 16:00 #FutureOfRail #RIAFutureOfRail #RailReform #RailIndustry