Industry leaders from across track and train, passenger and freight will come together on 22nd October for the launch of important research into how and why innovation can be embedded in the UK rail sector.
Rail industry professionals, innovators and thought leaders will gather at the National Railway Museum in York for the launch of a new white paper examining the critical success factors that underpin successful innovation across the UK rail sector. The research offers a practical and evidence-based perspective on how organisations can better identify, develop and implement innovative solutions that deliver real operational value.
Born of curiosity, this passion project, developed through extensive engagement with rail stakeholders from across the industry, sees SME founders and fellow Rail Forum members Abi Broadley, Abi Broadley Consulting and Amy Jeffs, Hey Me, release the white paper that explores a question familiar to many organisations: why has that technology succeeded yet a seemingly similar one has fallen into the valley of death? The white paper findings draw on insights from more than 40 industry interviews spanning passenger and freight operators, ROSCOs, infrastructure organisations, suppliers and innovators.
The research identifies key factors that consistently influence the success of innovation programmes and projects. While technology remains important, the findings highlight how successful innovation is dependent on several factors.
The white paper arrives at a pivotal moment for the rail industry. As the sector continues its transition towards Great British Railways and faces increasing pressure to improve performance, sustainability, safety and customer outcomes, innovation has never been more important. Yet many stakeholders continue to identify barriers including fragmented structures, procurement challenges, risk allocation, limited funding pathways and difficulties in moving from successful trials to widespread deployment.
The launch event will bring together speakers from across the industry to share practical examples of successful innovation in action. Through a series of short presentations from Network Rail, innovators and TOCs, attendees will explore how organisations have overcome common barriers and created the conditions needed for innovation to thrive.
Abi Broadley, co-author of the white paper, said:
“Too often, conversations about innovation focus on the technology itself.
“Our research shows that success is usually determined by a much wider set of factors, including people, culture, collaboration and how organisations identify and respond to real business challenges.
“This white paper provides practical insights that can help the industry create better conditions for innovation and accelerate the adoption of solutions that deliver measurable benefits.”
Amy Jeffs, co-author of the white paper adds:
“Innovation in rail is discussed often and mainly focuses on the challenges facing innovators.
“We have talked about success factors for a while, and it has been fantastic digging deep into the research and conducting interviews to discover why and how innovations can be commercially successful in the UK rail industry.”
The white paper is intended for rail leaders, innovation teams, operators, infrastructure organisations, suppliers, SMEs, policymakers and anyone involved in bringing new ideas into the industry. It offers practical recommendations designed to strengthen collaboration, improve access to opportunities and help organisations deliver innovation with greater confidence and impact.
Secure Your Launch Event Ticket
If you would like to join Abi and Amy for the Innovation White Paper Launch, sign up is via Eventbrite.