Social

FAQ’s

  • Development of the 2020 RTS
    • Who contributed to and reviewed this strategy?

      This edition of the RTS has been developed with wider industry engagement and support including more than 100 organisations and over 30 prominent cross-industry groups.
      Steer was provided by the Executive Technology Leadership Group.
      As the strategy is a living, rather than fixed entity, we look to all of industry to engage, provide feedback and help the RTS to evolve.

    • What was wrong with the previous RTS?

      The previous version of the RTS was very broad and had an overall timescale that was too long to compel action. Also, a high proportion of its content was focused on long-term technology developments, rather than things which could be planned for and delivered to make a difference.
      This version is much more focused on key areas of technical progress needed to run an efficient, attractive and effective railway system, including near-term steps towards the longer-term objectives.

    • How is this edition different from previous RTS?

      This edition is not intended to be a comprehensive plan, but much more targeted on the areas where rapid progress is required and new technical solutions are available or needed.
      The focus is on the steps needed in the next 5 years to get to a sound position for each priority in 2025, setting the essential groundwork for progression towards the 2040 vision.
      This edition recognises that success rests on combining great R&D with sound and well-timed thinking on deployment challenges and opportunities for novel solutions. Further, it acknowledges that success goes beyond these technical solutions, with three critical enablers identified.
      This digital RTS is live and will continue to evolve to ensure it reflects the opportunities offered by advances in technology, and the changing transport and wider societal landscapes that will emerge post Covid.

      Read moreRead less
    • What is still in place from the previous RTS?

      A number of aspects of the 2012 RTS also feature in the 2020 RTS, but they have been aligned to business objectives, rather than being organised by technical subsystems; this reflects the fact that a railway is a system of systems, rather than being a collection of functionally independent systems.
      Key continuities include the underlying Four “Cs” (Carbon, Customer Satisfaction, Capacity, Cost) which are all still valid, pertinent and aligned with the content of the 2020 version, and the 2040 timescale for the long-term vision, which has been complemented by nearer-term stepping stones.

  • Scope and focus of the RTS
    • Does this strategy replace existing organisation level documents such as the 2013 Network Rail Technical Strategy?

      Each organisation will still require its own plans: infrastructure is only part of the picture as are passenger and freight operators, Rail Delivery Group, RSSB, each UKRRIN member, RIA member and other suppliers. Each will have their own business plans, of which their technical strategy will form part.
      Network Rail has developed its own Challenge Statements to help frame its specific needs where it is looking for answers to today’s problems from the supply chain. They are complementary to the RTS.

    • Why aren't some technologies referenced in the RTS?

      This edition of the RTS was written to be business-driven, rather than technology-driven, therefore it needed to focus on the most critical needs and opportunities. A technology not being explicitly referenced does not preclude it being deployed to support progress towards these goals or wider improvement of the railway system.

    • Why isn't 'X' considered a priority or key goal in the RTS?

      Rather than a fully comprehensive plan, the five functional priorities identified are those areas where there is consensus that technology can deliver tangible progress towards the desired outcomes in the next 5 years. As progress is made, other priorities and goals may become more prominent, potentially supplementing or even replacing some of those set out here.

    • Is the RTS only relevant to the existing Network Rail managed rail network?

      While the status quo summarised in the RTS reflects the situation of the existing GB network, the functional priorities and many of the technologies underpinning them have wider applicability.
      In particular, the possible reopening of closed lines may create the opportunity for early deployment of some of the stepping stones for the functional requirements, de-risking deployment on busier/more constrained lines. They may also permit the testing of different operational models. Also, the functional priorities identified are well aligned with key priorities for both the existing and future high-speed lines, particularly on low emissions, easy to use for all and assets maintainability. This provides important opportunities to collaborate on new technical solutions.

      Read moreRead less
    • Are the goals set out potentially too ambitious or not ambitious enough?

      We have attempted to strike the best balance between aspirational aims and realistically deliverable goals. If there are specific areas in which you believe we have been too ambitious, that the stated vision cannot be achieved, or that our ambitions fall short and should be greater, we would like to hear from you at rts@rssb.co.uk.

    • Why is safety not a priority?

      The importance of continuing to deliver a safe service for our customers remains paramount, and as such, safety is an intrinsic consideration in the technological systems and operation procedures of the railway. Hence, safety is a consideration across all priorities, but is not the specific focus for the technical developments set out in this strategy.
      Leading Health and Safety on Britain’s Railway is the cross-industry strategy directly focused on maintaining and improving safety performance.

  • Delivering the strategy
    • Who is responsible for the delivery of the priority?

      There is no single organisation responsible for delivery of this strategy, and its priorities. The cross-industry nature of the strategy permits the different organisations to develop and deliver their part in meeting the broader objectives.
      Ensuring joined-up and coordinated effort is critical, and relevant cross-industry groups and communities are expected to take a leading role in supporting progress towards the specific functional priorities and their key goals.

    • Where will the funding required to pay for all of this come from?

      The greater clarity and more coordination that the new RTS enables will allow delivery of greater value from already committed resources and investments from many parties from across the industry and government.
      There is of course the ongoing challenge of ensuring adequate funding for the development and deployment of technologies. The new RTS can play an important role in ensuring that there is a clear case for this when it comes to informing investment priorities and decisions, and that rail is recognised by supply chain and academia alike as an attractive sector to work in.

    • How will progress towards achieving the key goals be monitored?

      The functional priority routemaps will be fully reviewed annually to reflect technical progress, changes in business priorities, and short-term challenges and opportunities.
      New case studies will be added routinely as research completes and new solutions are deployed.
      The ‘Who is doing what?’ information for each functional priority is expected to be updated at least twice a year.

  • How the RTS fits with other industry initiatives and activities
    • How does this align with other industry strategies?

      The answer depends on each specific strategy or major industry initiative, but we believe that RTS outcomes, priorities, and enablers will be either complementary or directly aligned with most other key industry strategic thinking. The following are explicitly mentioned within the RTS:

    • What will changes potentially resulting from the Williams Review mean for the RTS?

      The functional priorities and key goals are independent of industry structure so should remain relevant and appropriate, regardless of any organisational changes.
      An industry structure fit for the future, with the right incentivisation models, has the potential to better support strategic progress.

    • How does this strategy contribute to achieving rail carbon targets?

      The low emissions functional priority is centred around the need to decarbonise the railway and the key technical solutions that directly support this. The other functional priorities have been developed with improving carbon performance in mind.

  • Impact of external factors
    • Why launch a technical strategy when so many of the passenger operators are working under emergency measures?

      New technical knowledge and novel technologies have been developed and introduced since the Covid-19 pandemic started to help make travelling and working on the railway safer. New solutions will also be essential as we move out of the pandemic to ensure that the railway can adapt and in some case transform its offering to be appealing in the ‘new normal’ post Covid.
      In the ongoing ‘firefighting’ and rapid responses that the pandemic has required today, the framework created by this strategy allows the whole industry to focus on what is needed in the future and helps to make progress towards delivering it.

    • What are the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic on the RTS and in particular, the potential change in travel demand?

      Nobody knows what capacity will be needed in the immediate future post the pandemic nor in the longer-term, but utilisation doesn’t need to be at 100% to put significant pressure on service reliability. Even with lower utilisation of capacity (that is fewer train paths demanded), excellent reliability cannot be achieved unless there are changes and improvements.
      If the previous peaks are no longer as pronounced as they once were, this facilitates the optimisation of operations sooner, and it also allows for reduced crowding and improved crowding management.
      After Covid-19, making the railway ‘easy to use for all’ will be even more important than before because of the need to attract and cater for changed travelling needs. This will require understanding how existing passengers’ and potential new passengers’ expectations have changed and how services can be transformed to meet these.
      Rail freight has been recognised by government and logistics operators as having played a significant role in keeping the country going during the pandemic restrictions. If there is a reduced requirement for passenger paths, there is an opportunity to maintain and increase the number and speed of freight paths available, improving the business prospects for freight operators. The Optimised Train Operation functional priority is written with this in mind.

      Read moreRead less
    • What impact will Brexit have on the RTS?

      The opportunity to work closely with our continental European colleagues remains as valuable as before. The common characteristics and challenges of the European rail networks make such collaboration an ongoing source of considerable insight.

    • What difference does political devolution of transport policy make?

      The speed at which different local transport authorities and regions adopt and plan for implementation of the different elements is not constrained or stated by the RTS.

  • Engaging with future development of the strategy
    • Are hard copies of the RTS available?

      Recognising current working arrangements, and the desire to keep the content live and minimise its carbon footprint, we have taken the decision to not produce hard copies of the RTS.
      Different downloadable versions are available from this page: https://railtechnicalstrategy.co.uk/rts-downloads/. They range from the full strategy document to the RTS summarised on a single page.

    • How do I comment on or add to the functional priorities, goals, case studies and enablers?

      Just get in touch with the RTS Engine Room at rts@rssb.co.uk to share any feedback or information relating to the priorities, goals and enablers.
      A series of upcoming events and meetings will also provide an opportunity to participate – dates will be publicised via the news and events page.

    • How do I add activities to the ‘Who is doing what?’ list?

      On the main page for each functional priority, there is a simple web form that will allow you to submit information relating to activities you are working on.
      Alternatively, feel free to send us an email at rts@rssb.co.uk.

    • When will the RTS next be reviewed and an updated version released?

      The intention is for this digital edition to be a living strategy which becomes richer over time, thanks to ongoing contributions.
      Based on received information, changes in industry and the technological landscape, and progress towards the key goals, different elements of the strategy will be reviewed, changed and updated at different intervals, with an expectation that each of the functional priority routemaps will be fully reviewed and updated at least annually.