What is in place now

• Key Train Requirements encouraging and supporting the adoption of best practice and recently acquired knowledge on rolling stock.
• Research planning incorporates the development of possible options and routes for deployment, recognising the potential owners and the necessary actions.
• Closer relationships between supply chain, academia and industry established, overcoming barriers to progression of research into development and innovation.
• A framework for establishing product, system or service readiness - Rail Industry Readiness Levels (RIRLs).
• Process and commitment to challenge standards.

What we are working on

• Ensuring that sound safety-thinking and effective standards enable innovative solutions and their deployment.
• Identifying insertion points for the introduction of new technology at an early stage in its development and taking proactive action to deliver in time to meet them.
• Connecting the RTS with wider transport and government initiatives to draw support from, and share success with other sectors.
• Scanning across sectors for fast moving and high-potential technologies and disruptors that could significantly impact railway operation and user experience.

Where we need to get to

• Key requirements (similar to the Key Train Requirements) developed for other railway systems, underpinned by dynamic, technology agnostic standards, to inform compatibility and facilitate innovation.
• Industry investment plans routinely draw on R&D outputs and the risks associated with their initial deployment are recognised, accepted and appropriately managed.
• Clear routes to develop solutions, and the associated business cases, through the RIRLs toward full market readiness are well understood and used.
• New commercial models to support deployment of new technologies and wider innovation makes innovation in rail more attractive for both public and private funders.