JOINT FREIGHT R,D&I BOARD
Our origins
To improve coordination of publicly funded activities and maintain momentum, the Joint Freight RDI Board was established.
Our scope and remit
The Joint Freight R,D&I Board meets monthly to bring together a range of GB railway research funding organisations that are also best placed to identify on-going needs and opportunities in rail freight.
It oversees a single prioritised pipeline for freight-driven R,D&I, providing endorsement and guidance on appropriate funding source(s). The Board monitors and steers projects in delivery, and supports the uptake of outputs in industry.
Our members and funding structure
The Joint Freight R,D&I Board comprises members representing the following industry funding programmes and initiatives:
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RSSB's Research Programme
Delivering research, analysis, and insight that help the rail industry tackle current challenges and facilitate the development of a safer and more efficient railway for the future. The programme is funded through a DfT grant which oversees how the money is used and the impact it delivers. RSSB manage and deliver the research, based on set and prioritised with industry. Specifically, it aims at delivering:
- Better understanding of whole-system risk
- Standards development and improvement.
- Research which requires significant industry coordination and collaboration to undertake and implement.
- Research where there can be a conflict of interest and so requires an independent body to ‘own’ the findings.
It’s Freight-driven pipeline focuses on cost efficient ways to optimise operations, support existing customers, enable modal shift to rail, and contribute to rail and national decarbonisation plans. The research pipeline mostly focuses on Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 3 to 6, and is shaped by directly by freight stakeholder requirements and prioritised for delivery.
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Network Rail Technical Authority CP7 R,D&I Programme
The Technical Authority R&D team works with partners like RSSB to develop freight improvements that supports the Rail Technical Strategy, and actively develops solutions with domestic & international partners and the supply chain to support key research areas including Civils & Sustainability, Safety Security & Operations, Track Maintenance & Plant, Reliable & Sustainable Power, Future Comms and Train Control & Data & Digital.
R,D&I within Control Period 7 (CP7) will be focused on delivery of regional requirements for performance improvement, remote or automated asset inspections and monitoring, decision support tools and ‘predict and prevent’ maintenance to remove boots from ballast.
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Network Rail Freight Safety Improvement Programme (FSIP)
Delivering safe and reliable services is fundamental to FSIP, and central to Network Rail’s role in accelerating the shift to rail. The industry is targeting an 8% increase in rail freight during Control Period 7 (CP7), and delivering freight safely is integral to achieving this. FSIP is governed by the System Operator and supported by the Freight & Customer directorate. It is aligned with the Freight Safe Programme (FSP), which provides strategic direction and industry-wide collaboration. It aims to deliver more cross-sector, innovative safety benefits through:
- Trial, validation and roll out of proven freight safety solutions — turning successful concepts into deployable, industry ready improvements.
- Targeted safety upgrades to address key freight risks (e.g., derailment reduction, workforce safety, loading, terminal operations) drawn from national risk priorities.
- Investment in practical, low tech and infrastructure focused improvements that enhance working conditions and reduce operational hazards across yards and sidings.
- Support to industry stakeholders through funding and guidance to progress safe, efficient freight operations, aligned with national freight safety objectives.
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Network Rail Industry Performance Improvement Fund (IPIF)
A fund of £40m has been allocated to IPIF for CP7. In the final determination for CP7, the ORR indicated that the fund needs to:
- Focus on kick-starting collaborative, cross-industry solutions with the aim of improving train performance between train operators and Network Rail,
- Fund projects that deliver a measurable improvement in performance,
- Prioritise innovative approaches over improvements through existing methodologies.
The fund is utilised for initiatives that result in performance benefit in England and Wales only. A separate ‘Targeted Train Performance Fund’ allocated to Scotland’s Railway. Engagement is maintained between the relevant teams in England & Wales and Scotland to share outputs from innovative schemes and avoids duplication.
The board also regularly consults with industry stakeholders including freight operating companies, rolling stock and wagon manufacturers and owners, infrastructure managers and customers of freight.
How the board delivers value
Some examples demonstrating the different ways in which working with the Joint Freight R,D&I Board, and aligning with the RTS has delivered value.
Reducing duplication of effort
By creating effective communication channels and enabling collaboration, the Board ensures that efforts are coordinated and not conflicting or overlapping between organisations.
The single pipeline provides industry with a clearer picture of work underway and planned.
Coordination of funding
Identifying the most appropriate programme, or programmes to fund each initiative means that the best placed organisations are focussed on the right activities.
At the industry level, the potential benefit that can be extracted from public R,D&I funding is maximised.
Enabling effective implementation
Collaborative working and appropriate funding source selection help align all the right parties. Organisations that will need to make investment decisions and/or utilise the outputs are engaged at the right time, in the right way.
The Board also ensure that any other related activities are identified and linked up appropriately.
To see an example of these principles in action, view our case studies.
Get involved
We invite the whole sector to engage and collaborate with the Board.
Contact us at rts@rssb.co.uk to share your rail freight related idea, challenge or opportunity.