The standards to which infrastructure is built. <> He was assured that if he felt a panel was not adding any value, he should feel empowered to challenge its necessity. He expected the railway to be radical in its thinking, remove bureaucracy that adds little value and focus on things that matter more such as safety, customer service and rolling out new technologies. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. endobj In June 2020, as part of the governments Covid-19 recovery plan, the Prime Minister announced a new taskforce to deliver public investment projects faster and for less money. It will empower all of us in rail to be revolutionary in our thinking to challenge how we do things and ask, how could we do this better? I bring . Prior to that, his roles in the privatised railway included various quality, safety and environmental management posts. Despite the funding deficit . 9th September 2014 Benefits Management, Network Rail 2 3. Hear from Tim Walden, Transformation Director and Mike Wright, Programme Management Director of Network Rail. BCRs are calculated by dividing the forecast monetised benefits of a scheme by the forecast total cost across the schemes lifecycle. We also delivered all the DNO cubicles. Significant challenges to achieve deliverables of funding settlement. It is a more flexible control framework compared to GRIP and allows sponsors and project management to tailor controls to better meet the requirements of their project. As described later, this required the development of a new project management process, PACE (Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment), addressing ten key themes and the provision of a Rail Investment Centre of Excellence to provide support and share lessons learnt. 25 0 obj This is common in city centres, several of the busiest through stations on Europes high-speed networks operate with high-speed trains reversing in their platforms during their journeys. Network Rail had been extended for two years, until July 2023. . Detailed oriented self starter and finisher. We have cultivated a whole generation of people who apply it mechanically. We are also part of the supply chain working to improve efficiency throughout key rail infrastructure projects. 15 0 obj In addition, a new delivery model was developed for the three packages of work: rail corridor works led by Network Rail, stations and highways led by Northumberland County Council and introduction of the new passenger service led by Northern Rail. endobj Board members at the meeting on 20 and 21 January, for which the minutes have only recently been published, were told that the Pace framework would be given a soft launch in January and a virtual conference would be held in late February to promote it more widely within the organisation. Any upcoming events will be published here. ProjectSPEED(Swift, Pragmatic and Efficient Enhancement Delivery) is a joint initiative between the Department for Transport and Network Rail. PACE (Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment) was approved by the Network Rail board in November 2020 after several months of testing. Information about Rail SPEED for suppliers, SPEED (Swift, Pragmatic and Efficient Enhancement Delivery) has two core principles at its heart to halve the time and slash the cost of project delivery, helping us provide a better service for passengers and freight users.. At Gatwick Airport, the station improvement project had been delayed by two months due to the Covid lockdown. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. GRIP divides a project into eight distinct stages. It represents the local transport and local highways authorities of the North of England. Gate reviews were held to consider relevant documentation to confirm completion of the required activities. Please contact SPEED@networkrail.co.uk to gain access to more information on the SPEED Hub. The project is being led and promoted by Northumberland County Council as a third-party project, with Network Rail having an asset protection role. It will also encourage greater collaboration between teams working on different projects by allowing them to share lessons learned from previous work in order to improve delivery. It is often referenced by project or policy benefit cost ratio (BCR), which for transport schemes is based on the method set out by the Transport appraisal process. To receive New Civil Engineer's daily and weekly newsletters click here. One success story already realised using PACE is the restoration of the Dartmoor Railway Line, putting regular passenger services back on the line after more than 50 years. <> You can read more about our role in supplying the rail industry on our supply page. Reference class forecasting is a method for predicting future outcomes based on the outcomes for a group of similar past projects, for example hypothetically using HS1 and HS2 as benchmarks for the final cost of Northern Powerhouse Rail and the Integrated Rail Plan. This can be done as an order under existing legislation, such as Transport and Works Act Orders (TWAO) or Development Consent Orders (DCO), or via new legislation that must pass through Parliament (hybrid bills). Building on these values, the Project SPEED team has developed an approach to guide our day-to-day working, so we can all play our part in building a modern and efficient railway that we can be proud of. Network Rails process for developing railway interventions, split into various gateways in a similar manner to the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP). 9 0 obj It is understood that DfT's budget for the passenger railway for 2023-24 remains the same as for 2022-23, while for 2024-25 a further 1bn is removed from the funding available. Fast services between Leeds and London currently use this line. This is where the needs and requirements of a project are defined. >> The latest minutes from Network Rails board meeting show that the project acceleration in a controlled environment (Pace) was expected to start being rolled out last month. PACE stands for Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment (PACE), an approach that Network Rail have developed to manage projects in order to minimise the risks associated with project development and delivery. Tel: +44 (0)161 694 8684, © 2023 Rail Diary Limited. The feasibility stage assesses whether the outputs can be delivered economically and in line with current network proposals/strategy. <> There is a lot more to the change than a new name and Network Rail programme director (capital investment) Mike Wright believes the impact will be seen in less than 12 months. He was encouraged by the recent response to the standards challenge process which, after a slow start, was now offering savings of tens of million pounds. 27 0 obj I have working knowledge in the application of GRIP and PACE applications to projects. In a double act, Natasha Luddington, Project Director (Enhancements), Network Rail Wales & Western, and Amanda Roper, DfTs Deputy Director for the Restoring Your Railway programme, described how their organisations had worked together to identify themes where changes were needed that cut across organisational boundaries. With the country now facing an unprecedented economic challenge, more than ever before, we need to get the most we can out of every pound we put in the ground, become a more attractive and efficient investment opportunity, and a more dependable partner that is easy to engage. He advised that the review challenged both the scope and original nine-year timescale of the project by considering radical blockade strategies. According to Wright, Grip was much more than a project lifecycle and there are hundreds of other processes, policies and governance controls across Network Rail that were affected by the Grip process. Its been claimed that PACE will have an even greater impact than GRIP in delivering efficiency gains. They were split across three formal project management phases. endobj endobj To do so, the centre is providing a knowledge hub, assessing best practice with the supply chain, providing professional development, supporting project assurance and acting as a point of contact with the DfT for the Railway Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP) process. Network Rail had a challenge from the government last year to look at how we could reduce the time and cost associated with delivering infrastructure projects onto the network, which led to the setting up of our Project Speed, explains Wright. Any technical or legal issues that could cancel an option or a project should have been identified by this point. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. The Western Leg (WL) of HS2 Phase 2b, completing the high-speed line from Crewe to Manchester, including the Golborne Link. Required fields are marked *. SPEED is forging a path ahead for the industry to adapt and meet these challenges head on. %PDF-1.7 % <> Able to undertake the NR/L2/INI/02009 roles of Contractors. This identified a number of things around governance processes, assurance processes, timetable planning, access planning and Grip. Experience of working in the UK rail industry with good working knowledge of Network Rail GRIP / PACE process / standards and approval processes. Pace offers a more flexible framework that can be more tailored . At the end of GRIP stage 8 of the Governance for Railway Investment Projects the project will be formally closed by the project team. We now have a chance to ensure rail plays a pivotal role in the economic recovery of our country, delivers a better service to the communities we serve, better value for taxpayers and becomes a that dependable partner. 2 0 obj endobj To receive New Civil Engineer's daily and weekly newsletters click here. Linked to the Gatwick Airport project was the introduction of longer eight-car trains that required platform extensions at three stations. LOVE, POVERTY, WAR AND Also by Christopher Hitchens BLOOD, CLASS AND EMPIRE: The Enduring Anglo-American Relationship A LONG SHORT WAR: The Postponed Liberation of Iraq WHY ORWELL MATTERS LEFT HOOKS, RIGHT CROSSES: A Decade of Political Writing (edited with Christopher Caldwell) LETTERS TO A YOUNG CONTRARIAN THE TRIAL OF HENRY KISSINGER BLAMING THE VICTIMS: Spurious Scholarship and the . GRIP, the tool currently used to manage delivering railway investment projects in Network Rail, is seen as too rigid and can often lead to unnecessary delays. Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris told the conference there is a business imperative to get on with modernisation of the network, but there is a need to guard against complacency as the success of current rail programmes will influence future investment. Prodigal Bond Buyers Return to Gilts as 250 Billion Wall Looms. Getting different parts of the railway to work much more closely together will also be an essential aspect of the Williams Review, bringing significant changes to the industrys structure. endobj But it is rarely used properly so it is not fit for purpose, he said. 31 Mar, 2021 Wherever there are metro systems, there are readers of LR. Able to undertake the NR/L2/INI/02009 roles of Contractors Responsible Engineer (CRE) or equivalent. But, this week rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris said that the budget would now. Witham Fourth District Internal Drainage Board, We use cookies to personalize and improve your experience on our site. Network Rails GRIP process was developed to minimise delivery risk by dividing a project into eight distinct stages for which there was a defined set of activities which had to be completed before starting the next stage. Visit our, Interview | Mike Wright of Network Rail on setting a new tone for project delivery, Balfour to build River Trent pedestrian bridge as costs rise, Former East West Rail boss joins National Highways, Council in talks over future of Newcastle station project after contractor collapse, Greek train crash: Failure of signalling systems highlights railway safety issues, Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering, On demand webinar: SuDS and the Code of Adoption Sewerage, On demand webinar: What the next 10 years holds for the built environment, On demand webinar: machine control and automation, Building Momentum: SUDs are ready to enter the mainstream. A rail line that operates on 4 parallel tracks. endobj 10 May, 2021 It replaces GRIP, which was considered by some as overly complex and inefficient in its approach, resulting in additional costs being incurred. Rail Project SPEED: Introduction and PACE - 20 May 2021 689 views May 24, 2021 3 Dislike Share Save Railway Industry Association 142 subscribers Introduction and Overview of Rail Project SPEED. One-team Culture encouraging improved working between the DfT, Network Rail and across wider industry to embrace the SPEED mindset. 6 0 obj Sign in or Register a new account to join the discussion. endobj A light rail service (tram) that operates on both tram lines and conventional rail lines. Stuart considered that the knowledge hub is one of most important things the centre is doing as it is not possible to know if costs and timescales are being reduced unless there are good baselines. I am also quick in forming relationship in a collaborative way. D; Not e Grip 3. With this statement, Network Rails CEO, Andrew Haines, set the scene at a recent online Project SPEED conference. There was widespread concern that the eight-stage GRIP (Governance for Railway Investment Projects) process had become a straitjacket which required project teams to focus on its deliverables. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. An approach to train timetabling to maximise the use of a mixed-traffic railway. A line or station operating below High Speed, similar to the existing national rail network. The construction of the new railway is split into phases: Phase One (linking London to the West Midlands), which received royal assent in 2017; Phase 2a (West Midlands and the North via Crewe) in 2021 and Phase 2b. It will also encourage greater collaboration between teams working on different projects by allowing them to share lessons learned from previous work in order to improve delivery. /Resources 1021 0 R Working with DfT, Network Rail identified six infrastructure projects of differing scale and stages of development, and asked them to consider past and current constraints, and what was needed to unblock them. Interoperability and Standards developing a different approach to interoperability and encouraging challenges to standards. endobj The challenge now is to spread and scale that best practice across other programmes and the wider network. & Laying RIAs Parliamentary reception strikes a positive note, Newcastle exhibition marks bicentenary of Robert Stephensons company. Experience in the design of rail-related mechanical systems Your email address will not be published. At that time, he was working on the Airdrie to Bathgate project in a role that included the management of utilities and consents. Stuart emphasised that the centre is there to support and work with the regions. Local stakeholders have been invited to propose RYR projects. It provides a flexible delivery framework which sponsors must use to ensure that the arrangements for their projects are fit for purpose. Able to undertake the NR/L2/INI/02009 roles of Contractors Responsible Engineer (CRE) or equivalent. By the end of stage 4 of the eight distinct stages, a design outline for the recommended option from stage 3 is complete. <> You have entered an incorrect email address! At a time of scarce funding, the industry has to reduce both the time and cost of project delivery. Halving the time and slashing the cost of project delivery are the two core principles of Network Rails application of Project Speed and is the driving force behind the move to a new project delivery framework. This is the re-commencement of As such, it fits absolutely into the plan for devolution. However, he cautioned that the industry must not be complacent about investment funding. stream An engineering phase gate review (right) is done at specific milestones within the project phases. endobj By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Registered number: 10215108. Bridge inspection & assessments. This is split into two parts. Network Rail are replacing GRIP with PACE, a new tool that allows project managers to adapt their approach, make decisions that best meet the needs of their project and overlay stages while maintaining rigour. You have accepted additional cookies. Its aim is to secure rail investment by demonstrating that the industry can become more competitive by significantly reducing costs and halving the time it takes to complete projects. Wright believes that some options could be discounted at an earlier stage under Pace through better use of local knowledge, looking at other similar projects and examining technical feasibility. The East Coast Main Line (ECML) is one of the UKs core rail lines, running between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh, via Peterborough, York, Doncaster, Darlington and Newcastle. Finally, he noted that there are occasions when a slower and more coordinated approach is appropriate, especially when there is a risk to the timetable. In this way he echoed Andrew Haines comments that the industry had to confront poor project delivery in a way that it had not done in the past. All six programmes developed proposals to reduce timescales and cost, and then defended their proposals through peer reviews and challenge panels. . This requires some double-tracking, level crossing enhancements, linespeed improvements and signalling upgrades. GRIP Process Governance for Railway Investment Projects (GRIP) describes how Network Rail manages and controls projects that enhance or renew the national rail network. Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment (PACE) describes how Network Rail manages and controls investment projects on the rail network. The workshop will look at the PACE (Project . It represents the local transport and local highways authorities of the West and East Midlands. The decision taken at each gateway will be whether or not to proceed with progressing the intervention to the next development stage, with a final gateway providing the decision to deliver. GRIP, a project by Network Rail to help deliver efficiency improvements on the rail network, has been replaced by a new programme called PACE. 200TH EDITION Rail Engineer January / February 2023 200 Issues & 2,900 articles later, Are passengers getting a good ride? e) Phase Readiness and Engineering Milestone Reviews. Keith was sure that Project SPEED was absolutely the right approach and that effective partnerships between Network Rail, suppliers and operators were essential. It was set up to significantly reduce the time and costs of delivering rail infrastructure projects. /Parent 2 0 R This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/integrated-rail-plan-for-the-north-and-the-midlands/integrated-rail-plan-for-the-north-and-midlands-glossary. Dont worry we wont send you spam or share your email address with anyone. Network Rail's GRIP process was developed to minimise delivery risk by dividing a project into eight distinct stages for which there was a defined set of activities which had to be completed before starting the next stage. 19 0 obj The changes to the law proposed by a hybrid bill would affect the general public but would also have a significant impact for specific individuals or groups. It requires the provision of six new stations and has to accommodate two passenger trains per hour in addition to the existing freight service.