That was the year that was
I recently used these words to describe the work completed across RSSB in the last 12 months. Work that has demonstrated RSSB’s commitment to our members and the rail industry at large to improve safety, efficiency, and sustainability for everyone.
We achieved all of this while our industry faces a very tough time. The challenges our industry is facing are the toughest I have experienced in close to four decades working in the sector. Passenger numbers have not yet returned to their pre-lockdown levels, meaning less revenue, and the need for more Government funding. I hope that the current industrial disputes can be resolved very soon so we can focus on rebuilding the industry for the future. There is a strong appetite from passengers to use the train again but not in the same way they did before the pandemic. More leisure and social trips and fewer commuter journeys. We must exceed passengers' expectations so they return and again and again.
The rail freight sector has shown its value and benefitted from changes in the logistics of delivering goods during the pandemic. But falling demand for goods in the current economic downturn may see already thin margins cut even further. Food and energy prices have soared recently, brought about in great part by the war in Ukraine. This will mean that people will have less to spend on other things, which will have a knock-on effect on economic growth.
The costs of the pandemic, and the current government support to alleviate some of the impact of inflationary pressures across the UK have also meant that there is less to invest elsewhere. Many projects have been suspended or delayed, some indefinitely. This means that the whole of our supply chain is seeing the same uncertain future as those directly employed.
We have supported our members in many ways this year. New standards for AC electrified lines have the potential to save millions of pounds of project costs. Our coupler strength research will reduce overall transportation costs and the carbon footprint for rail freight. And our work on the Condition of Freight Vehicles on the Network project will help reduce freight derailments and their associated costs and delays for all who use the network. Our data insights and system risk modelling is helping Network Rail assess the need for work on earthworks.
These are just some projects delivered by RSSB in the year to improve the safety, cost efficiency and health and wellbeing of those who work on the railway.
In the coming year we will build on our digital capabilities. We will develop automatic data entry into our Insights platform and make connections to promote data sharing. Our data insights will support technical leadership, and data hubs will allow us to measure the performance of industry strategies and identify risk causation with predictive modelling.
Having led the development of the Sustainable Rail Blueprint, we will support its implementation. Data gathered from our Air Quality Monitoring Network will be used to define air quality targets and improvement plans. The Rail Social Value Tool is already being used by 33 organisations and in 2023 will identify and demonstrate the social value that rail delivers across the network and beyond.
Rail is undergoing a period of significant change. Our Futures Lab will play a key role in identifying the rail sector strategy for the future. This will include looking at future opportunities and the disruptive new businesses and services that we at RSSB and the industry can create.
Slightly nearer in time, I want to wish everybody concerned a festive and enjoyable time over the holiday period and thank the many hundreds of people who will be working on infrastructure upgrades and renewals throughout the festive period.
Mark Phillips, RSSB Chief Executive Officer
