📋 Tender Overview
Network RailS Trial Of Universal SignallingS U-Cross System Marks A Significant Step Forward In Delivering Next-Generation, Safer Signalling To Rural Railway Lines Across Britain. Developed By And First Demonstrated At The Global Centre Of Rail Excellence In Onllwyn, South Wales, In 2024, The Technology Has Already Been Recognised As A Potential Game-Changer For The Rail Industry. The System Provides Signallers With Real-Time Information On The Precise Location Of Trains, Enabling Quicker, Safer Decision-Making At User-Worked Level Crossings - Used Daily By Farmers, Landowners And Rural Communities. The Challenge User-Worked Crossings Are Common On Rural Lines And Require Users To Contact The Signaller By Telephone Before Crossing. While Current Processes Are Safe, Signallers Often Rely On Train-Location Information Drawn From Several Different Sources, Which Can Result In Delays For People Waiting To Cross. U-Cross Addresses This Challenge By Delivering Real-Time, Enhanced Situational Awareness Directly To The Signaller - Including Exactly How Many Minutes Are Available To Cross Safely Before The Next Train Arrives - Enabling Faster, Safer Decision-Making. Solutions Of This Kind Traditionally Take Years To Develop And Can Be Costly, But The Combined Efforts Of Universal Signalling, Network Rail Wales & Borders And Transport For Wales - Co-Funded By The Innovation Acceleration Forum - Enabled This Trial To Be Delivered Quickly And Effectively. How The Uk-First Mainline Trial Worked The Two-Week Trial (3 - 14 November) Took Place On An 11-Mile Section Of The Heart Of Wales Line Between Llandeilo And Llandovery, Covering 20 User-Worked Crossings. As Part Of The Trial: Thanks To The SystemS Rapid Installation Capability, The Entire 11-Mile Stretch Was Fitted In Just Two And A Half Overnight Line Blocks, With No Advance Line Side Design Work Required - Demonstrating The Substantial Efficiency And Cost Benefits For Future Signalling Renewals And Upgrades, As Well As The Advanced Safety Protection For Level Crossing Users. The Next Phase Will Look To Extend The Technology Across The Full 96-Mile Heart Of Wales Line, Which Has 126 Crossings, Before Exploring Opportunities On Other Rural Rail Routes Across The Uk. Anthony Aldred, Operations Manager, Network Rail Wales And Borders Said, Managing Access To The Railway At User-Worked Crossings Is A Key Part Of Keeping Our Network Safe For The People And Communities Who Rely On It. In Rural Areas, Where Signallers Rely On Information From Multiple Sources, U-Cross Gives Them A Clear, Instant View Of Train Locations And Visual Confirmation Of Whether A Crossing Is Safe To Use, While Defaulting To Established Procedures If A Fault Is Detected. This Product Has Real Potential To Further Strengthen Safety And Reduce Delays For Users And It Has Been Incredibly Valuable To Support This Project. WeRe Proud To Be Part Of This Uk-First Trial As We Work With Universal Signalling And Our Industry Partners To Explore How It Could Benefit More Locations Across The Network. Stephen Head, Chief Executive Officer At Universal Signalling Said, U-Cross Is The First Stepping Stone Towards Our Vision For Next-Generation Digital Signalling ThatS Affordable For Rural Lines. What Truly Sets This Apart Is The Speed Of Deployment, Which Drives Down Cost To The Railway. WeVe Automated And Productionised As Much Of The Process As Possible, Stripping Out Much Of The Cost Base. Fitting 11 Miles Of Track In Just Two And A Half Overnight Possessions, With No Prior Design Work, Shows WhatS Possible With Our System. ItS Been A Delight Working With The Wales & Borders Teams, And The Support From Transport For Wales Has Been Fantastic. Feedback From This Trial And Analysis Of The Data Collected Will Inform Refinements Ahead Of The Next Phase. Network Rail Is Proactively Adopting Innovative Technologies To Enhance The Passenger Experience, Strengthen Safety And Deliver Smarter, More Cost-Effective Ways Of Running The Railway. Passengers / Community Members Network Rail National Helpline 03457 11 41 41 Latest Travel Advice Please Journalists Kathy Peart Media Relations Manager Network Rail We Own, Operate And Develop BritainS Railway Infrastructure; ThatS 20,000 Miles Of , 30,000 And The Thousands Of , Level Crossings And Stations. We Run 20 Of The UkS Largest While All The Others, Over 2,500, Are Run By The CountryS . Usually, There Are Almost Five Million Journeys Made In The Uk And Over 600 Freight Trains Run On The Network. People Depend On BritainS Railway For Their Daily Commute, To Visit Friends And Loved Ones And To Get Them Home Safe Every Day. Our Role Is To Deliver , So We Carefully Manage And Deliver Thousands Of Projects Every Year That Form Part Of The , To Grow And Expand The NationS Railway Network To Respond To The Tremendous Growth And Demand The Railway Has Experienced - A Doubling Of Passenger Journeys Over The Past 20 Years. Follow Us On Twitter: Visit Our Online Newsroom:
