Real results that reshaped rail this year
From data innovation to enhanced safety and wellbeing, discover how RSSB delivered tangible value to the rail industry this past year.
Our commitments to you span data use, traction power, wellbeing, and more. Here’s everything we delivered in 2024/25.
Helen CostelloDirector of Business Management and Performance, RSSB
As we bring another financial year to a close, we’re reflecting on our 2024/25 outputs and how they’ve unlocked widespread improvements for our rail network and its people.
From updated cab design requirements to solutions for the better exploitation of data, let’s review this past year's delivery.
In July 2024, we hosted our fourth annual Operations Risk and Safety Conference. Our extensive programme featured sessions from LNER, Network Rail, East Midlands Railway, GWR, and RSSB.
This truly collaborative event brought together safety leads from across the industry, allowing them to share updates, best practice, and fresh perspectives. It’s just one way we’re working to keep strengthening our industry’s safety record. You can register for the 2025 conference here ❯
We believe in the power of data. Rail has always generated huge amounts of data, but knowing what to do with it—how to drive improvements from its insights—is key.
This year, we’ve started to develop a Data Interoperability Framework to help all parties within GB rail make better use of their operational and engineering data. Our plan now is to develop guidance for you on how to create data in open and standardised digital formats. We’ll keep you posted on our progress.
Our research team has been hard at work exploring modern traction power solutions this year. This work has culminated in the delivery of two research reports, which are now available to view.
One looks at the feasibility of smart traction energy management on the Western route. The other looks at compatibility and optimisation considerations for rolling stock traction batteries and battery charging.
We hope that, equipped with our findings, you’ll feel confident in making better use of existing and future traction power solutions.
Did you know there’s an 18-second difference between UTC and GPS time?
For the first time in over 100 years, we’ve developed a new rail industry standard (RIS) for time in railway systems. The goal with this RIS is to ensure consistency in timestamping across different railway systems, which will improve data aggregation. Having a unified approach to time and date will also support accident investigation.Check out the new standard here ❯
This year, we’ve also produced a suite of documents designed to help your teams assess and manage risks associated with underline bridges where passenger vehicles operate above 100 mph.
Our aim with this project is to provide the tools needed make safe decisions in complex cases, where simpler guidance may not necessarily work.Check out the guidance note here ❯
People are at the heart of everything we do. That’s why, this year, we’ve taken steps to improve comfort and safety in the driver’s cab.
RIS-2761-RST issue two sets out new requirements designed to enhance thermal comfort in the cab, reduce the risk of injury when entering and exiting the cab, and support drivers on their approach to stations.Check out the updated RIS here ❯
One of our 2024/25 projects will help enable almost £42 million of benefits over 5 years. How? By allowing trains to accelerate once the front of their train reaches the newly introduced ‘A’ board. In the past, drivers had to wait to speed up until their whole train passed a ‘T’ board.
While this will only apply in certain scenarios—notably under certain types of speed restrictions—it’ll be key for reducing delays, saving money, and keeping our passengers satisfied.Learn more about this project here ❯
The rail industry’s current rate of sickness absence is twice that of the national average. But maintaining our country’s high-performing network relies on having a healthy, happy workforce.
The aim of our long-term health and wellbeing data strategy is to manage health on par with safety. It’s been created to enable a rail system that has a data-led, evidence-based approach to health and wellbeing.
With it, we’ll help enable improved investment decisions and better manage wellbeing for our colleagues across the industry.Check out the strategy here ❯
This year, we’ve worked with stakeholders across rail—including the Train Driver Academy and various passenger operators—to develop and implement a course designed to enhance driver training.
Funded by the UK government, this two-day course is for those involved in driver training. Its information and activities centre on the competence-based approach, which will support them in better tailoring the training and development they deliver to their trainees. And importantly, it will give our members advanced capabilities for competence management.
In 2024, we updated our annual Climate Change Adaptation Maturity assessment. This is part of our mission at RSSB: to provide the industry with the tools it needs to ensure a sustainable and resilient future for rail.
We also published an agreed set of future climate change scenarios to help the industry plan for climate change. Adding to this, we facilitated climate resilience workshops alongside the Department for Transport, Network Rail, and passenger and freight operators.
This body of work is vital for helping our members understand their climate change maturity, identify areas for improvement, and drive industry-wide change. Learn more here ❯
Adding value to our passengers and communities is just as important as protecting the natural environment. That’s why we’ve upgraded our Rail Social Value Tool (RSVT) this year.
The tool, created in partnership with Loop and Network Rail, was updated with additional core metrics, guidance, and support functions. These changes make things faster, easier to use, and more adaptable so that the RSVT remains your go-to resource for all things social value.
ScotRail and Transport for Wales are already benefitting. Why not see how it could help you?Check out the updated RSVT here ❯
We’re carefully crafting our 2025/26 Annual Business Plan which will be published in April. Shaping our commitments using your feedback and insights, we’re planning out the next financial year and aiming to deliver as many benefits to industry as possible.
Stay tuned!
Our Track Records showcase the impact of the work we deliver throughout the year. Check them out today.
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