Industry has had some notable wins this year, and with much of 2024 now passed, the time is ripe for reflection.
I’m pleased that with the election of the new Labour government, pay disputes have been settled and industrial relations challenges are easing. That’s hugely welcome for passengers and rail employees.
I’m also glad to see that revenue continues to creep back up and that performance and reliability are stabilising. But there’s much more work to do.
Revenue remains at 80% of where it was forecasted to be had it grown at the expected, pandemic-free rate. And we need to keep focusing on improving reliability.
In our 2024–2025 Annual Business Plan, we set out six key challenges that we’re committed to supporting industry on. They are:
cost reduction
safe and satisfied passengers
improving reliability and resilience
adopting new technology
freight safety and growth
value to society and sustainability.
These challenges will be just as relevant next year—especially cost reduction—and we’ll remain focused on them. In addition, there are a few other things I’m hopeful for in 2025 and beyond.
1. A more relentless focus on performance
We’re here to ensure that trains run on time by enhancing performance and reliability. Collaboration, with a constant focus on customer satisfaction, is key.
Our work next year with Network Rail and train operators on PRIMA’s new wind component is a good example of these things in action. PRIMA was designed to focus on heavy rainfall. In 2025, we at RSSB will expand its capabilities to strengthen the network’s performance in a wider range of extreme weather conditions.
Being able to manage speed restrictions appropriately during these times will help us make better operational decisions and keep trains running as close to time as possible during adverse weather.
2. Finding ways to bring down costs
One of our six key challenge, as I outlined above, has just become even more important: finding ways to drive down costs.
This year’s Autumn Budget brought about increases in National Insurance costs for business. It’s now even more pertinent that we collaborate to find efficiencies and make up that cost increase.
Cost reduction must be a core focus for all of us if we’re to continue providing the level of service that passengers want.
3. Greater readiness to adopt new technologies
Across the industry, we need to be much more receptive to new technologies and solutions. This will allow us to find efficiencies in our ways of working, boost productivity, and better manage our cost base.
Automation can be particularly beneficial. Embedding digital tools with automation capabilities will enable staff to carry out some aspects of their work more easily.
For instance, we’re developing Safe Insights, which will soon replace the Safety Management Intelligence System (SMIS). The tool will reduce the time it takes to process individual safety incidents into the database, and this will give your safety teams more time to focus on more pressing, higher-level work.
So, I’d certainly like to see wider industry join RSSB in leaning into this space.
It’ll take a few years for GBR to come to fruition. My hope for 2025 is that, with fresh clarity, we can continue to concentrate on the daily work of meeting passengers’ expectations.
One more thing
The rail industry is no stranger to innovation. Two-hundred years ago, we ran the world’s first steam-powered passenger and freight trains. That brought impressive new technologies and ways of working to our country. It also meant we were able to develop railways around the world. And in the 200 years since then, our industry has continued to push boundaries and tackle modern challenges.
Meaningful change can be difficult to achieve in times of uncertainty—we’ve seen our fair share of those in the past decade. The focus now should be on finding a way to return to the growth mindset from which our industry was born.
4. Clarity from the Great British Railways bill
Since the review in 2018, very little rail reform has been achieved. I hope that, when the bill is published, it will bring much-needed clarity on what the future will hold.
Amid the speculation surrounding it, it’s quite natural that people have been worried and perhaps somewhat distracted. However, we must maintain our focus on delivering a safe, high-performing railway as things start to shake out.
Watch to learn about the main themes of activity we will undertake over the next five years to meet members’ needs.
