Awards Success for South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance

Image Courtesy of Stagecoach Group

An industry-leading initiative developed by the South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance has picked up the winners award for Operations and Performance at this years Railway Industry Innovation Awards.

The Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) initiative has seen Network Rails autumn and winter track treatment trains being operated and maintained by a passenger operator to improve performance during autumn and winter.

Becoming the first passenger train operator in the country to do this, the Alliance looked completely differently at the MPV operation during 2013 by using passenger train drivers with the support of the maintenance team from the best performing train fleets to bring the operation in-house. As a result of the new approach, the Alliance has successfully reduced delay minutes caused by autumn leaf-fall and increased treatment coverage across the whole network.

Network Rail and South West Trains Innovation

Haydn Abbott, chairman of the awards judging panel said: “This is exactly what the innovation awards are about. Finding simple, innovative and fresh approaches to improve the railway this is a great example.”.

Tim Shoveller, Chief Executive of the South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance, said: This project has really recognised the strength of our Alliance working innovatively together, delivering improvements and opportunities that would not have been realised before. The MPV operation has demonstrated what can be done when a strategy is delivered with a collaborative approach to provide benefits to our customers.

Its great news that weve been recognised in this years Railway Industry Innovation Awards and this is a tribute to all the staff involved in this successful project.

The Modern Railway Industry Innovation Awards are held annually and are arranged by Modern Railways.