Watch Stuart Calvert, capital delivery director, Wales & Western speaking at Rail Live 2021 about how applying SPEED principles will save billions of pounds and cut years off project delivery times. United Kingdom By Claire Smith. Flighting typically would see trains operating at similar end-to-end speeds, when accounting for station stops, grouped together (such as running several fast trains in sequence, followed by slower trains) to minimise congestion. %PDF-1.7 % The 2017 plans consisted of a new high-speed line connecting Phase One (London to the West Midlands) to Leeds, serving an interchange at Toton (in the East Midlands) and with connections to Sheffield and the East Coast Main Line, to access destinations including York and Newcastle. There are eight distinct stages of the GRIP process: We will look at each of these distinct stages in more detail below. endobj In an article last year in New Civil Engineer, Mike Wright (Network Rails Capital Investment Programme Director) describes the aim of PACE to keep the rigour of Grip but not control projects so excessively that we are adding extra time and cost to the delivery.. PACE has. Andrews message was reinforced by a video message from the Prime Minister who was certain that Britain would soon be travelling again and stressed the importance of rail investment. 23 0 obj He advised that GTR had received good passenger feedback from recent blockades which had significantly disrupted their journeys, but only once. Grip is being retired during this year with each of the five Network Rail regions given the power to make decisions about how and when projects migrate to Pace. Services will then travel onwards to northern England and Scotland, including Manchester, Glasgow, Liverpool, Preston and Wigan. Rail SPEED is one of the contributions that the Department for Transport is making to the cross-government work on Project Speed. Instead, it must grasp the opportunity SPEED presents to do things differently. /ExtGState <> The Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP) is the governments rolling process of determining rail enhancements, by structuring the process of development through various assurance gateways as project plans mature. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Excellent written and oral communication skills. It provides a flexible delivery framework which sponsors must use to ensure that the arrangements for their projects are fit for purpose. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. It is costing money and time.. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. PACE is a new approach that will make it easier for Network Rail to integrate and respond to operational challenges. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". A proposed connection north of Crewe station, enabling HS2 services to rejoin the HS2 mainline. 9 0 obj Description used where a station consists of multiple layers of tracks the low-level line runs below the high-level line. He also reiterated that anyone with ideas to improve project delivery should contact [emailprotected], SPECIALIST AREAS >> This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/integrated-rail-plan-for-the-north-and-the-midlands/integrated-rail-plan-for-the-north-and-midlands-glossary. Wright explains: The problem is that Grip has become a paint by numbers process. /Parent 2 0 R >> It involved eight stages from feasibility through to operational handback. In this way he echoed Andrew Haines comments that the industry had to confront poor project delivery in a way that it had not done in the past. The latter was seen as the best way forward and Pace was born but what are the key differences? 8 0 obj Trains using the WCML can also reach Edinburgh via Preston and Carstairs. Your email address will not be published. Desirable Skills and Knowledge Previous delivery of projects through Network Rail Grip stages 1-3. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". There is a lot more to the change than a new name and Network Rail programme director (capital investment) Mike Wright believes the impact will be seen in less than 12 months. <> Wright says that the regions know their project portfolio and contract frameworks better than anyone else, so they are best placed to make the right decision on when to move over. I am also quick in forming relationship in a collaborative way. The Integrated Rail Plan sees the EL split with a First Phase including a new high-speed line from the West Midlands to the East Midlands, directly serving Derby and Nottingham (rather than Toton). <> Similarly, rail commuters have been told not to travel this week unless . Significant challenges to achieve deliverables of funding settlement. The report follows an industry roundtable held with Network Rail which explored the practical steps that need to be taken to unlock delivery. It replaces GRIP, which was considered by some as overly complex and inefficient in its approach, resulting in additional costs being incurred. Procurement developing a simplified process. 18 0 obj Certain things such as land purchase, consents, timetable modelling and preparing signalling control tables take time which has to be built into the project programme. As part of this, challenge workshops were held to consider the scope of level crossings and track. Able to undertake the NR/L2/INI/02009 roles of Contractors Responsible Engineer (CRE) or equivalent. Building on these values, the Project SPEED team has developed an approach to guide our day-to-day working, so we can all play our part in building a modern and efficient railway that we can be proud of. It involved eight 'stages' from feasibility through to operational handback. The Integrated Rail Plan recommends the core network would run from Liverpool to York via Warrington, Manchester Airport, Manchester Piccadilly, Huddersfield and Leeds, integrating with the HS2 Phase Western Leg. Built with love in Manchester , New Civil Engineer 'Interview | Mike Wright of Network Rail on setting a new tone for project delivery'. The Phase 2b WL also includes sections of track that will be used for Northern Powerhouse Rail and will deliver a station at Manchester Piccadilly designed to integrate future NPR requirements. GRIP is used to describe how Network Rail manages project delivery of projects within the national rail network. David was appointed Editor of Rail Engineer in January 2017 and, since 2010, has written many articles for the magazine on a wide variety of topics including events in Scotland, rail innovation and Russian Railways. Tel: +44 (0)161 694 8684, © 2023 Rail Diary Limited. It is often referenced by project or policy benefit cost ratio (BCR), which for transport schemes is based on the method set out by the Transport appraisal process. A line or station operating below High Speed, similar to the existing national rail network. So what is PACE, and how does it differ from its predecessor? PACE/GRIP Timetabling One-team culture Railway Interoperability Regulation (RIR) Standards Challenge Procurement strategy Access and possession Capability and Culture Contact us Please contact SPEED@networkrail.co.uk to gain access to more information on the SPEED Hub. D; Not e Grip 3. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Wider Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) services are to be considered, including to Newcastle, Hull and Sheffield. to a status equivalent to RIBA 2 and Network Rail PACE ES3 (formerly GRIP 3), moving the project on to the next stage and seeking to maintain partner support and commitment; 3.3 The RIBA stage 2 report and OBC was shared with the industry working group regarding the acceptability of the work to date with a recommendation that we 10 0 obj <> Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment (PACE) describes how Network Rail manages and controls investment projects on the rail network. PACE and Optioneering avoiding a drawn-out option selection process by providing a more flexible approach whilst maintaining rigour. About Network Rail We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. The challenge now is to spread and scale that best practice across other programmes and the wider network. The challenge now is to spread and scale that best practice across other programmes and the wider network. The full, robust engineering design is produced along with the detailed costings and time estimates that go with the project delivery. 3 0 obj Keith was sure that Project SPEED was absolutely the right approach and that effective partnerships between Network Rail, suppliers and operators were essential. 22 0 obj Planning Consents and Environment Permissions speeding up the Transport and Works Act process, publishing guides on planning and environmental consents. But, this week rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris said that the budget would now. GRIP, a project by Network Rail to help deliver efficiency improvements on the rail network, has been replaced by a new programme called PACE. Network Rails GRIP process was developed to minimise delivery risk by dividing a project into eight distinct stages for which there was a defined set of activities which had to be completed before starting the next stage. However, the key requirement is a change in culture. We are a small to medium sized company that has built a strong reputation delivering multi-disciplinary projects and programmes for private and public sector clients. Its aim is to secure rail investment by demonstrating that the industry can become more competitive by significantly reducing costs and halving the time it takes to complete projects. He felt that, in many cases, train operators were best placed to deliver them in an agile manner. Your email address will not be published. The reversing of the direction of travel of a train. GRIP, the tool currently used to manage delivering railway investment projects in Network Rail, is seen as too rigid and can often lead to unnecessary delays. The decision taken at each gateway will be whether or not to proceed with progressing the intervention to the next development stage, with a final gateway providing the decision to deliver. An approach to train timetabling to maximise the use of a mixed-traffic railway. You have accepted additional cookies. Making the Grade (Separation): The Bermondsey Diveunder, Holy Grails and Thameslink Fails (part 2): The plan that went wrong, A Study In Sussex Part 11: Diverted to the Oxted Lines, London Bridge: The First Sign of Things to Come, A Study in Sussex Part 6: The Approaches to London Bridge, Schrodingers Cab Firm: Ubers Existential Crisis, Slavery and the Railways, Part 2: Building a Better Future, Mind the Gender Gap: The Hidden Data Gap in Transport, Deutsche Bahn, Lufthansa see major increase in air-rail demand (RailTech). To receive New Civil Engineer's daily and weekly newsletters click here. <> A light rail service (tram) that operates on both tram lines and conventional rail lines. Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris told the conference there is a business imperative to get on with modernisation of the network, but there is a need to guard against complacency as the success of current rail programmes will influence future investment. It was concluded that there had to be a move from a rules-based model to one based on principles. The asks by the programmes were grouped into eleven cross-cutting themes, where we are developing longer term transformation, to support teams in halving the time and slashing the cost of delivering improvements to the railway. A non-departmental public body, wholly funded by the Secretary of State for Transport and sponsored by the Department for Transport, that owns, operates and develops Britains railway infrastructure. Taking advantage of current reduced traffic levels to deliver the recent Kings Cross blockade nine months earlier than its originally planned December date was a major planning exercise that was only possible with effective collaboration. In this Integrated Rail Plan, Manchester Piccadilly station would operate as a turnback station. Rail SPEED (Swift, Pragmatic and Efficient Enhancement Delivery) is a joint programme led by the Department for Transport and Network Rail. The construction of the new railway is split into phases: Phase One (linking London to the West Midlands), which received royal assent in 2017; Phase 2a (West Midlands and the North via Crewe) in 2021 and Phase 2b. I have working knowledge in the application of GRIP and PACE applications to projects. The first looked at a number of live projects and gave them a very real challenge to go away and look at cost plans, schedules and the plan of work to identify opportunities to do things better, faster, cheaper and safer; as well as identify our internal processes, regulatory framework or legislation that act as blockers to those things. The line is currently electrified between London and Kettering/Corby, with electrification as far north as Market Harborough expected to be completed in 2024. <> The project is being led and promoted by Northumberland County Council as a third-party project, with Network Rail having an asset protection role. <> Enter your email and we'll let you know when a new long read is published. It is a more flexible control framework compared to GRIP and allows sponsors and project management to tailor controls to better meet the requirements of their project. This Network Rail standard specifies: a) Project Complexity Assessment; b) the PACE lifecycle and phases; c) PACE milestones; d) PACE products; and. It will help the railway better cope with disruptions and ensure that projects are delivered on time and within budget. We have cultivated a whole generation of people who apply it mechanically. It does not store any personal data. The benefits of PACE are said to include: A simpler project management structure, which can be followed by all departments working on projects at any one time; Improved delegation of authority up the chain of command; A greater focus on risk management across all levels of the organisation; More effective use of key performance indicators (KPIs); A more coherent approach to procurement and contracting processes across different disciplines (including civil engineering works). Required fields are marked *. By Claire Smith. All Rights Reserved, Rail Diary Limited is a limited company registered in England & Wales. It will help the railway better cope with disruptions and ensure that projects are delivered on time and within budget. What are the differences between PACE vs GRIP? Able to undertake the NR/L2/INI/02009 roles of Contractors Responsible Engineer (CRE) or equivalent. Halving the time and slashing the cost of project delivery are the two core principles of Network Rails application of Project Speed and is the driving force behind the move to a new project delivery framework. Within Pace we are trying to create a framework with a delegated authority of decision making, he explains. SRC Infrastructure has been providing project management and engineering-based advisory, consultancy and managed services solutions to UK infrastructure clients for 20 years. In an article last year in New Civil Engineer, Mike Wright (Network Rails Capital Investment Programme Director) describes the aim of PACE to keep the rigour of Grip but not control projects so excessively that we are adding extra time and cost to the delivery.. The requirements for this review are determined by the required Level of Control (LoC) which is determined from a risk-based assessment that takes account of issues such as project novelty, technology and design complexity, and operational impact.