Notice

Competition brief: accelerating innovation in rail round 4

Updated 10 May 2017

This notice was withdrawn on 21 September 2017

This competition is no longer open. The rail franchising section has greater information on current funding opportunities.

1. Dates and deadlines

Competition opens	Midday Monday 20 March 2017
Competition briefing and consorium building events	Tuesday 21 March 2017 in London Wednesday 29 March 2017 in Cardiff Thursday 6 April 2017 in Manchester
Registration deadline	Midday on Wednesday 10 May 2017
Application deadline	Midday on Wednesday 17 May 2017

2. The competition scope

The rail industry is transforming the way it manages innovation and introduces new technologies. The Rail Capability Delivery Plan 2017 outlines the industry’s vision for using technology to create a better railway. This competition aims to provide direct support and encourage collaboration between rail industry clients and innovative businesses.

The focus of this competition is industrial research. To be in scope proposals must demonstrate how they meet specific industry challenges. Proposals should contribute to the high-level programmes developed by the rail industry, as outlined below. Future exploitation is a key priority. Applications should provide evidence of a market need for specific solutions and engagement with potential rail industry customers.

3. Specific competition themes

3.1 High-value, low-cost railway innovations

Increasing the value of rail services for passengers while driving down operational costs is a priority. There are significant opportunities to innovate to:

• design, build and operate railway infrastructure at reduced cost
• help to make lightly used lines more affordable
• improve the business case for expanding existing and future routes

Innovations in this theme need not be constrained by existing railway standards. Projects may drive initiatives that enhance industry standards and bring track and train operations much closer together.

The route to market is also critical. A practical approach may see innovations tested and demonstrated on lightly used lines, then transferred to more heavily congested network areas.

This theme includes innovations that:

• see railway tracks and trains as part of an integrated system and optimise design to deliver whole-system solutions
• adopt ideas and technologies from other sectors, such as automotive or aerospace
• integrate with light-rail and mainline rail to improve reliability and lower costs of vehicles, track or supporting infrastructure
• develop near-to-market innovations to reduce operating costs for existing or future network and rolling stock. The focus will be on innovations that can be brought to market within 3 years
• reduce lifecycle costs for the design of lightweight, energy-efficient rolling stock, railway infrastructure and energy systems
• help deliver optimal staffing for a high-value, low-cost railway

Other innovations may also be considered where significant technical and exploitation potential can be demonstrated.

3.2 Improving customer experience through stations

Optimising station design can enhance the performance of the rail network and wider transport system, and improve the passenger experience. For instance, human-centred design can make accessing stations and trains easier and quicker. Better interconnections between transport modes enhance the overall travel experience.

This competition theme will include innovations that:

• optimise passenger movements through stations and improve loading and unloading trains
• support passengers’ end-to-end journeys, incorporating more than one transport mode
• assist passengers in joining and leaving the rail network by providing dynamic connecting transport options, tailored to meet customer demand and preference. For instance: improved accessibility at stations to deliver intelligent mobility; maximising connectivity through improved parking or onward transport options
• use smart techniques to manage passenger flows, either through innovation in station design or operation
• segregate passengers in boarding and alighting and use techniques to influence behaviour to separate passenger flow
• improve route-planning or wayfinding technologies to help passengers find directions
• improve real-time journey information to enable passengers to select a service based on:
  • capacity
  • available amenities
  • precise, real-time journey information
• influence customer choices and shape service provision
• understand passengers’ journey preferences to provide real-time, personalised guidance
• help railway operations be more flexible and respond dynamically to changes in customer attitudes and behaviours
• innovation in gate-lines, including the removal of physical barriers, controlling customer flows and using alternative methods to manage revenue protection
• assist with luggage location, identification and tracking
• enhance catering options, including enabling pre-ordering, station collection, ordering in transit, or at-seat delivery
• enhance environmental and sensory experiences (including train and station interiors). For example, digital interaction, dynamic lighting, scent, noise-cancelling, audio, or other factors contributing to the passenger experience

Other innovations may also be considered where significant technical and exploitation potential can be demonstrated.

3.3 Other considerations

Applications are welcome both from within and outside the rail sector. We encourage consortia to work in partnership with organisations that have rail sector expertise, either directly or in an advisory role.

The competition’s consortium-building events are designed to introduce non-rail organisations to stakeholders and potential partner organisations from the rail sector. Applications must address specific challenges faced by organisations in the rail industry.

Key organisations include direct suppliers to the industry, or ‘challenge owners’ including Network Rail, London Underground, HS1, HS2, Crossrail, infrastructure providers, train operating companies, rolling-stock operators. They also include a number of rail and light-rail projects currently in the planning phase.

Proposals must account for human behaviour to ensure acceptance by users (rail industry employees or passengers). Projects must support end-to-end proofs-of-concept and demonstrate how the technologies can be scaled up in a flexible way.

Proposals will be assessed on the potential for successful exploitation in a railway environment. Applicants are encouraged to discuss requirements in relation to regulations and policy with potential customer organisations prior to finalising submissions. More information is provided in the guidance for applicants.

4. Projects that we won’t fund

Projects must demonstrate a strong route for exploitation and potential to deliver real benefits to rail or light-rail industries. We will not fund applications that:

• are early-stage or with low technological maturity
• have a low probability of exploitation
• lack a visible route to market

Although applications proposing the development of smartphone apps are in scope, only a limited number of such applications will be supported.

5. Find out if you are eligible to apply

To lead a project, you must:

• be a UK-based business of any size
• carry out your project in the UK
• work collaboratively

6. Funding and project details

We have allocated up to £9 million to fund collaborative research and development (R&D) projects addressing the technical challenges outlined in the scope.

Projects should last between 3 and 12 months. We expect the total cost of projects to range from £150,000 to £1 million. We may consider larger projects, but you should discuss this with us before making your application. We are looking to fund industrial research, with businesses attracting 50% public funding for project costs (60% to 70% for SMEs).

All projects must:

• be led by a UK-based business and carried out in the UK
• include at least one UK-based SME
• meet the description of industrial research (see the guidance for applicants for more information)

We expect to distribute:

• up to £4.5 million for projects on ‘high-value, low-cost railway innovation’
• up to £4.5 million for projects on ‘improving customer experience through stations’

For industrial research, you could receive:

• up to 70% of eligible project costs for small businesses
• up to 60% for medium-sized businesses
• up to 50% for large businesses

International partners are welcome to participate in consortia, but are not eligible for Innovate UK grant funding.

Find out if your business fits the EU definition of an SME.

7. How to apply

To apply:

• register online
• read the guidance for applicants for this competition
• attend one of the briefing events:
  • in London on 21 March or by webcast
  • in Cardiff on 29 March
  • in Manchester on 6 April
• complete and upload your online application on our secure server

We will not accept late submissions. Your application is confidential.

External, independent experts will assess the quality your application. We will then select the projects to fund, building a portfolio of projects that:

• are high quality
• address the range of themes as described in the scope
• represent the potential for return on investment for the company and the UK

Subject to meeting the quality threshold, we reserve the right to manage the portfolio to achieve the correct balance of projects and funding.

Read the general guidance for applicants carefully before you apply. It will help your chances of submitting a quality application.

8. Background and further information

The integration of new technologies into the railway has the potential to address numerous challenges faced by the industry. It can also open new markets and create a sustainable rail industry that offers better services, better journeys and better value as a core part of the UK transport system.

This competition is closely aligned to the DFT’s objectives and the opportunities for innovation identified through the Rail Capability Delivery Plan 2017 and the Rail Technical Strategy 2012. This sets out a vision for a railway that delivers efficient, affordable, flexible and attractive transportation over the next 30 years. For more information see Network Rail Challenges.

The focus of this competition is on delivering on the real potential that exists in UK industry to innovate in the rail and light-rail domains. We are particularly looking for novel approaches to the competition challenges that have potential for exploitation in the near-term, and innovations that will deliver real benefits to the travelling public.

For assistance in finding project partners, contact the Knowledge Transfer Network.

Contact the competition helpline on 0300 321 4357 or email support@innovateuk.gov.uk.