In detail
In 2019, Colas Rail UK won a 10-year contract for the South Rail Systems Alliance, covering Western, Wales, Wessex, South East and Anglia.
The Alliance brings together Colas Rail UK (constructor), Aecom (designer) and Network Rail, and provides an integrated delivery model principally for the development, design and construction of track renewals for both plain line and switches and crossings. In addition, the Alliance undertakes associated survey, site investigations, drainage, traction power, signalling (alterations and enhancement e.g. interlocking changes, signal moves, etc), electrification (alterations and enhancements), platform works (coper alignment and platform extensions).
The Alliance is a collaborative agreement governed by agreed principles that underpin the operations that are jointly undertaken. This includes an ethos of win win win or lose lose lose which incentivises the teams to work for the benefit of the Alliance rather than each individual company.
Benefits of the Alliance include:
- selection on a ‘best person for the job’ basis;
- issues are resolved more quickly and require less escalation as the Alliance leadership team has to make unanimous decisions;
- collaborative working helps minimise safety risks as all teams work to a common understanding and process;
- the ability to work more closely with all stakeholders better supports the selection of the right technical and commercial solutions.
Key figures:
- The framework will deliver renewals and enhancements for 10 years (2019 – 2029)
- Pan-region delivery model driving efficient track renewals helping to put the passenger first