It involved eight 'stages' from feasibility through to operational handback. Over 1,000 people within Network Rail and its supply chain had so far been briefed on PACE. He retired from Network Rail in 2009 after a 37-year railway career. United Kingdom Please contact SPEED@networkrail.co.uk to gain access to more information on the SPEED Hub. Pace will place that review closer to the project. 11 0 obj An experienced Manager with experience of working within the rail SISS maintenance environment, with a focus on effective delivery, commercial acumen and a continuous improvement approach, with health and safety at the centre of everything you do. PACE is designed to maximise value and minimise bureaucracy when applied appropriately. 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. 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Visit our, Interview | Mike Wright of Network Rail on setting a new tone for project delivery, Balfour to build River Trent pedestrian bridge as costs rise, Former East West Rail boss joins National Highways, Council in talks over future of Newcastle station project after contractor collapse, Greek train crash: Failure of signalling systems highlights railway safety issues, Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering, On demand webinar: SuDS and the Code of Adoption Sewerage, On demand webinar: What the next 10 years holds for the built environment, On demand webinar: machine control and automation, Building Momentum: SUDs are ready to enter the mainstream. Backed by $255,000 of his own money, Casper has raised $333,000 for the race while Carlson has brought in nearly $110,000, still a large sum for a City Council contest. The workshop will look at the PACE (Project . His experience of investment panels was that they had the required flexibility, although commercial panels sometimes delayed contracts. However, the key requirement is a change in culture. We are also part of the supply chain working to improve efficiency throughout key rail infrastructure projects. It replaces GRIP, which was considered by some as overly complex and inefficient in its approach, resulting in additional costs being incurred. Caveat in AIP defered to Grip 4. <> It gets a robust outcome but the challenge were creating with Pace is asking at the start if theres a better way of achieving the same outcome.. <> The contracts must be settled, warranties agreed and benefit assessments begin. Toby Elliott, Network Rail Head of Communications, said "PACE is designed to deliver projects more quickly, at lower cost and higher quality. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. <> Project SPEED therefore potentially offers GTR significant benefits as the companys Infrastructure Director, Keith Jipps, explained. The ten identified themes are: Helping to make SPEED business-as-usual is the role of the Rail Investment Centre of Excellence led by Network Rail Wales & Westerns Capital Delivery Director, Stuart Calvert, who emphasised that its role was to support the regions who are accountable for project delivery. Significant challenges to achieve deliverables of funding settlement. Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines told last autumn's Rail Industry Alliance annual conference that the eight-stage governance in rail investment projects (Grip) framework process, which was first adopted in 2010, was to be replaced "because it's not effective". 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. Working with DfT, Network Rail identified six infrastructure projects of differing scale and stages of development, and asked them to consider past and current constraints, and what was needed to unblock them. Involving the whole project life cycle, in a complex and demanding operational environment. Built with love in Manchester , New Civil Engineer 'Interview | Mike Wright of Network Rail on setting a new tone for project delivery'. According to Wright, Grip was much more than a project lifecycle and there are hundreds of other processes, policies and governance controls across Network Rail that were affected by the Grip process. Wider Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) services are to be considered, including to Newcastle, Hull and Sheffield. From the start of this year the Governance for Rail Investment Projects (Grip) process, which has been in place for more than a decade, is being replaced with Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment (Pace). <> Enter your email and we'll let you know when a new long read is published. Instead, it must grasp the opportunity SPEED presents to do things differently. 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). It is then tested to ensure that everything is working as it should be and then commissioned into use. He felt that rail is well placed to be a key part of the recovery from the Covid crisis and to decarbonise transport, but stressed that the required investment cannot be taken for granted. Detailed oriented self starter and finisher. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. The purpose of PACE is to provide a project delivery framework that can be tailored by the project to the individual needs of each project. Rail SPEED is one of the contributions that the Department for Transport is making to the cross-government work on Project Speed. <> 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. Like what you've read? HS2 Phase 2a will extend the high-speed rail line north from the West Midlands at Birmingham to Crewe, helping towns and cities across North West England, North Wales and Scotland benefit from it sooner. Typically, a minimum of 5 years' experience working in the rail sector. These new and innovative ways of working will be rolled out across all rail upgrades, with the intention of ensuring that passengers experience better journeys more quickly, giving greater value to taxpayers and transforming the pace and way in which our railways are improved. High Speed 2 (HS2) is a new high-speed railway linking London, the Midlands and the North, with services continuing to Scotland via the West Coast Main Line. e) Phase Readiness and Engineering Milestone Reviews. Yet he cautioned that PACE could go the way of GRIP unless behaviours changed. PACE is a new approach that will make it easier for Network Rail to integrate and respond to operational challenges. Network Rails process for developing railway interventions, split into various gateways in a similar manner to the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP). 26 0 obj It is a series of proposed rail interventions spanning the East Midlands and West Midlands, reaching destinations such as Birmingham, Leicester, Coventry, Nottingham, Derby, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Shrewsbury, Lincoln, Worcester and Wolverhampton. From stage 3 this single option and outline design should be recommended and taken forward. Bridge inspection & assessments. Rail Project SPEED: Introduction and PACE - 20 May 2021 689 views May 24, 2021 3 Dislike Share Save Railway Industry Association 142 subscribers Introduction and Overview of Rail Project SPEED. endobj These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Prodigal Bond Buyers Return to Gilts as 250 Billion Wall Looms. For example, when a client requirement comes in, a project team will follow the prescriptive process and might develop three options through to engineering design which can often cost a significant amount of time and money. In 1975, he took a three-year break as a volunteer to manage an irrigation project in Bangladesh. The full, robust engineering design is produced along with the detailed costings and time estimates that go with the project delivery. It is a series of proposed rail interventions to improve rail connectivity on a West-East basis through Birmingham Moor Street station. I am an enthusiastic and highly motivated individual, with a long track record of project delivery. endobj Trains that handle goods instead of passengers. endobj <> The report follows an industry roundtable held with Network Rail which explored the practical steps that need to be taken to unlock delivery. Services will then travel onwards to northern England and Scotland, including Manchester, Glasgow, Liverpool, Preston and Wigan. But it [Grip] is rarely used properly so it is not fit for purpose, he told last autumns annual Rail Industry Alliance conference. Finally, he noted that there are occasions when a slower and more coordinated approach is appropriate, especially when there is a risk to the timetable. Rail Signalling & Power17 Moorlands LaneSaltash, Cornwall It is costing money and time.. The governments plan to transform rail links between key cities across the north of England through new lines and upgrades. The challenge now is to spread and scale that best practice across other programmes and the wider network. Hybrid bills mix the characteristics of public and private bills. This Network Rail standard is mandatory and shall be complied with by Network Rail and its contractors if applicable from 1st September 2012. Keith advised that CARS was the first project to be subject to a SPEED review. (RailDiary). The Integrated Rail Plan plans for Warrington include the reopening of the disused low-level platforms underneath Warrington Bank Quay and the West Coast Main Line, which runs broadly perpendicular to the proposed Northern Powerhouse Rail service. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Assurance developing a more integrated approach. PACE has been created from Project SPEED (Swift, Pragmatic and Efficient Enhancement Delivery), itself part of the governments Covid-19 recovery plan to deliver public investment projects faster and for less money. <> David Shirres joined British Rail in 1968 as a scholarship student and graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Sussex University. Part of the PACE ethos is empowering and delegating authority to those best placed for decision making within the project team. 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. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Phase 2b WL will open between 2035 and the early 2040s. Office: 1 Silk Street, Manchester M4 6LZ. 5. The overall approach is product rather than process driven and within each of they key stages of GRIP an agreed set of products are delivered. Success will deliver an industry that trusts knowledge and expertise, does not follow rules at the expense of common sense or better outcomes and is filled with people proud and excited to work in rail. Hence the centre is producing useable benchmark information with real practical examples. Foreigners Pull Out From Turkey ETF at Fastest Pace Since 2021. Within Pace we are trying to create a framework with a delegated authority of decision making, he explains. 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. D; Not e Grip 3. 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). With the more effective use of resources, and greater collaboration between teams across different rail projects, it is thought that PACE will have an even greater benefit on delivering efficiency gains than its predecessor GRIP. Visit our, Network Rail acts on Project Speed principles with new project delivery framework, Balfour to build River Trent pedestrian bridge as costs rise, Former East West Rail boss joins National Highways, Council in talks over future of Newcastle station project after contractor collapse, Greek train crash: Failure of signalling systems highlights railway safety issues, Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering, On demand webinar: SuDS and the Code of Adoption Sewerage, On demand webinar: What the next 10 years holds for the built environment, On demand webinar: machine control and automation, Building Momentum: SUDs are ready to enter the mainstream. Midlands Engine Rail (MER) is the flagship rail programme of Midlands Connect. 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. PACE was applied to the Okehampton project which we were a part of. GTR is doing the timetable work to evaluate journey time, capacity and connectivity impact on various options for the Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme (CARS). PACE is a new approach that will make it easier for Network Rail to integrate and respond to operational challenges. endobj He advised that if the industry could seize the opportunity to build back better and faster, it would have the fervent support of his government. A rail line that operates on 4 parallel tracks. Following the highly successful Rail SPEED Conference on 26 February, introduced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Network Rail and the Railway Industry Association (RIA) are holding a FREE follow-up event to explore some of the work that underpins SPEED in more detail. Linked to the Gatwick Airport project was the introduction of longer eight-car trains that required platform extensions at three stations. A parkway railway station is a railway station that primarily serves a park and ride interchange rather than a town or city centre. Wright adds: I have one project that under Pace will save up to 75% on the time needed on running through the Grip 1 to Grip 3 process.. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. An approach to train timetabling to maximise the use of a mixed-traffic railway. <> All Rights Reserved, Rail Diary Limited is a limited company registered in England & Wales. Excellent written and oral communication skills. Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines told last autumns Rail Industry Alliance annual conference that the eight-stage governance in rail investment projects (Grip) framework process, which was first adopted in 2010, was to be replaced because its not effective. Previous delivery of projects through Network Rail Grip stages 1-3. As part of this, challenge workshops were held to consider the scope of level crossings and track. And that is why it is not fit. Able to undertake the NR/L2/INI/02009 roles of Contractors Responsible Engineer (CRE) or equivalent. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. endobj 19 0 obj Sign in or Register a new account to join the discussion. stream 17 0 obj The Integrated Rail Plan recommends completing the electrification of the MML, bringing fully-electric services to Leicester, Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield. It was concluded that there had to be a move from a rules-based model to one based on principles. In particular they need to assess what is actually necessary for the risk and complexity of the work. This is where the needs and requirements of a project are defined. He has also been awarded a Diploma in Engineering Management by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. AECOM produced the Strategic Outline Business Case and are providing project management services. An engineering phase gate review (right) is done at specific milestones within the project phases. /Parent 2 0 R Critics of the Grip process have described it as inflexible and glacially slow and has been blamed as one of the key hold ups in rail schemes such as those that form part of MetroWest in the Bristol region. Required fields are marked *. 21 0 obj The statutory approval process for schemes. According to Wright, Grip was much more than a project lifecycle and there are hundreds of other processes, policies and governance controls across Network Rail that were affected by the Grip process. Image taken from: New Civil Engineer 'Interview | Mike Wright of Network Rail on setting a new tone for project delivery', 1 Silk Street PACE (Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment) was approved by the Network Rail board in November 2020 after several months of testing. Our readers include transport experts, politicians and enthusiasts both in the UK and globally. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Planning Consents and Environment Permissions speeding up the Transport and Works Act process, publishing guides on planning and environmental consents. endobj Wright says that a complex, major project may still run through these stages sequentially but the stages can be overlapped and combined for smaller schemes. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. delivery of Infrastructure Investment projects onto the rail network. 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. Wright describes Project Speed as a broad piece of work and the move to Pace came out of it with the aim of unpicking some of the issues around governance and Grip. SPEED is forging a path ahead for the industry to adapt and meet these challenges head on. With the country now facing an unprecedented economic challenge, more than ever before, we need to get the most we can out of every pound we put in the ground, become a more attractive and efficient investment opportunity, and a more dependable partner that is easy to engage. What is the SPEED approach? Network Rail is more relaxed over what people choose to call it. Furthermore, its linear process was too inflexible. 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. One success story already realised using PACE is the restoration of the Dartmoor Railway Line, putting regular passenger services back on the line after more than 50 years. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies. Able to undertake the NR/L2/INI/02009 roles of Contractors Responsible Engineer (CRE) or equivalent. Like what you've read? The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". So what is PACE, and how does it differ from its predecessor? The West Coast Main Line (WCML) is one of the UKs core rail lines, running between London and Glasgow via Crewe and Lancaster, with branches to Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool. In addition, a new delivery model was developed for the three packages of work: rail corridor works led by Network Rail, stations and highways led by Northumberland County Council and introduction of the new passenger service led by Northern Rail. Project SPEED (Swift, Pragmatic and Efficient Enhancement Delivery) is a joint initiative between the Department for Transport and Network Rail. Grip was very much about how you got from A to B and it told you how to get there, says Wright. . It replaces GRIP, which was considered by some as overly complex and inefficient in its approach, resulting in additional costs being incurred. We have cultivated a whole generation of people who apply it mechanically. 9 0 obj The project to reintroduce passenger services to Ashington and Blythe (see Issue 185, July/Aug 2020) was one of the pilot projects used to develop the principles of Project SPEED. endobj Until now, Network Rail's "enhancement" budget for the five year period from 2019-24 had been set at 10.4bn. It's been claimed that PACE will have an even greater impact than GRIP in delivering efficiency gains. With strikes paralysing Britain, bosses have lost their grip on where we work . It will also encourage greater collaboration between teams working on different projects by allowing them to share lessons learned from previous work in order to improve delivery. Keith also gave examples of how GTR had accelerated the design and delivery of station projects. PACE (Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment) was approved by the Network Rail board in November 2020 after several months of testing. This approach involves early engagement with all concerned, particularly suppliers. PACE has been created from Project SPEED (Swift, Pragmatic and Efficient Enhancement Delivery), itself part of the governments Covid-19 recovery plan to deliver public investment projects faster and for less money. Board members at the meeting on 20 and 21 January, for which the minutes have only recently been published, were told that the Pace framework would be given a soft launch in January and a virtual conference would be held in late February to promote it more widely within the organisation. 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. Getting different parts of the railway to work much more closely together will also be an essential aspect of the Williams Review, bringing significant changes to the industrys structure. The fact is that from Monday, the track operator moves from being nominally in the private sector to a public sector organisation . <> Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. /Resources <> 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. [19 0 R] To receive New Civil Engineer's daily and weekly newsletters click here. Rail lineside civils works including UTX/URX design & lineside structures. <> But it is rarely used properly so it is not fit for purpose, he said. GRIP is used to describe how Network Rail manages project delivery of projects within the national rail network. The line is currently electrified between London and Kettering/Corby, with electrification as far north as Market Harborough expected to be completed in 2024. As described later, this required the development of a new project management process, PACE (Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment), addressing ten key themes and the provision of a Rail Investment Centre of Excellence to provide support and share lessons learnt.