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A successful collaboration between Porterbrook and the BCRRE has resulted in a revolutionary, green technology project that is central to decarbonising the railway by 2050. The UK’s first hydrogen powered train, dubbed as ‘HydroFLEX’, will be showcased at COP26 in November this year to demonstrate some of the best of British low-carbon train technology.

The UK has committed to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 and rail travel will play a monumental role on that journey to decarbonisation. Decarbonisation has never been higher on the agenda in rail, and although 2050 is a generation away any decisions made today will have a direct impact on the UK’s ability to meet its target in the most cost-effective way. The abandonment of the UK rail franchising system, technological progress and the declining costs of renewables means that green power can now be coupled with innovation and investment. The franchising system in UK rail could be seen as one of the reasons we haven’t seen implementation of measurable innovation, why? Because train operating companies (TOCs) with short-term contracts were simply never going to have the incentive to invest for the long term.

Since March 2020, the world has wondered when we can return to normal. The kind of normal that includes face to face meetings, discussions over a coffee, exhibitions showcasing the best and brightest innovations. Employees and organisations adapted during the pandemic and the digital world has been embraced, from 5-year old’s participating in virtual lessons to Grandparents using facetime and technophobes doing their weekly shop online. The pandemic has been a catalyst for technological development because it became a necessity.

The answer is simple, although the background is technical and quite complex. Our systems are different because they have been engineered to actually create the real-time information that is updated and presented dynamically to the traveller (operators and staff). At best, competitor systems might be able to ‘take a feed’ from an operator or local authority, whereas our system harnesses data from multiple sources to create a dynamic and situationally aware provision of highly accurate information. It’s because we have decades of experience providing systems to rail operators and have accurate train prediction algorithms that we can do this.

Many trains are now fitted with passenger counting technology and digital seat reservations which has increased operational efficiency. Not only has it made reserving seats easier, it saves staff time on having to put “reserved” markers out and reduces time of passenger boarding, ultimately reducing risk of delays. The data provided has proved useful for train operating companies (TOC’s) helping them to better understand passenger behaviours.

The rail industry is ahead of the curve regarding decarbonisation, it is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to travel by or transport goods. So, why the push on rail to become even greener? Why not road?