21 March 2012
Rail industry leadership welcomes Transport Systems Catapult
The rail industry welcomes the Technology Strategy Board’s announcement to
introduce a new innovation centre (known as a Catapult) for transport systems.
The Transport Systems Catapult centre will focus on efficient and sustainable ways to
move people and freight across national transport systems including road, rail, sea and
air. Current transport systems are under increasing pressure from the rise in population
and transportation needs.
Fully integrated transport systems will ease congestion and prepare for the future,
including a rising population and growing number of goods shipped all over the world.
The announcement marks the beginning of a process to develop and realise the
Catapult by summer 2013.
Enabling innovation is a fundamental theme supported by the rail industry through the
cross-industry Technical Strategy Leadership Group (TSLG), facilitated by RSSB. It will
help realise industry’s 30-year vision, to double capacity and maximise customer
satisfaction of rail while halving cost and carbon at the same time.
The network of Catapult centres is designed to boost innovation across many different
business areas by allowing UK businesses access to state of the art equipment,
expertise and research capability that would otherwise be out of reach. Today’s
announcement now completes the network of Catapult centres to be established with
this current phase of funding. Other centres that have been announced include: high
value manufacturing, cell therapy, offshore renewable energy, satellite applications, the
connected digital economy and future cities. These centres will be a powerful new tool
in UK innovation and provide a long-term contribution to UK economic growth.
RSSB Block 2 Angel Square 1 Torrens Street London EC1V 1NY
Telephone: +44 (0)20 3142 5300 Facsimile: +44 (0)20 3142 5301 www.rssb.co.uk
Rail Safety and Standards Board Limited Registered Office: Block 2 Angel Square 1 Torrens Street London EC1V 1NY Registered in England No. 04655675
The rail industry is working very closely with the Technology Strategy Board, through a
long term strategic partnership with RSSB, the Transport Knowledge Transfer Network
(KTN), as well as evolving the proposals for the Catapult that have culminated in today’s
announcement.
TSLG chair Steve Yianni said:
‘This is a unique opportunity to build a centre of innovation excellence for transport as a
whole, and the rail sector – such as the members of TSLG – will want to play their part
in the months ahead. By bringing together experts, academics, innovators, laboratories,
engineers, planners and industry leaders from all modes, transport funders will be in a
position to derive even better value for money.’
TSLG is a cross-industry expert body made up of senior executive staff from Network
Rail, the Association of Train Operating Companies, Rail Freight Group, Railway
Industry Association, Rail Research UK Association, Department for Transport, Office of
Rail Regulation, Transport Scotland and RSSB. It also includes the chairs of the crossindustry System Interface Committees (SICs) which forge industry consensus on
system-level engineering matters.
-EndsThis press release is issued by RSSB on behalf of TSLG.
For media enquiries, please contact:
RSSB press office
Tel 020 3142 5332 / 5331 or email pressoffice@rssb.co.uk or visit www.rssb.co.uk
For the Technology Strategy Board:
David Hulmes, Media Relations Consultant - Catapults
Tel: 020 8133 5523, Mobile: 07799 779921, email: david.hulmes@tsb.gov.uk
RSSB Block 2 Angel Square 1 Torrens Street London EC1V 1NY
Telephone: +44 (0)20 3142 5300 Facsimile: +44 (0)20 3142 5301 www.rssb.co.uk
Rail Safety and Standards Board Limited Registered Office: Block 2 Angel Square 1 Torrens Street London EC1V 1NY Registered in England No. 04655675
Notes to Editors
1. The Technology Strategy Board is the UK’s innovation agency; its goal is to accelerate
economic growth by stimulating and supporting business-led innovation. Sponsored by the
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Technology Strategy Board brings
together business, research and the public sector, supporting and accelerating the development
of innovative products and services to meet market needs, tackle major societal challenges and
help build the future economy. For more information please visit: www.innovateuk.org
2. Catapults, formally known as ‘technology and innovation centres’, are centres of excellence that
bridge the gap between business, academia, research and government. They are a powerful new
element in the UK economy, helping businesses develop relevant and exciting ideas in receptive
and invigorating environments.
The Technology Strategy Board will oversee the Catapult centres. Seven centres have been
announced in this current phase of funding. These include; high value manufacturing, cell
therapy, offshore renewable energy, satellite applications, connected digital economy, future
cities and transport systems.
3. The Transport Knowledge Transfer Network is a public funded body that supports the
development of integrated, efficient and sustainable transport systems, by bringing together
independent but interrelated organisations to stimulate innovation. It is aligned to, and actively
contributes to, the goals of the Technology Strategy Board. For more information please visit:
Transport Knowledge Transfer Network
4. RSSB manages the rail industry’s research and development programme, which covers
‘systems’ issues across the railway, engineering interfaces within the railway, and interfaces with
other parts of the community and society. RSSB is also instrumental in supporting the
development of a future vision for the railways through its Technical Strategy Leadership Group,
and assessing how that vision can best be delivered. For further info: www.rssb.co.uk.
5. The Technical Strategy Leadership Group (TSLG), is an RSSB-facilitated cross-industry
expert body made up of senior executive staff, charged with developing and championing
implementation of the Rail Technology Strategy, supporting communication, managing strategic
research, identifying opportunities, barriers and actions. TSLG has a remit to address future
opportunities over a 30-year horizon. For more information please visit: www.futurerailway.org.
RSSB Block 2 Angel Square 1 Torrens Street London EC1V 1NY
Telephone: +44 (0)20 3142 5300 Facsimile: +44 (0)20 3142 5301 www.rssb.co.uk
Rail Safety and Standards Board Limited Registered Office: Block 2 Angel Square 1 Torrens Street London EC1V 1NY Registered in England No. 04655675