Business contracts: alternative railway signalling systems

9 Feb 2015 03:02 PM

How do you keep trains moving when existing signal systems fail? £4 million in contract funding is available to help find a solution.

If your business has an idea that you think could keep rail traffic on the move, you could win a contract to do a feasibility study, develop a prototype and demonstrate it to industry experts.

Signalling intent

This SBRI (small business research initiative) competition is part of Phase 2 of the Combined Positioning Alternative Signalling System (COMPASS) programme being developed to:

• enable trains to continue to move when the existing signal system fails
• provide signallers with an alternative and more accurate view of a train’s position, speed and direction of travel

Successful applicants will be funded to carry out an initial feasibility study to investigate the technical and commercial viability of their proposed solutions.

On the basis of this study applicants will be selected to demonstrate their solutions to a panel of industry experts including representatives from train operating companies (TOCs), and competition sponsors Network Rail and RSSB.

Competition information

• the competition is now open
• there’ll be a briefing event on 10 February 2015, potential bidders can register by emailing compass@futurerailway.org
• the deadline for receipt of applications is 1pm on Friday 27 March 2015

The competition is sponsored by Network Rail and FutureRailway and run by Network Rail.

Find out more about COMPASS and apply for funding

Read about how another business has benefited from SBRI support

See Innovate UK’s current funding opportunities