eviFile, the Leeds SaaS – Software as a Service – company has been selected by Network Rail and the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) to power digital project management systems and a progressive assurance approach. This means management teams will receive vital information about progress of work without manual intervention, thus speeding up the decision-making process.

The multi-billion pound upgrade to the 122km line between Manchester and York, via Leeds and Huddersfield, will include full electrification, upgraded signalling where tracks are increased from two to four as well as other upgrades to increase line speed. In the years 2019-20, 29m passengers used the route via the 23 stations on the line.

A pilot project using the new software improved project efficiency by more than 20% and hours spent in line possessions reduced reporting by more than half.

The new contract will see a rolling programme of digitalisation, so as East, Central And West delivery teams will be able to review progress in real time.

eviFile has collaborated closely with Network Rail and the TRU Alliance partners to align its real-time Field-to-Control Room insight solution to overhaul railway possession activities, including tracking completions management, quantities and volumes, as well as on-site progress.

The system will also provide information relating to real-time possessions and blockade reporting, daily shift reporting and time management, Close Calls data capture as well as a single solution for Quality Check Sheets and Inspection and Test Plan (ITP) management relating to all contractors working across the TRU footprint.

Productivity has increased by 20% in the first 18 months since eviFile was introduced.  This has been achieve through better data capture, reporting, quality and performance tracking.  Quicker and better informed decisions can be Madera s well as faster management of defects and real-time visibility of the impact of the programme.  An average of 2.5 hours are saved in each 24 hours of possession.  To date, eviFile has delivered more than 100 possessions and will be increased dramatically in future as 1,200 users will be able to manage work digitally.

Luke Allen, managing director of eviFile, said: “Our vision of better project control to improve construction performance through increased transparency has come to fruition with the TRU programme. For the first time, clients, Alliances and primary contractors can track all works and activities in real-time, hour-by-hour, from anywhere.

“We are extremely glad to see that engagement with the solution is high, resulting in significant reductions in time, which provides a clear return on investment. The ability to centralise a huge programme like TRU into a consolidated eviFile platform across regions, alongside other platforms and workstreams to provide real-time data into PowerBI to deliver completion, will be one of best examples of rail project digitisation we’ve engaged with to date”