The Railway Industry Association (RIA) has announced that Telent is joining the Unlocking Innovation programme as a Strategic Partner.

Telent has been a member of the RIA for a long time, and becomes an Unlocking Innovation Strategic Partner alongside Network Rail RD&I and UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN).

Telent designs, builds, supports and manages critical digital infrastructure. It has several operational sites within the UK, including at Chorley in Lancashire, Warwick, Camberley in Surrey, and Harbour Exchange in London.

The Unlocking Innovation programme highlights innovations and developments and connect firms to enable them to take up new opportunities to innovate.

The programme also supports events which bring together innovators from different sectors and investors from different countries. Having run events in previous years, its 2024 programme of events comprises:

• 27-28 February: Unlocking Innovation Lounge at Interchange 2024, Manchester
• 26-27 March: RIA Innovation Conference 2024, Newport
• 30 April: Unlocking Innovation: Eastern, York
• 12 June: Unlocking Innovation: Southern, tbc
• 19-20 June: Innovation Showcase at RailLive 2024, Long Marston
• 24-27 September: Innovation Showcase at InnoTrans 2024, Berlin
• 24 October: Unlocking Innovation: Scotland, tbc
• 03 December: Unlocking Innovation: North West & Central, tbc

The RIA describes its events programme as “an excellent opportunity for regional railway stakeholders to build connections with innovative suppliers and identify the specific opportunities to introduce new technology and ways of working to their businesses”.

Telent’s Director of Rail Kevin Bonanno said: “UK Rail is facing many challenges – ageing infrastructure, obsolete systems, climate change – which all lead to operational uncertainty and although well-funded, UK Rail is not funded sufficiently to address these issues without doing things differently. Innovative technology solutions are key to addressing these challenges. Telent has a proud history of innovation and of transforming legacy analogue infrastructures into future proofed digital environments. Being part of RIA’s acclaimed Unlocking Innovation programme will allow us to support SMEs and innovators in bringing and deploying their solutions to Britain’s Railways.”

RIA Innovation Director Milda Manomaityte said: “We are delighted to welcome Telent as the third Strategic Partner of the Unlocking Innovation programme, strengthening the collaboration and bringing new ideas. This year we are planning a series of Unlocking Innovation events across the UK’s nations and regions to connect with local stakeholders, suppliers and researchers. Unlocking Innovation “on tour” aims to work closely with Network Rail’s routes and regions as well as regional transport bodies to bring together the innovation community and local railway stakeholders for a showcase of market-ready innovations, R&D work, funding and accelerator programmes, as well as testing capabilities.”

Gareth Evans, Head of Rail Technology, flagged: “We are really looking forward to the Unlocking Innovation Programme for 2024. This is an opportunity to engage with supply chain, share best practice and connect our regions and routes with technology that can help solve their challenges.”