Amey and Indra join forces to digitise UK rail signalling
Professional services firm Amey and technology firm Indra have formed a partnership to establish an open digital signalling ecosystem for the UK’s rail networks. The alliance will enable all types of technologies to coexist in a unified system, while provided the improved levels of safety and cybersecurity.
"This agreement with Amey allows us to move forward in the railway sector with a groundbreaking open signalling proposal, as well as to strengthen our presence in the United Kingdom, a market in which we have a long-term vision and in which we are achieving important milestones and projects with top-class clients in the field of transport and mobility," explained Raúl Ripio, director of Indra's mobility business.
Indra is a global company of technology, innovation, and talent, leader in high-value solutions and services for the transport and traffic industry. The latest end-to-end technology solutions developed by Indra have positioned themselves at the forefront of the sector and have been or are being rolled out in countries such as Australia, the Netherlands, Ireland, Estonia, Lithuania, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, India and Malaysia, as well as Spain and many others.
Combined with the expertise of Amey – a trusted provider of full lifecycle engineering, operation and decarbonisation solutions for transport infrastructure and complex facilities, the two firms will work to develop and integrate digital signalling solutions in accordance with open standards and with the highest levels of safety, including digital interlocking and European Train Control System (ETCS) technology.
Amey and Indra’s modular solution will be capable of integrating with third-party systems, with an approach that prioritises collaboration, innovation and security. According to a release from the firms, this “could ensure the safety of rail traffic, as it is responsible for continuously monitoring the speed of trains”, by triggering automatic braking to accommodate traffic flow to existing signalling conditions, as well as for optimising the distance between trains and, therefore, the capacity of the lines.
James Holmes, Amey’s rail sector director, added, “With considerable investment in the UK’s rail infrastructure, it is critical that every intervention delivers a safe, reliable railway for passengers and freight traffic. The collaboration between Amey and Indra offers a unique approach to the rail market. The dynamic mix of our project delivery expertise and world class mobility control technology has created an innovative digital signalling solution which is both scalable and adaptable to meet the challenges of the UK’s historic rail infrastructure.”
Amey is no stranger to collaborating with technology firms to boost the efficiency and security of UK rail networks. The firm also collaborated with Finboot earlier in 2023, working to produce what they believe is the first use of blockchain in UK rail. The new platform will be used to plan access times for engineers looking to maintain and renew tracks across the country.
