Like what you've read? GRIP divides a project into eight distinct stages. The report follows an industry roundtable held with Network Rail which explored the practical steps that need to be taken to unlock delivery. Network Rail is more relaxed over what people choose to call it. The session will be held on Thursday 20 May 2021 from 12.45 - 5pm, online. Caveat in AIP defered to Grip 4. With 70 people supporting work on 60 projects, infrastructure work is a significant issue for Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR). He retired from Network Rail in 2009 after a 37-year railway career. The problem is that Grip has become a paint by numbers process. Within Pace we are trying to create a framework with a delegated authority of decision making, he explains. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. She emphasised that SPEED was not about rushing or cutting corners; instead it was about being more thoughtful about what we do.. Detailed oriented self starter and finisher. The Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP) is the governments rolling process of determining rail enhancements, by structuring the process of development through various assurance gateways as project plans mature. >> <> A form of risk analysis applied to engineering projects that considers the impact and likelihood of risks and quantifies them numerically. Witham Fourth District Internal Drainage Board, We use cookies to personalize and improve your experience on our site. Timetabling developing a meaningful plan linked to the investment lifecycle and joint funding decisions. endobj Network Rail developed the GRIP (Governance for Railway Investment Projects) process to manage and control investment projects - ones that enhance or renew the national rail network as opposed to those involved with routine maintenance of the railway. Involving the whole project life cycle, in a complex and demanding operational environment. This is split into two parts. Please contact SPEED@networkrail.co.uk to gain access to more information on the SPEED Hub. Our readers include transport experts, politicians and enthusiasts both in the UK and globally. . You can change your cookie settings at any time. . These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. This requires some double-tracking, level crossing enhancements, linespeed improvements and signalling upgrades. The Crewe Northern Connection (CNC) is part of the HS2 Western Leg. Phase One will open between 2029 and 2033. It involved eight stages from feasibility through to operational handback. Grip is a very methodical approach to project management, but a number of the [people involved in the] projects felt that by being so prescriptive in how you move through the process, it meant that they spent a lot more time and therefore a lot more money delivering projects than was necessary, explains Wright. His roles in British Rail included Maintenance Assistant at Slade Green, Depot Engineer at Haymarket, Scottish DM&EE Training Engineer and ScotRail Safety Systems Manager. The changes are designed to create a simpler and more consistent approach to project management, which is needed given the current demands on the railway, according to Chris Rowley, Network Rail's director of NR2N (Network Rail 2nd Generation). Part of the PACE ethos is empowering and delegating authority to those best placed for decision making within the project team. There is a lot more to the change than a new name and Network Rail programme director (capital investment) Mike Wright believes the impact will be seen in less than 12 months. It will empower all of us in rail to be revolutionary in our thinking to challenge how we do things and ask, how could we do this better? Bridge inspection & assessments. Sign in or Register a new account to join the discussion. PACE has replaced GRIP as the government looks to speed up the delivery of rail projects. At the end of stage 3 the most appropriate and economically viable option that delivers all the requirements is selected. Management and. [24 0 R] endobj This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. Its aim is to secure rail investment by demonstrating that the industry can become more competitive by significantly reducing costs and halving the time it takes to complete projects. Knowledge of Network Rail GRIP/PACE process is desirable; What we offer: A career at Telent . Required fields are marked *. Learn how your comment data is processed. Grip organised projects into eight stages which ran sequentially. 23 0 obj These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Keith advised that CARS was the first project to be subject to a SPEED review. . <> It replaces GRIP, which was considered by some as overly complex and inefficient in its approach, resulting in additional costs being incurred. Governance reviewing the process for seeking government funding, with a simplified process for projects under 10 million. Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines told last autumns Rail Industry Alliance annual conference that the eight-stage governance in rail investment projects (Grip) framework process, which was first adopted in 2010, was to be replaced because its not effective. Three broad options for completing the EL to Leeds under a Second Phase remain open and will be considered under further work, including the original HS2 plan, a route via the Erewash Line or a mix of upgrades and new lines via Newark and the East Coast Main Line. Built with love in Manchester , New Civil Engineer 'Interview | Mike Wright of Network Rail on setting a new tone for project delivery'. All six programmes developed proposals to reduce timescales and cost, and then defended their proposals through peer reviews and challenge panels. Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines told last autumn's Rail Industry Alliance annual conference that the eight-stage governance in rail investment projects (Grip) framework process, which was first adopted in 2010, was to be replaced "because it's not effective". The 2017 plans consisted of a new high-speed line connecting Phase One (London to the West Midlands) to Leeds, serving an interchange at Toton (in the East Midlands) and with connections to Sheffield and the East Coast Main Line, to access destinations including York and Newcastle. Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. It is costing money and time.. Providing a new platform at Stevenage a year earlier than planned, in part due to GTR doing the station fit-out, saved 1 million in rail replacement bus costs. <> However, the key requirement is a change in culture. Visit our, Network Rail acts on Project Speed principles with new project delivery framework, Balfour to build River Trent pedestrian bridge as costs rise, Former East West Rail boss joins National Highways, Council in talks over future of Newcastle station project after contractor collapse, Greek train crash: Failure of signalling systems highlights railway safety issues, Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering, On demand webinar: SuDS and the Code of Adoption Sewerage, On demand webinar: What the next 10 years holds for the built environment, On demand webinar: machine control and automation, Building Momentum: SUDs are ready to enter the mainstream. Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment (PACE) describes how Network Rail manages and controls investment projects on the rail network. Rail Signalling & Power17 Moorlands LaneSaltash, Cornwall Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. endobj Railway station and line opening proposals and projects need to follow this process to be delivered. Gate reviews were held to consider relevant documentation to confirm completion of the required activities. He also reiterated that anyone with ideas to improve project delivery should contact [emailprotected], SPECIALIST AREAS DWF > The Legal 500 Rankings Real estate > Social housing Tier 1 DWF's affordable housing practice is a go-to name for high-profile national and regional mandates, acting for a Mitsubishi Signs $1.9b Commuter Rail Deal With Manila: Nikkei. PACE has a phase readiness review process to provide an assurance that a project is not proceeding at risk into the next phase. <> You can read more about our role in supplying the rail industry on our supply page. A proposed connection north of Crewe station, enabling HS2 services to rejoin the HS2 mainline. <> We are a small to medium sized company that has built a strong reputation delivering multi-disciplinary projects and programmes for private and public sector clients. To receive New Civil Engineer's daily and weekly newsletters click here. <> Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines has previously said that if it is used properly, Grip works. Prior to that, his roles in the privatised railway included various quality, safety and environmental management posts. The East Coast Main Line (ECML) is one of the UKs core rail lines, running between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh, via Peterborough, York, Doncaster, Darlington and Newcastle. The cost savings were achieved by identifying efficiencies and ensuring that the project only included requirements to introduce the passenger service. The fact is that from Monday, the track operator moves from being nominally in the private sector to a public sector organisation . Network Rail capital delivery director Stuart Calvert is undertaking an analysis of potential efficiencies that could be delivered by Project Speed and Pace, which is expected to be presented at a future board meeting. About Us Egis is a leading global consulting, construction engineering and operating firm. It is costing money and time.. The benefits of PACE are said to include: The changes are designed to create a simpler and more consistent approach to project management, which is needed given the current demands on the railway, according to Chris Rowley, Network Rails director of NR2N (Network Rail 2nd Generation). An approach to train timetabling to maximise the use of a mixed-traffic railway. GRIP is used to describe how Network Rail manages project delivery of projects within the national rail network. To receive New Civil Engineer's daily and weekly newsletters click here. Network Rails GRIP process was developed to minimise delivery risk by dividing a project into eight distinct stages for which there was a defined set of activities which had to be completed before starting the next stage. GRIP focuses on projects which enhance or renew the national rail network as opposed to those involved with routine maintenance of the railway and was developed in order to minimise and mitigate the risks associated with delivering such projects . So what is PACE, and how does it differ from its predecessor? The statutory approval process for schemes. He felt that it was important not to spend too much time optioneering and quickly discard options that are not viable. 25 0 obj At that time, he was working on the Airdrie to Bathgate project in a role that included the management of utilities and consents. The reversing of the direction of travel of a train. Hence the centre is producing useable benchmark information with real practical examples. Typically, a minimum of 5 years' experience working in the rail sector. PACE is a new approach that will make it easier for Network Rail to integrate and respond to operational challenges. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". /StructTreeRoot 44 0 R From cyber secure to cyber smart: why a broader understanding of cybersecurity is vital to our railways resilience. As described later, this required the development of a new project management process, PACE (Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment), addressing ten key themes and the provision of a Rail Investment Centre of Excellence to provide support and share lessons learnt. This identified a number of things around governance processes, assurance processes, timetable planning, access planning and Grip. Keith was sure that Project SPEED was absolutely the right approach and that effective partnerships between Network Rail, suppliers and operators were essential. The benefits of PACE are said to include: A simpler project management structure, which can be followed by all departments working on projects at any one time; Improved delegation of authority up the chain of command; A greater focus on risk management across all levels of the organisation; More effective use of key performance indicators (KPIs); A more coherent approach to procurement and contracting processes across different disciplines (including civil engineering works). It forms part of the project, programme and portfolio (P3M) framework and outlines the six Level 3 standards for projects. Network Rail, the train operator, maintenance team and other relevant authorities are engaged to receive ownership of the project, now called an asset. 2 0 obj According to Wright, Grip was much more than a project lifecycle and there are hundreds of other processes, policies and governance controls across Network Rail that were affected by the Grip process. Network Rail has developed this approach to managing projects in order to minimise and mitigate the risks associated with project development and delivery. /Parent 2 0 R This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. endobj We have cultivated a whole generation of people who apply it mechanically. endobj Experience of working in the UK rail industry with good working knowledge of Network Rail GRIP / PACE process / standards and approval processes. Minister of State for Transport, Chris Heaton-Harris, emphasised the Prime Ministers view that the UK government expected rail will play a vital part in boosting Britains Covid recovery. At RSP we support the introduction of PACE. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. This allows a line to handle more traffic than a standard 2-track alignment as fast services can be separated from slower and semi-fast services. . Keith gave examples of how effective partnership working had accelerated programmes on Network Rails Southern and Eastern regions and the East Coast Digital Programme. According to the board meeting minutes, Pace offers a more flexible framework that can be more tailored to meet the bespoke needs of an individual project and improve trade-offs between time, cost and scope constraints. 5. The process of switching the power source for trains from diesel to electric. By Claire Smith. Under Pace, we say this is what A looks like and this is what B looks like when it is well done but how you get there is down to you. The standards to which infrastructure is built. They were split across three formal project management phases. Linked to the Gatwick Airport project was the introduction of longer eight-car trains that required platform extensions at three stations. In this Integrated Rail Plan, proposals for electrification in the North and Midlands refers to the installation of OLE along stated routes. Its requirements are also based on a similar matrix derived from the project Level of Control. Our expertise extends to depots, operations, maintenance analytics and asset management across all aspects of rail, including transport, technical and sustainability assessments and systems infrastructure. Wright adds: I have one project that under Pace will save up to 75% on the time needed on running through the Grip 1 to Grip 3 process.. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. <> GRIP, a project by Network Rail to help deliver efficiency improvements on the rail network, has been replaced by a new programme called PACE. The Integrated Rail Plan sees the EL split with a First Phase including a new high-speed line from the West Midlands to the East Midlands, directly serving Derby and Nottingham (rather than Toton). endobj Emma Osborn, Commercial Director, Network Rail Wales & Western, made the point that her company does not have all the answers and needs the humility to accept that suppliers can offer solutions if they are engaged early enough in a project. A cross-government programme of work led by HM Treasury, looking across the whole project lifecycle with the aim to deliver major infrastructure projects better, greener, faster. This is distinguished from high speed lines and stations which are exclusive to high-speed services and/or are specified to operate at high speeds (>125mph). So what is PACE, and how does it differ from its predecessor? Network Rail had been extended for two years, until July 2023. . Keith also gave examples of how GTR had accelerated the design and delivery of station projects. Rail SPEED is one of the contributions that the Department for Transport is making to the cross-government work on Project Speed. <> SKU:SP1607629 endobj According to Wright, Grip was much more than a project lifecycle and there are hundreds of other processes, policies and governance controls across Network Rail that were affected by the Grip process. One success story already realised using PACE is the restoration of the Dartmoor Railway Line, putting regular passenger services back on the line after more than 50 years.