RAIL of the future

Special guest writer NICOLA SHAW, High Speed 1 Chief Executive and author of the recent Shaw report into Network Rail’s future, believes the next 800 issues of RAIL will help to shape the rail industry’s development, and looks at how the need to introduce

Special guest writer NICOLA SHAW looks at the rail industry’s development and how more diversity can be encouraged.

Howard Johnston’s article celebrating the first 800 issues of

RAIL magazine, featuring tributes from special guest contributors such as Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin and Network Rail Chairman Sir Peter Hendy, was my source of inspiration for this piece.

My article on the Shaw report into the future shape and financing of Network Rail focused on listening to one another and working together ( RAIL 801). This article is designed to stimulate a conversation, and to assist with the implementation of Recommendation 7 in particular.

Recommendation 7 of the Shaw report is for an industry-wide plan to develop skills and improve diversity. Specifically, it calls for someone to be appointed to drive that plan, a diversity strategy, sharing learning and training across the industry at all levels, and a shared action plan for improving diversity - with targets for 2020 and 2025 and reporting on the progress of all participants annually.

That’s a lot of work, but it’s absolutely doable. It’s also necessary if we are to innovate across the industry and to stimulate the people with the right skills we need to join us.

I contacted a few people within the industry and asked them for forward-looking quotes for this article, to stimulate the debate about the next 800 issues. There are messages here from people currently working in the industry - with different backgrounds, skin colours, gender, skills and approach, but with the same sort of commitment and passion as the major players quoted in RAIL 800.

I’ve also developed an imaginary forwardlooking timeline. Of course, things won’t play out like this, and because I am no futurologist I have fewer ideas when we get towards issues 1,300 and beyond. But I am sure that RAIL readers will have much better ideas than mine - providing an endless opportunity for letters to the editor!

Looking back at the issues covered in RAIL magazine over the past 35 years, there is little on the influence of new technology developed outside rail, but that is going to be a big theme of the next 100 editions. Helping readers stay current with those new themes will be hugely beneficial, and make us all want to keep reading to issue 1600 and beyond!

Good luck to all those who work at RAIL. I hope that you too will build on the editorial diversity that Stefanie Browne and Natalie Horton are already leading, to better reflect the industry in which you work.