Universal Signalling Ltd has emerged victorious in a competitive selection process, earning the opportunity to showcase its groundbreaking railway construction technology at the Global Centre for Rail Excellence (GCRE) in Wales.
This project, backed by the Department for Business and Trade and InnovateUK, marks a significant step forward for both Universal Signalling and the future of rail innovation.
The GCRE is poised to become a world-class hub for rail research, testing, and certification, boasting a vast 700-hectare site ready to host cutting-edge advancements in the realm of mobility. This collaborative effort aims to embed innovative solutions into the fabric of GCRE from the initial groundbreaking stage.
Universal Signalling's win builds upon their successful participation in the GCRE: Railway Construction Innovation Phase 1 project, where a feasibility study for their technology proved highly promising. Now, the project which is valued at early £800,000 has entered Phase 2 and will see the company partner with renowned institutions like the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE) to deploy their pioneering Universal Interlocking system on existing GCRE tracks by the first quarter of 2025.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the collaboration, Sam Bemment, CEO of Universal Signalling, commented: "We should not underestimate the opportunity GCRE presents to enabling rail innovation. Firstly, through offering a place where those with novel approaches are able to test and demonstrate technology, but secondly, and most importantly, by making that opportunity available to an SME start-up such as ourselves.
“There was no mechanism for this to have happened even a few years ago, so clearly, GCRE is already starting to have significant impact even as it is being built. “
We are obviously delighted with the win and excited to be part of GCRE's journey, through the forthcoming construction phase and then on into operations."
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