UK registered organisations can apply for grants for feasibility studies with projects to propose, deliver and demonstrate innovation in railway construction.

Through this competition, Innovate UK (IUK) is investing in projects to propose, deliver and demonstrate innovation in railway construction. The aim is to support initial feasibility studies outlining how applicants would deliver a demonstration of innovation in railway construction to the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) site facility.

Projects must focus on one or more of the following themes:

• Trackwork challenges.
• Overhead line electrification (OLE) challenges.
• Earthworks and structures, including bridges and underpasses.
• Power supply infrastructure, including alternative power supply technologies.
• Telecommunications for railway based, 5G and line of route communications to operate the railway.
• Security for perimeters, rail-side, physical and cyber security.
• Monitoring and maintenance, digital twin, instrumentation of structures or monitoring of infrastructure.
• Railway operation and automated systems.
• Ecology and habitat creation.

Up to £575,000 has been allocated to fund innovation projects in this phase 1 competition. Each project’s total grant funding request for the feasibility study must be up to £25,000.

This competition is open to single applicants and collaborations. To lead a project, or collaborate with the lead, an organisation must be a UK registered business of any size, academic institution, research and technology organisation (RTO), charity, not for profit, or public sector organisation. The lead must plan to work with other organisations that are leading the construction of the GCRE site.

If the lead organisation is categorised as a research organisation or an RTO it must collaborate with at least one eligible grant claiming business of any size.

The deadline to apply is 14 December 2022.

How To Apply

Applications are accepted from 21 October 2022. The deadline to apply is 14 December 2022.

Applications are made online.

For more information, refer to the Innovate UK website.