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Station Innovation Zone

Trialling new technologies at Bristol Temple Meads to demonstrate how innovation can happen in a way that makes a real difference to passengers

Steve Close

Project Contact

why is STATION INNOVATION important?

Stations often form the first impression a visitor has of a city or town. They are also a complex mix of interacting systems – people, processes, information and facilities.

Innovating in rail stations is difficult. Innovators face many barriers, including navigating the approvals landscape, meeting procurement and contractual requirements, accessing funding, integrating, and coordinating with diverse stakeholders.

The Station Innovation Zone programme was launched to overcome these barriers and demonstrate that innovation can happen in a way that makes a real difference to passengers’ experience in UK stations

To ensure that innovation is targeted, Connected Places Catapult co-created a vision for a future station. This vision was created with a broad spectrum of stakeholders at both local and national levels.

The station of the future reflects local identity and is open and inclusive to all. It convenes people, businesses and culture without compromising on purpose: effective transit through its spaces.

Our vision is to design a safe, sociable, seamless and sustainable station that enables both social and financial prosperity.

Article

Meet the Academic urging creative delivery in the procurement of rail projects

Ian Heptinstall is drawing on over 30 years’ experience gained as a project manager and consultant to champion the benefits of innovative procurement and critical analysis in construction, as a Researcher in Residence with Connected Places Catapult.

Station Innovation Zone playbook

Navigate rail innovation with ease – this playbook supports stakeholders through the process of developing innovation at stations and how to set up and run a Station Innovation Zone.

Cover of the "Station Innovation Zone 2023" strategic guide, featuring a train at a station platform with the text, "How to innovate towards the station of the future, December 2023.

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Station Innovation Zone Strategic Guide

The Strategic Guide highlights actions, and critical enablers that can unlock the acceleration of innovation across UK stations more widely, to enable a transport system that is fit for the future. By exploring principles for effective innovation, it also highlights practical next steps for stations on the way to reaching the future station.

This vision is accompanied by four enduring challenge themes for innovators to address that would help us move towards it:

Safe station

How might we enhance safety at the station through improved station operations?

Seamless Station

How might we improve the provision of customer information, by tailoring it to passengers’ needs and adapting it at times of disruption?

How might the station be a great place to spend time for passengers and local communities, whilst functioning as a transport hub?

Sustainable Station

How might we incorporate sustainability into the station, without impacting operations and in-keeping with the listed status of the building?

The journey so far

The Station Innovation Zone at Bristol Temple Meads will allow SME innovators to trial their ideas in a live station environment and measure the impact on the passenger experience and station operations. Results from live trials will serve to:

Bring confidence for rail technology buyers
Demonstrate the viability of new technologies
Foster new collaborations and partnerships
Diversify the supply chain
Accelerate SME growth