Recommendation 24

HM Government Acknowledged

The Government partially agrees with this recommendation. Significant government support and funding for the research and development of new and emerging rail decarbonisation technologies has been taking place over a number of years, with the Department working closely with a range of partners in the private and education sectors to do this. While it is important that the government continues to support cross-industry research and development, it is also important that the private sector continues to work with us and invest appropriately in new and emerging technologies. Currently, the Department majority-funds a Research & Development programme, delivered by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) since 2003, to remedy cross- industry challenges that that cannot or would not be resolved by individual or small groups of organisations. Decarbonisation is one of the major workstreams of this programme. The Department also funds the Rail Innovation Programme, delivered through “First of a Kind” competitions run by Innovate UK since 2017/18, to help overcome practical barriers to innovation that make it difficult for new entrants to bring novel technologies to the rail market. The Rail Innovation Programme’s two most recent First of a Kind competitions have included themes specific to, or encouraging of, innovative decarbonisation projects. The Williams-Shapps White Paper sets out that research, development and innovation funding will be simplified to make it more outcome-focused and to improve collaboration. Great British Railways will become the primary public funder of research, development and innovation initiatives across the railway, delivering priorities set by ministers. Closer alignment between public sector research and development funding and the railway’s long- term investment strategies will better support long-term plans for rail decarbonisation. Stronger links with private sector innovators will be a core part of the new research, development and innovation system, seeking to align GBR’s research and development schemes and funding pipelines with the supply chain. Change will be planned in close consultation with existing bodies, such as RSSB and Innovate UK.