Hydrogen-powered trains, a system that will help reduce
delays due to “leaves on the line” and a new rail loyalty programme are among a
number of innovations that have won funding from the UK’s Department for Transport
and Innovate UK.
Thirty projects have won a share of a £9 million pool as
part of the First of a Kind competition. The competition is
focused on developing pioneering technology that can improve
journeys for travellers, encourage passengers back onto the network and reduce
the environmental impacts of rail.
Clean Air Power GT has won almost £400,000 to
explore the possibilities of using hydrogen as a dual fuel on locomotives to
reduce carbon emissions.
Lenz Labs has won nearly £350,000 to help develop its novel
Traction Hub which is intended to reduce slip on tracks affected by leaf-fall
in the autumn.
Rail+ Club is a rail-focused loyalty platform which uses
novel technology to non-intrusively track passenger engagement between
different operators on the UK rail network. Urbanthings has won £400,000 to develop the concept.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps, said: “These winners will
hopefully play a role in putting passengers at the centre of our railways as we
build back better from Covid-19. The competition always throws up surprises and
the ideas shown today could transform how we travel in future.”