What does the Integrated Rail Plan mean for Van Elle?

On Thursday 18^th November, the Government released the Integrated Rail Plan, the biggest government investment in our rail network which aims to redress decades of underspending in the Midlands and North.

Rail Director David Buckley is looking forward to Van Elle working collaboratively with the industry to drive down the cost of electrification and help deliver a sustainable transport system.

In summary, the plan will include:

• Three new high-speed lines to replace Phase 2b of HS2
• The electrification of the Midland Mainline to Sheffield
• The Transpennine Route Upgrade between Manchester, Leeds and York
• Upgrades and improved line speed on the East Coast Main Line

Van Elle’s team have built a strong delivery reputation on rail electrification projects, including the award-winning Bedford to Kettering section for the Midland Mainline programme in 2020.

Indeed, Van Elle has developed extensive experience and innovation working on all major electrification upgrades since 2016.

On the recent Midland Mainline works, Strata Geotechnics provided window sampling, rotary coring and dynamic sampling while the rail team installed more than 5000 piled foundations between Corby and Bedford.

The works allowed for both twin-tracking works on the Corby lines and for overhead line equipment and signal structures.

David remarked: “Van Elle is working with industry stakeholders such as Network Rail and the Rail Industry Association (RIA) to drive down the cost of electrification through early contractor involvement, embedded delivery teams and investment in the latest reduced carbon piling equipment.

“By involving the specialist contractors early and in a collaborative arrangement, we and our customers have developed an excellent baseline from which to plan future schemes.”

For more information on our rail capabilities, click here.