Saturday, August 3, 2024 A railway training and testing facility supported by the UK and Welsh governments will partner with the UK-wide railway infrastructure manager Network Rail when it opens. Although the Global Centre for Rail Excellence (GCRE) is still in its preliminary construction phase, as its site near Swansea in South Wales is made safe after its first life as an open cast mine, its CEO said the commercial deal would help create a carbon-neutral railway. “In their business plan published last year, Network Rail outlined some of the vitally important work they need to do across the UK network in the coming years, including supporting the industry’s path to net zero and helping develop new and more resilient rail infrastructure in the context of the climate crisis,” Simon Jones explained.
“At our GCRE facility, we can support that activity with the development of the ideas, research and innovation that will help deliver the stronger, faster and greener railway we need for the future.” Despite nearly $80m of government funding, from both London and Cardiff, the GCRE is still in need of major investment if the commercial deals it has made, including with Network Rail and Transport for Wales, are ever to see the light of day..
