Network Rail is investigating the potential for digital simulations to assess the provision of new infrastructure or changes in service on the network.
It has published a market notice asking for input from suppliers on the availability or feasibility to develop an automated tool to make this possible.
This would make it possible to quickly carry out assessments that are now predominantly manual and time consuming. Network Rail wants to be able to establish more quickly whether planned interventions would be effective.
“The aspiration is to have a system/tool to deliver quick iteration of both potential infrastructure interventions and potential train service options that can assess the likely relative contribution of each to achieving the project outcomes,” the notice says.
“The outputs will be used to inform strategic and single-option development in the project lifecycle.”
It adds that the information gathered will be used to determine what options are available and inform a business case for a system or tool.
Network Rail owns, operates and develops Britain’s railway infrastructure.
