UK Government launches £5m rail innovation fund to boost accessibility, safety, and passenger experience

The Department for Transport has launched a new £5 million round of the First of a Kind (FOAK) competition, in partnership with Innovate UK, aimed at enhancing passenger experience, safety, and accessibility for UK rail innovation. 

Details on UK rail innovation from government funding

Now open for applications, the FOAK competition supports high-potential technology projects by offering government funding to trial innovations on the rail network. This gives projects a better chance of adoption by train operators, freight companies and Network Rail—helping to grow the rail industry and drive economic development through the Government’s Plan for Change.

This year, Innovate UK worked closely with industry to identify key challenges. As a result, FOAK will back technologies that address:

• Passenger safety and experience, such as tools to report anti-social behaviour or reduce violence against women and girls
• Accessibility, particularly level boarding to aid passengers with reduced mobility
• AI and data-driven solutions to predict and prevent incidents like rail bridge crashes
• Greener, more sustainable railways using intelligent systems to reduce waste

Level boarding is a core issue, as it directly affects disabled passengers’ ability to travel independently. It will be a key focus for Great British Railways, and FOAK aims to fund projects that can deliver real change.

Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said:

“This competition addresses the biggest challenges facing the rail industry, taking cutting-edge technology and bringing it onto the railways by turning ideas into reality.

“We are creating a railway that works better for the people who use it and making lasting progress for passengers and freight by improving accessibility, safety, and reliability.”

Over the past eight years, FOAK has awarded £58 million to 179 projects. Past winners include Trains with Brains—an AI-powered sensor detecting track faults—and One Big Circle, a remote monitoring tool which recently won the King’s Award for Innovation.

The initiative supports strategic innovation within Shadow Great British Railways and GBRX, a body under Network Rail tasked with accelerating industry innovation.

Mike Biddle, Executive Director for Net Zero at Innovate UK, added:

“The innovations sought through this competition will help create a more accessible, safer, and efficient railway system throughout the UK.”

The competition is open until 28 May. An online briefing for applicants will be held tomorrow. To see, click here.