CPA Bulletin

48 CPA Bulletin > February 2024 www.cpa.uk.net rail plant association RAIL PLANT ASSOCIATION: 1 A Happy New Year to all readers, but sadly not for everyone in the rail plant supply chain. A lot has happened since 2024 began and more will transpire over the next few months. It is with great sadness that another business has fallen by the wayside as TXM Plant is no longer trading. The ramifications will be far reaching and it is imperative that a reflection and understanding on supply chain fragility is explored. To name but a few considerations, terms and conditions, late changes and reward ultimately all have to be discussed at a senior level. Review of the Year The Rail Plant Association (RPA) made some bold step changes in 2023 and more will need to be pioneered in 2024. Summarised below, are some of the subjects as covered in the RPA articles in the CPA Bulletin throughout 2023. Please take a moment to reflect and consider them. January/February 2023 • Standards update following withdrawal of the Quarterly PT&RS Standards Briefing Report. • Work continues on the RPA fitter competence material. • Recommendation to visit Safety Central and follow the link provided for electrical safety step-up. March/April 2023 • RPA 2023 AGM - Update from Steve Featherstone - Dramatic increase in late cancellation of work due to RMT strike action. The RPA asked Steve to independently chair a review and rewrite of RPA terms and conditions. • Proposal made to increase RPA Management Committee members from 10 to 12 (agreed with no objections). New committee is: Andy Black, Paul Price, Steve Bodman, Paul Helks, Jim Nabarro, Ian Morgan, Graham Pirson, Darren Matthews, Liam Ledger, Richard Romaszko, Andrew Shipley and David Richardson. • Thanks to Steve Wadham for his long service and support of the RPA. • Completion of RPA Management Committee Publication Review Groups’ appraisal of rail industry standards. • Jordan Skey appointed Technical Head of Plant, Network Rail. • Steve Featherstone update – Primarily regarding Statement of Funds Available for Control Period 7 (CP7) - a slight increase compared to CP6. Also talk of potential enhancement schemes and how these can be justified. May/June 2023 • An Cap Gemini conducted survey found around 50% of base plant and 90% of attachments did not have a Product Acceptance certificate. RPA and Network Rail in talks to find resolution. • OTP community asked on behalf of Network Rail to complete a request for information document for a review of Network Rail’s On-Track Plant (OTP) asset register. • Rail Live Exhibition on 21st June. • Steve Featherstone update - Strains and costs incurred by the supply chain due to Covid-19, Brexit, Ukraine war and the rising prices caused by the aforementioned. • Concerns were raised regarding the government published rail network enhancements pipeline being outdated. July/August 2023 • At the RPA Leadership Meeting on 4th July, Phil Bennett, Network Rail, gave an overview of the outlook for CP7. Tom Male, Network Rail, presented a summary of the Christmas and New Year workbank. Leigh Goble shared the latest Rail PPS data. • A brief summary of Rail Live 2023. • Steve Featherstone update – Highlights the slight drop in construction productivity since 1997 and how this can be rectified and why potentially ‘game-changing’ plant and machinery has not seen use. Expresses concerns among Rail Live attendees about the difficulties of getting items through Product Acceptance. September/October 2023 • Rail Plant Terms & Conditions 2023 published and circulated to the membership. • Discussion regarding the aging rail workforce, the difficulty of new staff progression and the potential fixes for this – a proposal to allow companies to train operators from scratch and an expansion of sentinel training courses. • OTP Core now online. No consultation with OTP community. • Calls for discussion with Network Rail regarding plant movement around public Paul Helks, Chair of the RPA Management Committee reports on the current initiatives of the association