CP6 changing how we work in rail

The CP6 and Innovation Team collaborate to challenge our clients’ standards.

For nearly 12 months, the team working on the CP6 framework have been addressing the 5 year long, £400m framework with one of our major clients – Network Rail.

Part of this has included holding workshops with the Murphy Innovation Team to explore if and how we could challenge the way our client works. Over a number of workshops, the team have brought in clients, framework partners and internal expertise to suggest, explore and finalise a number of standards challenges.

This is no easy task, as changing behaviours is sometimes difficult. Some of these practises have existed for a long time, and for good reason too – the safety critical nature of railway engineering can introduce addition risk into work, and so changing working practises must be a considered and thorough process.

Working collaboratively with a diverse group who are based on the CP6 framework, the team have produced a consistent pipeline of standards challenges that have been submitted to the client for review and approval, including:

  • Paint systems and surface preparation
  • Overhead line foundation design
  • Overhead line system design
  • Bridge repair design
  • Engineering management assurance

We have received notification from Network Rail’s Standards and Controls Specialists that the standard owner has accepted our challenge against “paint systems and surface preparation” and the update is expected to be published in March 2021. This standard challenge has the potential to reduce maintenance costs and encourage innovations in steelwork paint systems across the rail industry.

The standard is expected to be revised and published in March 2021, however the team is identifying opportunities to implement sooner via local agreements (subject to the normal assurance processes).

The implications of this are significant, and with each successful standard challenge comes appreciation from our client and further opportunity to stimulate change and benefit.

For more information, please get in touch with the Innovation Team. You can access more information by visiting the Innovation Library.

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