The first project aims to reduce human intervention in tunnel examinations whilst the second project aims to minimise disruption from security incidents using data analytics.

The company which is currently responsible for more than 600 tunnels with a combined length of 335km is seeking research partners to help develop a systemised approach to tunnel examination. To secure funding projects must demonstrate a number of elements including the ability to inspect surface and subsurface defects, use machine learning to identify and track defects, align with current Network Rail IT systems and condition marking systems and ultimately remove the need for manual inspections. A total of £1.5M funding is available for the project.

The second project, also worth £1.5M is looking at how Network Rail can use data analytics alongside its existing security systems to improve safety and reduce delays across the network with the intention to understand whether security surveillance systems and associated analytics can work in a station environment without disrupting the rail network.

The Funding for the two research projects is from Network Rail under their Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) and is being managed by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation.

The competition is now open and the deadline for applications is 6th November 2019. Organisations of any size may apply and projects are likely to receive funding of between £350,000 and £500,000 per project. Full details of the projects can be found here.