The UK government is backing 26 pioneering rail projects with £5 million in funding to make train travel safer, smoother, and more reliable for passengers.
The winning projects were selected through the First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) competition, a partnership between the Department for Transport (DfT), Innovate UK, Network Rail, and train operators. The programme provides grant funding to test innovative ideas on the rail network, helping promising technologies get adopted by train operators, freight companies, and Network Rail.
This year, the projects focus on enhancing safety on platforms, reducing incidents of vehicles striking railway bridges, and using cutting-edge AI technology to prevent service disruptions.
Among the successful projects is IntelliPan Network, which uses AI to detect faults on overhead lines, helping prevent dangerous and service-disrupting dewirements. Another project, SafeRide 5G, will let passengers safely report incidents via onboard Wi-Fi using their own devices, improving response times and boosting overall passenger safety.
The £5 million in funding demonstrates the government’s commitment to modernising the railways, encouraging more people to choose rail travel, and supporting economic growth.
Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, said:
“The winners of this competition are taking cutting-edge technology to address some of the biggest challenges facing the rail industry, making a railway that works better for the people and goods using it.
These innovations are putting safety, reliability and passenger experience first, like IntelliPan Network using AI to detect faults on overhead lines, reducing disruption caused by dangerous dewirements.
Through this funding, we are building a platform on which innovation can thrive, giving new technologies a chance to succeed and driving economic growth as part of the Plan for Change.
Previous competition winners are already being used widely across the railways, like the Portable Track Geometry Measurement System, which provides immediate track information to engineers to speed up the lifting of speed restrictions or line closures, getting passengers to their destinations quicker”.
Mike Biddle, Executive Director for Net Zero at Innovate UK, said:
“The innovations receiving support through this competition will contribute to a more accessible, safer, and efficient railway system throughout the UK. The competition highlights the importance of collaboration with industry partners and focuses on delivering high-maturity demonstrations, ensuring seamless integration into the existing railway infrastructure.
Delivered by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, on behalf of the Department for Transport, the FOAK rail programme seeks to identify and support outstanding, innovative solutions. Funded organisations will showcase the creativity and impact of their ideas through live demonstrations”.
The 26 new projects began work on 2 September 2025, with testing scheduled over the coming months. Their success could shape the future of rail travel in the UK.
See the full list of winning projects here. Photo by User:Dave souza, Wikimedia commons.