CFAs: Station Innovation Zone Competition (UK)

Connected Places Catapult and Network Rail are running a third Station Innovation Zone competition in order to select a series of trials as part of the Station Innovation Zone at Bristol Temple Meads, supporting SMEs to test new ways of improving various aspects of the passenger experience.

The Station Innovation Zone competition consists of two phases, with Phase One beginning in November 2024, and Phase Two beginning in February 2025.

Types of Challenges

• Challenge One – The Accessibility Challenge
  • Front of House Innovation Opportunity:
    • There have been significant improvements regarding accessibility across UK stations, but there remain barriers that dissuade or prevent people with different needs from travelling by rail.
    • They are looking for innovations that can support stations by tackling accessibility ‘barriers to travel.
    • This might be addressed by:
      • Improving navigation in what can be an intense environment
      • Improving confidence in receiving necessary assistance
      • Adding inclusive design features and inclusive facilities that cater for specific personal needs
      • They are especially interested in innovations that make accessibility a ‘default’ rather than an additionally.
    • Things that are in scope:
      • Innovations that support any demographic(s) which are less likely to travel by rail (see the table on the evidence page)
      • Innovations that increase access to a dignified and positive customer experience at the station
    • Things that are out of scope:
      • Wayfinding apps, which have been tested previously at the station.
      • Back of House Innovation Opportunity:
      • Many solutions to improve accessibility are not making an impact. Better engaging with, instilling confidence in and gaining feedback from end-users can build understanding and impact.
      • They are looking for innovations that can support stations by maximizing the impact of accessibility.
    • This might be addressed by:
      • Building a better and a wider understanding of accessibility needs.
      • Better communicating the provision of accessibility and promoting confidence in accessibility.
      • Involving and enabling feedback from people with accessibility needs
    • Things that are in scope:
      • Station user flow and accessibility needs analysis or accessibility auditing for a wide range of accessibility needs
      • Engagement platforms to identify pain points
      • Supporting staff to better provide passenger assistance
    • Things that are out of scope:
      • Innovations that solely focus on physical accessibility
      • Assisted booking apps.
• Challenge Two – The Personal Security Challenge
  • Front-of-House Innovation Opportunity:
    • Research suggests that the nature of an environment such as a train station, can affect how safe it is perceived, while reducing opportunity for perpetration.
    • They are looking for innovations that can support stations by creating an environment that feels safe and secure.
    • This might be addressed by:
      • Providing quality lighting and connectivity
      • Enabling good maintenance and upkeep of an environment
      • Raising confidence in bystander/staff intervention in crime
      • Providing video surveillance (especially with visible monitors)
    • Things that are in scope:
      • Innovations that improve the upkeep of the station environment
      • Innovations that enable the communication or education of intolerable behaviour, or how to be an active bystander.
    • Novel to rail innovations known to increase the perception of safety, such as lighting, CCTV or similar solutions Things that are out of scope:
      • Personal security apps, as these do not necessarily increase the perception of safety of an environment
    • Back-of-House Innovation Opportunity:
      • Under reporting of criminal incidents and other problematic behaviours on the transport system contributes to a larger misunderstanding of the issue.
      • They are looking for innovations that can support stations by making it easier for people to report feeling unsafe and analysing the results.
    • This might be addressed by:
      • Making it easier to report how safe people feel or felt
      • Better understanding what specifically makes people feel unsafe at a micro level (e.g. At Bristol Temple Meads)
      • Supporting decision making and data analysis of feedback
    • Things that are in scope:
      • Innovations that educate about how to report crime or unsafety
      • Innovations that enable station users to feedback on crime or unsafety, or giving feedback on how safety can be improved.
  • Things that are out of scope:
  • Innovations that replicate, replace. or frustrate the procedures for reporting emergencies (to police or other authorities.)
• Challenge Three – The Green Challenge
  • Front-of-House Innovation Opportunity:
    • Travelling by rail is better for the environment than driving. Compared to cars and planes, train travel emits up to 10 times less carbon than car travel. Attracting passengers who would otherwise use cars or planes is a way to improve environmental outcomes.
    • They are looking for innovations that can support stations by making the station engaging, ecological and enjoyable.
    • This might be addressed by:
      • Creating and supporting green, calm and biodiverse spaces
      • Supporting active travel to and from the station
      • Showcasing or hosting green local businesses and community initiatives
    • Things that are in scope:
      • Niche to rail solutions that support biodiversity
      • Solutions that can host local businesses and community initiatives
      • Innovations that support or encourage active travel in and around Bristol Temple Meads
    • Things that are out of scope:
      • Innovations that do not bring a new offering to rail stations
    • Back-of-House Innovation Opportunity:
      • Train stations, such as Bristol Temple Meads, are complex environments with high resource use. Without an understanding of how resources are being used, it is difficult to understand where savings can be made.
      • They are looking for innovations that can support stations by supporting data driven solutions to inform decision making.
    • This might be addressed by:
      • Using IoT sensors or meters to build a holistic understanding of the station regarding sustainability
      • Enabling decision making through data analysis
      • Using innovative resource generating or saving technologies
    • Things that are in scope:
      • Data sensors for tracking resource usage
      • Water saving, recycling or clean power generation devices
      • Solutions that can integrate into their existing BTM digital twin infrastructure
    • Things that are out of scope:
      • They have implemented an energy management digital twin, so similar solutions would replicate existing work.

Funding Information

• Phase One
  • For Phase One, there will be up to £4,000 available for you to develop and write your trial proposal for your innovation at Bristol Temple Meads Station.
  • You will receive 50% upfront and 50% upon completion of your trial proposal.
  • This funding will be given as grant funding, therefore will be subject to Minimum Financial Assistance. Minimum Financial Assistance requires you not to have received more than £315,000 in public funding within the last 2-3 financial years, including the current one.
  • Only fees incurred between project start and end dates will be paid.
• Phase Two
  • For Phase Two, up to £45,000 of funding is available to conduct a full trial at Bristol Temple
  • Meads Station.
  • Phase Two will be conducted as pre-commercial procurement, meaning you will be required to raise invoices with them in stages.
  • An up-front payment of 80% of the total trial cost will be made within 30 days of you raising your first invoice.
  • At the end of the project, the remaining 20% of your funding will be paid once your final project report has been approved and you have raised your second and final invoice with them.
  • The purchase of the following would be eligible:
    • Staff and/or consultancy resource
    • Equipment & Materials – installation costs
    • Laboratory/Testing Costs.
    • Travel & Subsistence
  • Rates for staff time should be inclusive of overhead costs of up to 20% of overall staff costs.
  • Salary rates must be justified and appropriate, reflecting market values.
  • You can also add costs under the category of ‘Other’. These will be agreed if they are shown to be fully justifiable and represent value for money.
  • They kindly advise you to keep all receipts and invoices relating to your project.
  • Only fees incurred between project start and end dates are acceptable to charge to the project.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Station Innovation Zone Competition is open to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
• In order to apply:
  • You must be a UK-registered business, preferably based in the West of England.
  • Your innovation solution must be at least TRL (Technology Readiness Level) 5 or higher.
  • Your solution must address one of the identified challenge areas
  • You must be willing to travel for face-to-face meetings in Bristol.
  • You must be willing to provide some match-funding, either in-kind (e.g. labor, materials etc.) or through your own funding.
  • There is not a minimum or maximum match-funding amount; if selected, they will request evidence such as letters of support, confirmation emails etc. As previously stated, they encourage all innovators with the relevant solutions to apply.

For more information, visit Connected Places Catapult.