CIO Interview Simon Goodman Keeps Modernization of Network Rail on Track

Why It Matters

Uniting infrastructure and operators under one digital framework will cut costs, improve service reliability and accelerate the rail sector’s contribution to the UK’s climate goals.

Key Takeaways

• Railways Bill merges Network Rail with train operators into Great British Railways.
• 14 legacy IT systems unified on a single platform within 5‑10 years.
• Digital ETCS signalling lets trains run closer, increasing network capacity.
• IoT and AI drive predictive maintenance, cutting inspection time and costs.
• Open data APIs enable third‑party apps, improving passenger journey planning.

Pulse Analysis

The UK’s Railways Bill represents a watershed moment for the nation’s transport landscape, dissolving the post‑privatisation split between infrastructure and train operators. By consolidating Network Rail, the train operating companies and parts of the Department for Transport into Great British Railways, the government aims to create a unified, publicly owned rail system. This structural overhaul demands a massive IT integration effort, with Simon Goodman estimating five to ten years to bring fourteen legacy environments onto a common platform—a timeline that reflects both the scale and the strategic importance of the project.

Technology is at the heart of the modernization drive. The rollout of the European Train Control System replaces traditional signal lights with cab‑based data, allowing trains to run closer together and boosting line capacity without new track. Simultaneously, Network Rail leverages IoT sensors and machine‑learning analytics to shift from reactive to predictive maintenance, dramatically reducing inspection cycles and associated costs. Open‑data initiatives and new APIs invite third‑party developers to build journey‑planning tools, while AI solutions such as Microsoft Copilot and large language models are being piloted to streamline compliance reporting and knowledge sharing across a workforce in transition.

From a business perspective, the integration promises tighter operational coordination, lower public subsidies and a more customer‑centric service model. Goodman’s emphasis on diversifying the supplier base—allocating 70% of the budget to major vendors while encouraging SME participation—reflects a broader push for agility and value. The planned migration of Network Rail’s extensive Oracle ERP suite to a cloud‑native platform, coupled with the consolidation of a 20,000‑km dark‑fiber network, positions the rail system to support future digital services and sustain the UK’s climate‑friendly mobility agenda.