Witness the grim expressions of rail commuters passing through the country's main transport hubs on any morning of the week and the scale of Network Rail's task to drag the UK's rail network into the 21st century becomes apparent. But progress is being made and Tracsis is in the vanguard.
- Riding on the need to make railways efficient
- Rail franchise schedule looks supportive
- Potential for expansion overseas
- Share price momentum
- Reliance on few customers
- Acquisition risk
For an industry that is heavily unionised with relatively inflexible working patterns - the average train driver is thought to be driving for about 44 per cent of his or her working day - significant shifts are occurring. The McNulty Report into the railways, published in May 2011, highlighted cost reductions as a priority for the industry and recommended train operators use optimisation technology for scheduling and crew rosters. This was followed by a Department of Transport report this year, which identified labour efficiency savings of £173m over the coming seven years.