National Highways and Network Rail have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to build collaboration between the two transport organisations and ‘improve working relationships'.
Nicola Bell, National Highways' chief capital delivery officer, met with Network Rail's non-executive director, Jeff Davies, to formally sign the MOU last week, but the agreement has been in the works since 2024.
‘We began looking at opportunities to improve working relationships back in 2024, where colleagues from both organisations joined workshops to explore better ways of working,' said Ms Bell.
‘Since then', she added, ‘we have been exploring practical ideas to improve, including governance, data sharing, work bank planning and stakeholder engagement. Other areas we are looking at include efficiency and embedding learning, which are key areas of focus for The Office of Rail and Road (ORR).'
One of the areas that Ms Bell was keen for National Highways to learn from was Network Rail's Rail Investment and Delivery Advisory Board (RIDAB), which she has recently joined.
‘RIDAB helps Network Rail deliver its capital portfolio by providing advice and challenge on key strategic priorities,' she explained. ‘It's great to be able to provide, share, learn and collaborate.'
Mr Davies added: ‘This marks an important milestone in a partnership that has evolved since 2024. We're excited about the opportunities ahead as we build on the strong foundations we've established, deepen collaboration between our organisations, and work together to deliver lasting value and positive outcomes in the years ahead.'
