A lively discussion on how to drive innovation in UK rail took place at the UK Rail Summit (April 17, 2026). Vix Technology and Kuba Chief Revenue Officer, Michael Hart, joined a panel to explore key challenges in the sector and how innovation can help address them.
The panel, moderated by KPMG's Director of Future Mobility and Infrastructure, Malini Bose, weighed in on the impact of centralisation, and whether the proposed Railways Bill and introduction of Great British Railways (GBR) will be catalysts for change that is felt by passengers.
The discussion unpacked the baked-in barriers facing UK rail, even at this pivotal moment. As Toufic Machnouk, Managing Director of GBRX, an innovation arm linked to Great British Railways, acknowledged, the scale of the challenge is massive.
While there is a clear opportunity to improve how the industry delivers innovation, success will depend on setting a realistic framework, taking purposeful action, and bringing cross-industry expertise together.
Under current plans, GBR is expected to take on the task of centralising and standardising the network. It will work across a complex landscape of infrastructure owners, train operators, manufacturers, regulators, and public and private stakeholders. This structure has traditionally made new technologies messy and sluggish to implement.
As Michael Hart noted, meaningful change has been “glacial”, with diluted accountability and the complexity of cross-boundary working often slowing, or blocking, technology adoption. Even valuable innovations like contactless PAYG, already proven in parts of the UK, can struggle to move beyond isolated implementations into widespread use.
Toufic Machnouk also highlighted designed-in barriers, including regulation that, while essential for safety, can lead to long and cautious approval processes; and funding and procurement structures, which can further limit clear pathways for scaling innovation.
Julia Buckley, MP for Shrewsbury, brought the debate back to passengers, highlighting how dramatically the experience of rail differs in rural areas. She is a strong advocate for better services at stations like Shrewsbury, which provide a vital link to jobs and opportunity.
She emphasised that this is less about convenience and more about economic access – arguing that, while city regions receive the lion’s share of infrastructure funding, the difference this investment makes in rural towns is more transformative. Better rail services ensure that rural towns, and the people who live there, are not left behind.
Pointing to overcrowded services, limited timetables, and gaps in connectivity, she called for stronger links to major cities. She also highlighted the need for practical improvements, such as better coordination between operators on integrated ticketing and fare systems, to facilitate smoother journeys across network boundaries.
Her message was clear: improving rail in Shrewsbury is not about a single fix, but sustained investment, better planning, and a more joined-up network. With this, rail can expand access to jobs, education, and services, and provide connection to the rest of the country.
Can centralisation deliver that joined-up approach? Michael Hart believes it can. While large stakeholder groups may slow decision-making, he noted that the unification of UK rail under GBR presents a real opportunity. The challenge will be finding the right balance – standardising where needed, while still allowing space to experiment, test new technologies, and identify the blueprints for innovation that will scale country-wide.
For more insight on the impact of rail centralisation on innovation, read Michael Hart's article in Transport Times.