Pairing politicians with RIA members to promote the organisations that build and enhance the UK’s railways. 

The RIA Rail Fellowship Programme helps to educate politicians on the sector’s crucial importance to the UK by placing them at state-of-the-art sites where highly skilled rail professionals showcase the fascinating work they do. 

Participating Fellows spend a day ‘on location’ with a RIA Member whose work is relevant to their role or constituency. Participants become part of an annual RIA Rail Fellowship Class and are recognised at our yearly Parliamentary Reception.

If you are looking to participate in the Programme, please contact [email protected].

Class of 2023-24

Michael Fabricant MP

Michael Fabricant, MP for Lichfield, recently embarked on an enlightening journey to Wabtec, a renowned global leader in rail solutions, situated in Burton on Trent, Staffordshire. Wabtec, boasting an illustrious history spanning over a century and a half, operates with a workforce of 27,000 professionals scattered across more than 50 countries.

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Anneliese Dodds MP

Anneliese Dodds, MP for Oxford East, recently visited to witness first-hand the transformative work being undertaken by Kier at Oxford Railway Station in the South East of England. Kier, a leading UK infrastructure services, construction, and property group, was appointed by Network Rail in 2022 to spearhead the £65 million improvement project at Oxford Railway Station.

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Nicola Richards MP

Nicola Richards MP for West Bromwich East, recently embarked on a visit to the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO) located in Dudley, as part of RIA's Rail Fellowship Programme. BCIMO, a not-for-profit organisation, is the driving force behind a new state-of-the-art rail research and development facility based in Dudley in the West Midlands.

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Paul Maynard MP

Paul Maynard MP for Blackpool North and Cleveleys, visited KeTech, a pioneering company in intelligent real-time information systems and innovative rail signalling. During the visit KeTech demonstrated the technology that informs Paul’s own regular journey from Blackpool North to London.

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Jason McCartney MP

Jason McCartney MP for Colne Valley, visited the Institute of Railway Research (IRR), a leading centre for railway engineering research, to tour the facility, where he was introduced to the facility's robots capable of performing a wide range of tasks that are currently carried out by humans in depots across the country.

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Miriam Cates MP

Miriam Cates, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge visited Linbrooke Rail, a leading contractor in Chapletown, Sheffield to gain valuable insights into the techniques employed by Linbrooke to reduce costs for the taxpayer on the Midland Mainline.

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Ian levy MP

Ian Levy, MP for Blyth Valley visited engineering company Transmission Dynamics in Cramlington, Northumbria to see first-hand the innovative work being done by Transmission Dynamics.

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Nick Rogers AM and Keith Prince AM visit Alstom at Ilford Depot 

London Assembly Members Nick Rogers and Keith Prince visited the Alstom Depot in Ilford as part of the Rail Fellowship Programme.

Class of 2022-23

Dame Nia Griffith MP

Dame Nia Griffith MP, Shadow Exports Minister, visited the the Global Centre for Rail Excellence in South Wales (GCRE) as part of the RIA Rail Fellowship Programme.

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Dame Rosie Winterton MP and Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP 

MP for Doncaster Central Dame Rosie Winterton and MP for Doncaster North Ed Miliband joined a RIA Rail Fellowship Programme visit to local site Unipart Rail in Doncaster.

Tan Dhesi MP

Shadow Rail Minister and MP for Slough joined a RIA Rail Fellowship Programme visit to Siemens Mobility's facility in Chippenham.

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Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP

Transport Secretary and MP for Welwyn and Hatfield Grant Shapps joined a RIA Rail Fellowship Programme visit to label manufacturer Silver Fox in his constituency.

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Jo Stevens MP

Shadow Wales Secretary and Cardiff Central MP Jo Stevens was shown the South Wales Metro Project with RIA Members Siemens, Amey and Balfour Beatty, and led by Transport for Wales as part of the RIA Rail Fellowship Programme.

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Bob Blackman MP

Harrow East MP Bob Blackman visited Willesden depot to see the London Overground trains that service his constituency as part of the RIA Rail Fellowship Programme.

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Class of 2020-21

Sam Tarry MP

The Shadow Light Rail Minister visited the site where the National Very Light Rail Innovation Centre is being built.

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Christian Wakeford MP

Christian Wakeford MP, Conservative Environment Network (CEN) Public Transport Champion, visited Garic's site in Bury to see how they are helping cut emissions from construction.

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It was fantastic to visit the local rail site Garic to learn more about the industry’s decarbonisation efforts. 

Christian Wakeford MP

Lee Anderson MP

Lee Anderson MP visited Van Elle where he made the call for further rail decarbonisation.

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Simon Jupp MP

Transport Committee Member Simon Jupp visited manufacturer dormakaba's site in Tiverton.

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I am honoured to become a member of the RIA Rail Fellowship and will continue to do my bit to support the railway industry locally and nationally.

Simon Jupp MP

Navendu Mishra MP

Sella Controls in Stockport showed Nav Mishra how they maintain safety critical assets on the UK rail network.

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Mark Fletcher MP

Mark Fletcher visited SRS Rail Systems, suppliers of specialist Road-Rail vehicles, in Bolsover.

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Kieran Mullan MP

Crewe and Nantwich MP Kieran Mullan visited Unipart Rail in his constituency, where they repair and restore switch points and relays.

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Sarah Olney MP

Sarah Olney visited Alstom's Willesden Depot in London to find out how they maintain London Overground rolling stock.

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I was extremely grateful for the opportunity to visit Willesden Junction depot and see first-hand the work being undertaken to help transform public transportation and boost sustainability.

Sarah Olney MP

Derek Twigg MP

Derek Twigg took part in a virtual visit, finding out how Alstom's Widnes site continued to support the industry during the Coronavirus pandemic, and about their hydrogen Breeze train.

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Chris Loder MP

West Dorset MP Chris Loder took part in RIA's first virtual Rail Fellowship Programme, meeting Balfour Beatty, Network Rail and Movement Strategies, to hear how they were delivering work during the pandemic.

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I really appreciated the insights from companies across the industry as to how the railway is dealing with Coronavirus.

Chris Loder MP

 

Giles Watling MP

Giles Watling visited Clacton-based business Dura Composites, to find out how they use light weight composite materials in rail.

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Class of 2019

Baroness Morgan of Cotes

Then MP for Loughborough, Nicky Morgan, visited Loughborough University to find out about the Repoint Project.

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Jamie Stone MP

Liberal Democrat MP Jamie Stone visited a depot maintaining the Caledonian Sleepers, run by Alstom.

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Chi Onwurah MP

Marking International Women in Engineering Day, Chi Onwurah visited Hitachi Rail's site at Newton Aycliffe.

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I strongly support the work of Hitachi Rail and other organisations in taking diversity seriously. So it was great to see the work they do to promote diversity at their Newton Aycliffe site, as part of the RIA Rail Fellowship Programme.

Chi Onwurah MP

Lord McLoughlin

The former Transport Secretary visited a number of RIA members around Derby, and called for the next Prime Minister to deliver HS2.

Lord McLoughlin was the Lead Fellow for the Class of 2019.

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Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Christina Rees MP, Jeremy Miles MS & Lee Waters MS

In a bumper visit, the Welsh MPs and MSs visited the planned site of the Global Centre for Rail Excellence in Wales.

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Peter Kyle MP

Peter Kyle visited Ricardo Rail's site in Shoreham to find out about their work in decarbonising rail.

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I would like to thank Ricardo and RIA for organising this visit and encourage my fellow Parliamentarians to show their support for the invaluable work going on in our rail supply chain.

Peter Kyle MP

Florence Eshalomi MP

The Vauxhall MP met with Thales and found out about their work keeping the London Underground running.

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Baroness Randerson

Baroness Randerson toured Transport for Wales' sites in Cardiff, including trying her hand on a train simulator.

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Rachael Maskell MP

The then-Shadow Rail Minister visited Siemens' York depot and met with a number of SMEs.

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Class of 2018

I think it is important for MPs to take part in visits like this and the RIA Rail Fellowship Programme is a great way to get involved.

Martin Vickers MP

Priti Patel MP

Priti Patel visited Bombardier's Ilford depot where they maintain a number of East Anglia's rolling stock, which service her constituency.

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Lilian Greenwood MP

The then-Transport Committee Chair saw how Derby railway station was being transformed with a new £200m upgrade to track and signalling, and visited Balfour Beatty's Rail Innovation Centre.

Lilian Greenwood was the Lead Fellow for the Class of 2018.

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Chris Heaton-Harris MP

Chris Heaton-Harris' visit involved touring the National Training Academy for Rail, a state-of-the-art facility for training up the next generation of railway engineers.

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I was able to see up close how the rail industry is helping to generate highly valuable skills for young people and why this site is so vital a resource.

Chris Heaton-Harris MP

Stephen Hammond MP

Visiting Hitachi Rail's Ashford depot, Stephen Hammond had a go at changing break pads and maintaining a Class 395 Javelin train.

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Alison McGovern MP

Visiting rail refurbishment multi-national Wabtec Faiveley's rail site in Birkenhead, Alison McGovern met with apprentices and discussed how we can get more people into rail.

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Martin Vickers MP

All Party Parliamentary Rail Group Chair Martin Vickers toured Scunthorpe, visiting companies British Steel and AD Comms.

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Jack Brereton MP

Stoke-on-Trent South MP Jack Brereton visited DB Cargo's rail freight facility and met with substation manufacturers ABB on his visit.

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Luke Pollard MP

RIA's first Rail Fellow, Luke Pollard visited Vortok in Plymouth, finding out about their rail stress management products.

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