Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris and senior leaders open new Railway Industry Association (RIA) offices


From L-R: RIA Chief Executive Darren Caplan, RIA Chairman David Tonkin, Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris MP, HS2 Chief Executive Mark Thurston and HS1 Chief Executive Dyan Crowther.

3 September 2021

Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris MP joined HS1 Ltd Chief Executive Dyan Crowther and HS2 Ltd Chief Executive Mark Thurston in opening the Railway Industry Association’s (RIA) new offices yesterday (Thursday 2 September). Alongside RIA Chief Executive Darren Caplan and Chairman David Tonkin, the group welcomed some 100 RIA members and stakeholders into the new offices, located at the heart of Westminster.

The new offices – at Smith Square, Westminster – will provide a central hub for RIA members to meet, attend events and network, just a short distance from the Houses of Parliament, the Department for Transport (DfT), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department for International Trade (DIT). Previously RIA had been at Headfort Place, Hyde Park Corner, for 21 years.

Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA), said: “We’re very excited to be launching our new office in the heart of Westminster. Our previous Headfort Place offices in Hyde Park Corner served us well for 21 years, but it is now time to move on to more modern, dynamic, premises, which are geared up for events and networking, and to better enable us to bring the rail supply industry together with policy makers and influencers, rail clients and stakeholders. Simply, it is a hub for rail suppliers to use, to connect with contacts and to enjoy!

“We’re delighted Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris MP, HS1 Chief Executive Dyan Crowther and HS2 Chief Executive Mark Thurston, could join us for the launch. And we look forward to this being the first of many industry events at our new home in the months and years to come!”

Notes to Editors

 

  1. A booking policy for RIA Members will be posted on the Member News site in the coming days, with Members being notified through the RIA Mail.
  2. About RIA: The Railway Industry Association (RIA) is the voice of the UK rail supply community. We help to grow a sustainable, high-performing, railway supply industry, and to export UK rail expertise and products. RIA has 300+ companies in membership in a sector that contributes £36 billion in economic growth and £11 billion in tax revenue each year, as well as employing 600,000 people—more than the workforce of Birmingham. It is also a vital industry for the UK’s economic recovery, supporting green investment and jobs in towns and communities across the UK. RIA’s membership is active across the whole of railway supply, covering a diverse range of products and services and including both multi-national companies and SMEs (60% by number). RIA works to promote the importance of the rail system to UK plc, to help export UK expertise around the globe and to share best practice and innovation across the industry.