Network Rail has appointed Mace to provide consultancy services on its railway improvement programme for the North West and Central Region, known as Project Alpha.

Project Alpha is a Network Rail initiative, put in place to improve train performance and customer service. The move follows discussions with key stakeholders such as the Office of Rail and Road and an agreement that the sector has the opportunity to do things differently.

Mace is supporting Network Rail in improving the reliability of railways with project and portfolio management services, including Project Management Office (PMO) services, to ensure best practice controls are implemented across the scheme.

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The programme of works will upgrade the railway in the North West and Central region by solving common causes of delay, including resilience to extreme weather impacts, operational recovery times following incidents, and structural timetables.

As part of the new contract, Mace has already implemented a structured governance system for portfolio management and managed the scope development for track upgrades.

The Network Rail appointment follows Mace's recent wins on the Northern Powerhouse Rail programme and the Brent Cross West train station in London, further strengthening its track record in the UK’s transport sector.

Sean Gray, Mace’s Director of Transportation, said: "At a time when the entire transport industry is reflecting and identifying ways to improve. We are delighted to have secured a role that ensures Mace can play a part in revitalising the nation's rail network. Project Alpha will transform rail transport for millions of passengers across the North West and Central region of the country. It's excellent to see that our team is already helping Network Rail to make a difference through best-practice project management and PMO expertise, facilitating the improvements as quickly and effectively as possible."