DR HELEN MCALLISTER

Helen joined Network Rail in 2004 following the completion of a Doctorate at Imperial College, London. In the subsequent 15 years, she has been involved in cross industry strategic and business planning. She is now Strategy & Planning Director (Network) within the System Operator, working closely with customers and regions to identify the opportunities to deliver improvements for end users. The Network wide remit of the role includes leading Network Strategies – (eg the Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy); leading the interface between funders and Arms Length Bodies and the regions on Network wide programmes (eg Restore Your Railway) and leading the Strategic Planning profession across the Network, including providing assurance that Network Rail discharges its license condition to carry out Long Term Planning. Helen is a member of the Decarbonisation Task Force, chaired by Malcolm Brown.

Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy

The Strategy follows on from the outputs of the Decarbonisation Task Force. It was led by System Operator on behalf of industry, drawing on input from Network Rail, RSSB, RDG, RIA, ROSCOs and manufacturers in order to provide choices for funders on how to reduce the carbon impact of the railway. It considers to what extent a renewals driven programme of work would enable industry to support the achievement of national carbon emissions targets and the additional steps that would need be taken to reduce carbon emissions in line with these targets. It also considers how to deploy the different technology alternatives to diesel engines in order to provide efficient utilisation of these across the network.