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Reimagining our railways and stations

Connected Places

Release Date: 10/20/2022

Reinventing the city of Liverpool show art Reinventing the city of Liverpool

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In this episode, we visit a city with a proud sense of identity and a bold vision for the future. Liverpool is famous for its maritime heritage, musical legacy, and vibrant culture. But today it’s reimagining itself as a hub for science, technology and inclusive innovation. We explore how civic leaders, entrepreneurs and community voices are driving change, from green shipping corridors and digital connectivity to inclusive growth and skills for the next generation. We hear from Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region; Ruth Wood, CEO of Mersey Maritime; Bill Addy, Chief Executive...

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Reimagining the economy of Northeast Ohio show art Reimagining the economy of Northeast Ohio

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In conversation with Dan Labbad, CEO of the Crown Estate show art In conversation with Dan Labbad, CEO of the Crown Estate

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In Conversation with Andrew Barr, President of Hitachi Europe  show art In Conversation with Andrew Barr, President of Hitachi Europe

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In this episode we meet Andrew Barr, President of Hitachi Europe in conversation with Becky Wood at our recent Connected Places Summit, held in London on 19/20 March. Hitachi Europe was one of our strategic Summit partners and we are very grateful for their support. Andrew and Becky sat down in the margins of the Summit to discuss Hitachi’s approach to innovation in rail, the work they do in the energy sector, navigating the clean transition, and how data and digital technologies are changing how we think about rail, energy and place. Andrew is President of Hitachi Group’s Regional...

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Highlights from the Connected Places Summit - 2025 show art Highlights from the Connected Places Summit - 2025

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The future of innovation procurement show art The future of innovation procurement

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Inclusive Innovation in the West Midlands show art Inclusive Innovation in the West Midlands

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The UK is positioning itself to be a global hub for innovation by 2035. But how do we make sure that the innovation economy creates opportunities for people and communities from all corners of the country? Getting this right has implications not just for businesses and research institutions, but also for the life chances of people and communities who have typically been marginalised or overlooked by the innovation economy. So in this episode we explore some of the latest thinking on inclusive innovation and what it means for places - specifically one of the UK’s most diverse and...

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Highlights from the Connected Places Summit - 2024 show art Highlights from the Connected Places Summit - 2024

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Last week was a big one for the Connected Places Catapult. On the 20/21 March we hosted our first ever Connected Places Summit, in the heart of the City of London. It was a big one because even though we run multiple events throughout the year, this was the first time we’ve run a 2-day Summit which brought together all of our flagship projects under one roof. But it also included a keynote programme with some of the most influential thinkers and leaders from across government, business and academia. Over the two days had 220 speakers, 27 companies exhibiting, 30 supporting...

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Minding the gaps in London with Graeme Craig show art Minding the gaps in London with Graeme Craig

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Ask any Londoner what the city’s greatest challenge is and they’ll probably mention the housing crisis or, more specifically, the affordable housing crisis. Over the last 40 years, London’s population has boomed from 6.9 million in 1980 to 9.6 million today. London now hosts 6 million jobs, £1.5 trillion of housing assets and a £4 trillion property asset base. All of that growth has put enormous pressure on the affordability of living and working in London. In this episode we meet , CEO of Places for London – an innovate, TfL-owned property company that is transforming how...

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More Episodes

Britain has the oldest rail infrastructure in the world. Our railways have profoundly shaped our history, as well as much of our cultural and civic identity. But like much of our economy, the UK’s rail network has had a difficult few years; reduced passenger revenue in the wake of the COVID pandemic; changing commuting patterns; waves of industrial action; and throughout it all the need to modernise some very old infrastructure. And then of course, there are the daunting challenges that the 21st Century are throwing at it. The need to decarbonise our economy, the march of digital technology on the modernisation journey, and the importance of putting people and the passenger experience at the heart of all of that.

Historically the rail industry has a long track record of changing and adapting to society’s needs. At its heart, rail is an industry that was forged in innovation and creativity. Yet despite its pioneering history, the modern rail industry can still be a difficult space to innovate in. In this episode we’ll hear how innovation is helping the sector to rediscover its creativity in becoming a more cost-effective, accessible, sustainable and enjoyable form of travel.

We begin our journey with one of Britain's most well-known champions for railways, former MP and Government Minister, Michale Portillo. Along the way we also meet some of the innovators who are helping to write a new story for rail; like Nicolas LeGlatin, from Open Space, a company specialising in digital twins in stations; Steve Erdal from WordNerds, a specialist in language analytics and customer experience; Matteo Maccario whose company Pluvo is revolutionising air quality in stations. 

We also hear from Mike Bradley, an expert in inclusive design at the University of Cambridge, Kirstin Durie, Property Development Manager at Network Rail, Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain from the Knowledge Transfer Network, and Alan Peters, our very own Ecosystem Director for Rail & Stations 

Music on this episode is by Phil Ward Music (www.philward.com)

Show Notes

To learn more about the UK's first Station Innovation Zone and how the Catapult is supporting Bristol Temple Meads station to trial new technologies, click here

And if you're interested in applying for our Station Innovation Zone Competition - we're looking for up to 10 companies with technology, products or services that can improve passenger experience when travelling through stations - then click here to learn more.