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Following a successful launch year, the Rail Industry Planning Awards returned on Tuesday, 14 April 2026.
Train planners sit at the heart of our industry, creating high-performing timetables and resource plans that benefit passengers and freight customers alike. The Rail Industry Planning Awards recognise excellence in train planning: showcasing best practice and strengthening our professional community.
By connecting people and goods efficiently, train planners play a crucial role in helping the economy and communities to thrive now and in the future. | Winners announced |
We are delighted to announce the winners of the 2026 Rail Industry Planning Awards. We received a high number of exceptional nominations this year, and we would like to thank everyone who took the time to submit an entry.
The winners were celebrated at the Rail Industry Planning Awards Dinner on Tuesday 14 April. The full list of winners is below and you can also watch them celebrate their wins on the night in the video below. |
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| Timetable Performance Initiative
Southeastern Railway LTP Planning Team – 2025 Autumn Timetable - WINNER Transport for Wales Core Valley Lines performance improvement - (Highly commended) GWR & NR System Operator – North Downs Timetable Performance Improvement Project |
| Strategic or Long-term Planning team of the year
ScotRail Strategic and Long term planning teams - WINNER Eastern and Freight Timetable Production Teams, Network Rail – ECML Freight Stitch GTR Southern and Gatwick Express LTP Traincrew Diagram team - (Highly commended) Establishment Planning Timetables Team – Transport for London - (Highly commended) The East Midlands Railway Strategic Timetable Planning Team |
| STP team of the year |
| Emergency plan of the year
Northern Train Planning Team (West) & DRS operational/strategic planning team – Bransty Tunnel Closure - WINNER Capacity Planning Southern and SWR – SMD Timetables NR Anglia STP Planning Team, GTR, GA, c2c and Cross Country Amended Planning teams and Network Rail Access Planning – SMD Timetables - (Highly commended) |
| Event plan of the year
Alan Jones - Greatest Gathering Rolling Stock Movements - (Highly commended) Scotland’s Railway – Oasis concerts at Murrayfield - WINNER ARL STP Planning – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium events - (Highly commended) |
| Customer-driven project of the year
Grand Central - Introduction of Seaham Calls TPE LTP - Reopening a Freight only line to passengers - (Highly commended) Freightliner - London Gateway Timetable Changes - WINNER |
| Engineering Access Planning Award
Greek Street Bridge – Network Rail North West Route EAP & Industry Partners - WINNER TRU Huddersfield blockade – Northern, TPE, Network Rail planning teams Greater Anglia, EMR & Network Rail – Norwich Area Track Safety Patrolling - (Highly commended) |
| Collaboration of the year
Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) Customer and Planning Team - 30-day Huddersfield Blockade Timetable (including 3tph on Calder Valley) - WINNER West Coast North Modernisation Programme Passenger Handling Working Group ECML Timetable Planning Team – NR Planning Teams, DB Cargo, Northern, LNER Strategic Planning, TPE Implementation of the Advanced Register of Possessions – David Peters, Mark Sleet, Nikki Forman, Adam Hodgson, Michael Kempster, Colin Sweeney, Tony Worgan - (Highly commended) |
| Outstanding Personal Contribution (People’s Choice)
Shaun Fisher (LNER) Nick Collins (Network Rail) - WINNER Hester Ingram (Arriva Rail London) - (Highly commended) Rachael Hann (Network Rail) - (Highly commended) |
| Judges Special Award (ECML Timetable)
Eastern and Freight Timetable Production Teams, Network Rail – ECML Freight Stitch - WINNER LNER STP Team – ECML Readiness Activities - WINNER ECML Timetable Planning Team – NR Planning Teams, DB Cargo, Northern, LNER Strategic Planning, TPE - (Highly commended) |
| Lifetime Achievement |
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Awards highlight video |
Watch the highlights from the awards night. |
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Showcase 2026 video |
The video below showcases the standout planning successes of 2026. |
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