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Following a successful launch year, the Rail Industry Planning Awards will return 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 (also known as the Golden Planners) 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. | Shortlist announced |
We are delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2026 Rail Industry Planning Awards. We received a huge number of exceptional nominations and we would like to thank everyone who took the time to submit entries.
We look forward to celebrating the awards at the Rail Industry Planning Awards Dinner on Tuesday, 14 April. | Timetable Performance Initiative
Southeastern Railway LTP Planning Team – 2025 Autumn Timetable Transport for Wales Core Valley Lines performance improvement 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 Eastern and Freight Timetable Production Teams, Network Rail – ECML Freight Stitch GTR Southern and Gatwick Express LTP Traincrew Diagram team Establishment Planning Timetables Team – Transport for London 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 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 |
| Event plan of the year
Alan Jones - Greatest Gathering Rolling Stock Movements Scotland’s Railway – Oasis concerts at Murrayfield ARL STP Planning – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium events |
| Customer-driven project of the year
Grand Central - Introduction of Seaham Calls TPE LTP - Reopening a Freight only line to passengers Freightliner - London Gateway Timetable Changes |
| Engineering Access Planning Award
Greek Street Bridge – Network Rail North West Route EAP & Industry Partners TRU Huddersfield blockade – Northern, TPE, Network Rail planning teams Greater Anglia, EMR & Network Rail – Norwich Area Track Safety Patrolling |
| Collaboration of the year
Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) Customer and Planning Team - 30-day Huddersfield Blockade Timetable (including 3tph on Calder Valley) 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 |
| Outstanding Personal Contribution (People’s Choice)
Shaun Fisher (LNER) Nick Collins (Network Rail) Hester Ingram (Arriva Rail London) Rachael Hann (Network Rail) |
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Celebratory video
| To whet your appetite for the 2026 awards, below is a short celebratory video from the 2025 awards evening. |
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Showcase 2025 video
| The video below showcases the standout planning successes of 2025. |
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Award categories | Award entries open on Monday, 17 November 2025 and closed on Friday, 9 January 2026. These are the award categories:
Timetable Performance Initiative Strategic or Long-Term Planning Team of the Year Short-Term Planning Team of the Year Emergency Plan of the Year Event Plan of the Year Customer-Driven Project of the Year Engineering Access Planning Award Collaboration of the Year Outstanding Personal Contribution (People’s Choice) |
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New judges for 2026
| This year we welcome some new judges to our line-up, with Maggie Simpson, Director General for Rail Freight Group, Clare Waller, Network Rail’s Head of Planning & Performance at North West Route and Nicole Smith, Head of Train Planning at Arriva Rail London bringing added expertise and industry perspective to help us judge what is sure to be another hugely competitive field of entries. |
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