Leeds-based Tracsis aims to improve efficiency and safety on Britain's railway system

Library image of Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps. Control of trains and track will be brought under a new public sector body named Great British Railways (GBR) as part of sweeping reforms, the Department for Transport has announced.

Tracsis, which is provider of software, hardware, data analytics and services for the rail, traffic data and wider transport industries, said it welcomed the long-awaited Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail in the UK.

In a statement, Tracsis said: " The report provides strategic direction for the rail industry in the UK and will focus on the delivery of a modern, improved experience for passenger and freight customers under a new public body called Great British Railways which will oversee rail transport in Great Britain .

"The organisation will replace Network Rail as the operator of rail infrastructure, and will also control the contracting of train operations, the setting of fares and timetables and the collection of fare revenue.

"Within the new structure, passenger and freight operators will remain private and will focus on performance improvement, expanding customer choice and improving the overall customer experience. The new approach will see a greater focus on passenger and freight customers, the delivery of an increasingly safe and reliable rail network and greater integration across different transport modes (rail, bus etc.) whilst prioritising innovation in new technologies."

Recent strategic investments made across the Tracsis Group in both new technology and acquisition appear to be well aligned with the future direction of the rail industry, the statement said.

It added: "With the rail industry focused on improving safety, improving timetabling and on time train performance, increasing pre-emptive/asset condition maintenance and accelerating innovation in areas like pay as you go smart ticketing and delay repay, Tracsis is well positioned to benefit from the commitment to greater innovation and investment in a digital railway. This is currently reflected in our pipeline of new opportunities."

Chris Barnes, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "Tracsis has a long-established reputation as a fast-to-market innovator of products that make a fundamental difference to the performance and safety of the rail industry . We are therefore looking forward to working in partnership with Great British Railways and passenger and freight operators to help the industry deliver its strategic vision for the future".