Rail passengers experience fewer delays at Peterborough train station thanks to new technology

Rail passengers at Peterborough train station are experiencing fewer travel delays thanks to the use of innovative technology.

The hi-tech equipment enabled more than 450 potential delays to be avoided at Peterborough station during a trial of the system over several weeks.

Now the technology, which has been developed by machine learning experts at LNER, is being rolled out by the service operator across all its stations.

Hundreds of people use Peterborough station each day and delays can lead to large numbers of people waiting at the station.

An LNER spokesperson said: “Data collected showed over 450 potential delays were avoided, helping LNER to keep trains running in accordance with the timetable.”

Ian Whittles, Station Delivery Manager at Peterborough, said: “The new capability has proved to be an invaluable tool for my team.

"Peterborough is a busy station, so we are well experienced at reacting quickly and resolving issues which may occur throughout the day.

"The insight provided by the predictive delay tool allows us to plan more effectively, keeping our customers and our trains on the move.”

The technology, which is available to all staff through their LNER mobile phones, takes data from previous train performance and adds in factors such as the number of people travelling and weather conditions and then highlights those services which may encounter a delay at the station.

It means staff have time to adapt the support they can provide to match more closely to the needs of customers, meaning journeys and trains run smoother.

Steven Lloyd, Machine Learning Product Lead for LNER, said: “We saw an opportunity to provide a solution for our teams, which would help them to not only deliver fantastic service to customers, but also enable them to get ahead of any potential issues.

“The data captured from the trial has been positive, so we’re now rolling out the capability across our whole station network.

"We’re also considering the carbon savings of trains being on the move more and dwelling at platforms less.”

Robin Gisby, DFTO Chief Executive, said: "The rollout of this innovative technology across the LNER station network is a huge step forward in reducing delays and improving reliability.

"We are striving to improve the experience of all our passengers through harnessing new technologies."