UK train operator London Midland has announced a group of ten start-ups that will work to improve passengers' experiences.

This group comprises coders, white-hat hackers, big data analysts and computer scientists, who will together develop technology-based solutions to improve modern rail travel.

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Consisting of Kompas, RailRepay, Braci, Sphere, TransReport, Qshy, Popwork, Touchbyte, Warwick Analytics and Limitless Travel, the companies were selected from among more than 100 start-ups.

The successful cohort includes a queue avoidance app, a rapid response passenger compensation platform, facial recognition technology, a sensory messaging service for the hearing impaired, and a travel company that specialises in providing trips for disabled people, London Midland stated.

London Midland finance and contracts director Ian McLaren said: “Technology is a positively disruptive force and using it to improve our passengers’ journeys is part of our commitment to doing everything we can to make their rail experience better.

“These start-ups are a diverse group that share common traits, they are all terrifyingly brilliant and the projects they are working on are incredible."

“These start-ups are a diverse group that share common traits, they are all terrifyingly brilliant and the projects they are working on are incredible. We’re immensely proud to be working with this group and can’t wait to see what they will produce and how it will improve journeys.”

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London Midland operates 1,300 trains every day and carries 200,000 daily passengers.

The company carried out on-platform and in-carriage research to determine issues faced by its passengers.

The research has been presented to the start-ups that will use technology to address the specific points raised such as travel delay compensation and create solutions.

Based at London Midland’s Labs, the start-ups will work together to solve passenger issues to ensure better journeys, as part of Innovation Birmingham’s Serendip Smart City Incubator programme.

Image: A group of start-ups will work together to solve passenger issues. Photo: courtesy of London Midland.

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