The majority of rail industry experts believe that investment in UK-based rail engineering and project management will rise over the next two to three years, according to a survey by TE Connectivity.
A majority of 72% of those surveyed expected investment to rise in this sector as the UK is carrying out large-scale projects, such as the £32bn High-Speed 2 and the £15bn Crossrail project.
Over 53% of rail experts surveyed said that they preferred UK-based manufacturing and design over non-UK alternatives as they provide key benefits based on local expertise.
Around 19% of experts preferred UK-based products for the offer of continued service over the product’s lifetime, while 14% said they offer high quality of products and systems.
Of those surveyed, 10% believed that UK manufacturing and design offered better value for the money in the long term.
TE Rail director of general management Peter Van Loo said that the study shows where rail industry experts are looking to invest their money.
"The level of investment available from the UK rail industry is at an all-time high, and the number of large-scale projects currently taking shape in the UK market creates a natural demand for rail products and systems," Van Loo said.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for UK-based manufacturers to lead the charge on supplying high-quality products with the local expertise that only UK companies can offer," Van Loo added.
The study also showed that 86% of rail industry experts believe that the investment in procuring rail systems from foreign companies will continue to rise due to the reduced initial cost of foreign products and systems, preference for foreign-based expertise, and positive previous experience of foreign products and systems.
Van Loo said: "As the results show, rail industry experts will continue to look abroad as well as in their home market, and UK manufacturers must differentiate themselves to become the industry leaders."
Image: TE Rail director of general management Peter Van Loo.
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