Network Rail Selects Cognizant to Help Make Britain's Railways Safer, More Efficient with Data-Driven Operations

New Cognizant-led consortium will build on "Intelligent Infrastructure" to digitally transform rail operations supporting 4.8 million passenger journeys daily

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Cognizant

Jan 29, 2020, 06:00 ET

TEANECK, N.J., Jan. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) has been selected by Network Rail, Britain's principal rail infrastructure owner, to lead a new consortium tasked with delivering data-driven operations as part of a comprehensive Intelligent Infrastructure transformation program.

Cognizant, in partnership with rail specialists Amey Consulting and Arup, has been awarded a five-year contract to design, build and operate digital capabilities based on artificial intelligence, internet of things, data analytics, and mobility technologies that will help improve Network Rail's asset management and overall performance.

Cognizant will lead the consortium in developing and applying enhanced data collection and analytics to Network Rail's more than 12,000 connected assets, such as track circuits, signal power supplies, and switches. The new capabilities will equip Network Rail with real-time condition monitoring and data-driven insights, aided by artificial intelligence, to improve decision-making and asset management. Network Rail expects to lower costs and enhance safety by predicting and preventing maintenance issues, prioritizing work streams and minimizing the time rail workers spend on the tracks. Passengers and freight customers are expected to experience fewer travel disruptions.

"To fulfill our ambition, we need to adopt a strong partnership model that harnesses expertise from across the industry," said Jacqueline Young, Intelligent Infrastructure Director, Network Rail. "We are forming a network of partnerships that will drive transformation across the railway, improving life for colleagues, working every day to maintain and renew our infrastructure, and ultimately providing a safe and reliable railway for the millions of passengers who depend on us every day."

"Industry estimates indicate passenger demand for rail will more than double over the next couple of decades, with freight demand rising as much as 140 percent," said Santosh Thomas, President, Global Growth Markets, Cognizant. "This is driving the need for new approaches in asset management – the ability to take a 'predict and prevent' approach to maintenance, and shaping a smarter, more efficient, cost-effective approach to whole life asset management."

Thomas continued, "Cognizant has been working with Network Rail for several years. We are thrilled to combine our expertise in digital technologies and large infrastructure projects with the knowledge and capabilities of our consortium partners, Arup and Amey Consulting. We expect to expand on this ecosystem to include other leading asset management experts as well. We look forward to delivering the game-changing digital solutions for Network Rail that will help make Britain's railways more efficient, safe, and reliable."

About Network Rail

We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings, and stations. We run 20 of Britain's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies. Every day, there are more than 4.8 million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years. Follow us on Twitter: @networkrail.Visit our online newsroom: www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

About Amey Consulting

Amey Consulting, with a turnover of £2.2bn, employs 17,000 people internationally with a focus on the UK, but with businesses in Australia and America. Our aim is to make the world a better place to live, work and travel. Designing, building, maintaining and investing in the UK's services and infrastructure in partnership with our clients. This means keeping core services running smoothly across the country: utilities, transport, engineering, justice, defence, environmental and waste services, and facilities management. These are underpinned by our leading consulting and asset management capabilities, which allow us to offer standalone or integrated service solutions to a range of clients. Amey Consulting is owned by Ferrovial. They are one of the world's leading infrastructure management and investment companies. Ferrovial has more than 96,000 employees and a presence in over 15 countries. It is a member of Spain's blue-chip IBEX 35 index and is also included in prestigious sustainability indices such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and FTSE4Good. Ferrovial's activities focus on four business sectors: construction, airports, toll roads and services. Amey Consulting is part of the Services division.

About Arup

Arup is the creative force at the heart of many of the world's most prominent projects in the built environment and across industry. Working in more than 140 countries, the firm's designers, engineers, architects, planners, consultants and technical specialists work with our clients on innovative projects of the highest quality and impact.

www.arup.com

About Cognizant

Cognizant (Nasdaq-100: CTSH) is one of the world's leading professional services companies, transforming clients' business, operating and technology models for the digital era. Our unique industry-based, consultative approach helps clients envision, build and run more innovative and efficient businesses. Headquartered in the U.S., Cognizant is ranked 193 on the Fortune 500 and is consistently listed among the most admired companies in the world. Learn how Cognizant helps clients lead with digital at www.cognizant.com or follow us @Cognizant

SOURCE Cognizant