Metronet Rail has awarded Fastline Ltd a trackside plant hire contract that will reduce one of the risks of engineering work overrunning on London's Tube network and at the same time improve health and safety.

Metronet has suffered a number of engineering overruns into passenger service because tools and plant have broken down with no replacement immediately available. To ensure Metronet's track work is more effective and more efficient and its needs met, new contractor Fastline has invested £1.5 million on new plant which is supported by a vigorous maintenance and testing regime.

It has also set up five dedicated ServiceMaster( vehicles at Metronet's Acton depot in west London which are available to mobilise within 15 minutes at any time of day or night, all year round. This service enables Fastline to be on site at track works, station refurbishments or any number of worksites operated by Metronet within one hour with either replacement kit or an engineer to fix it. This considerably lessens the risk of work overrunning or staff over-hiring plant ‘in case something goes wrong'.

Other benefits include:
* Delivery of plant to worksites, avoiding need for track maintenance gangs driving to depots, queuing to collect equipment and repeating the process after work
* Purchase option for low value and consumable items, reducing ‘hire and forget' mentality and consequent expense
* Electronic ordering, hire reporting and asset management, again minimising waste and non-productive time   
* All-new asset inventory using bar code technology, fixed life costing of equipment and replacement of ‘new with old' when due
* An effective maintenance and repair service for Metronet-owned plant

Health and safety of Metronet employees will be improved as well through the use of clear labelling explaining, for example, how long a piece of machinery should be used to avoid vibration injuries.

Fastline will also provide technical knowledge and expertise and a product development team to research improved and safer tools.

Metronet head of procurement Nick Sumption said: “With a dedicated engineering response team at our Acton depot and back-up replacements on hand, Metronet will have access to the best tools in the best condition available for the job to ensure we continue to deliver quality maintenance and upgrade work for London's Tube passengers.”

Fastline's managing director Mike Houghton said: “We are delighted to be working with Metronet on this extensive project to rapidly improve the London Underground. In winning the contract, we are committed to providing the safest and most reliable trackside plant equipment while also helping Metronet to make cost-savings.”