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Liz Baldwin has moved to Network Rail from consulting engineer Mott MacDonald to run the Southern region’s renewals portfolio for the next 10 years.
At Mott MacDonald she was managing director of its highways and intelligent transport systems division.
Network Rail’s southern integrated delivery project, or SID, is part of the Southern Renewals Enterprise (SRE), a new model being introduced across Network Rail’s Southern region at the beginning of Control Period 7 (CP7) in April 2024 to deliver its £9bn renewals portfolio between 2024 and 2034.
The SID partnership comprises VolkerFitzpatrick, VolkerRail, Octavius and AtkinsRéalis, along with Network Rail.
In a first for the railway industry, Network Rail’s Southern region formed the SRE model based on the Institution of Civil Engineers’ Project 13 principles – a form of collaboration designed to promote better long term planning.
Liz Baldwin said: “I’m very excited about joining the team and taking on the role of SID director as part of the SRE. This is an amazing opportunity to make a step change in how efficiently and safely we can deliver renewals in a more effective and collaborative way across the region.
“I’m looking forward to working with Network Rail as the capable owner to really challenge how we approach the renewals work bank, to get the very best outcomes for our teams, and improve the passenger experience across Southern.”
Prior to joining Mott MacDonald, Liz Baldwin was the alliance manager on the Wessex Capacity Alliance for Network Rail, and previous roles also include project director on HS2 and Crossrail 2. She started her career in the Corps of Royal Engineers.
Ellie Burrows, managing director for Network Rail’s Southern region, said: “I’m delighted to have Liz join the team. A huge amount of effort has gone into building the Southern Renewals Enterprise, and I’m excited that Liz will be supporting us to deliver this new and radical approach – the first of its kind in the industry. She’ll be central to making the Southern Integrated Delivery a reality. Her role is hugely important for this new phase of CP7, so we can deliver the best for the communities we serve and make the Southern region a great place to work.
“The rail industry has consistently demonstrated that when it comes together, it can do amazing things. This transformational step will bring all those ingredients together for the long-term delivery of renewals and make a tangible difference to passengers and freight-users alike.
“Rather than being restricted by the limitations of traditional contracting models, we’re creating long term relationships with our supply chain partners where everyone is truly incentivised to deliver better outcomes for our passengers and freight users.”
The Southern region is the busiest and most congested in the country, according to Network Rail. The region covers Dorset, Hampshire, East and West Sussex, Surrey, Kent and South London as well as the Network Rail High Speed 1 route which carries Channel Tunnel services.
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