Connected Places Catapult selects innovators for Bristol Temple Meads station trials

Connected Places Catapult selects innovators for Bristol Temple Meads station trials Posted: 19 March 2026 | Gabriel Higgins | No comments yet Four companies will trial new rail technologies at Bristol Temple Meads to improve passenger experience and station resilience through the Station Innovation Zone programme. Credit: Connected Places Catapult Connected Places Catapult has announced four companies selected to trial new rail technologies at Bristol Temple Meads as part of its Station Innovation Zone programme. Delivered in partnership with Network Rail and supported by Innovate UK, the programme provides a live testbed for rail innovators, investors and operators to collaborate on solutions aimed at improving station environments and passenger experience. Trials focused on passenger experience and resilience The selected companies will undertake six month trials beginning in spring, with each project receiving up to £45,000 to support deployment. This year’s cohort focuses on two key challenges: improving interchange experience by reducing passenger stress and confusion, and enhancing station resilience to weather related issues such as surface condensation. DataWharf will trial a journey support tool designed to provide personalised multilingual guidance to passengers navigating stations and disruptions. XRAI and Ampetronic will collaborate on an artificial intelligence powered announcement system offering real time translation, captions and accessible audio. Trace Surveys will deploy a multi sensor device capable of predicting condensation hazards while monitoring noise, vibration and air quality within the station environment. The projects were selected from a shortlist of eight small and medium sized enterprise led proposals announced in November. Since 2023, the programme has supported 32 companies, with 11 progressing to live trials at Bristol Temple Meads. Dr Alan Peters of Connected Places Catapult said the initiative focuses innovation on areas that deliver meaningful benefits for passengers while helping stations adapt to future challenges. Brian Wortman of Network Rail added that the programme provides an opportunity to test new technologies in an operational setting while improving accessibility and safety. Stay Connected with Global Railway Review — Subscribe for Free! Get exclusive access to the latest rail industry insights from Global Railway Review — all tailored to your interests. ✅ Expert-Led Webinars – Gain insights from global industry leaders ✅ Weekly News & Reports – Rail project updates, thought leadership, and exclusive interviews ✅ Partner Innovations – Discover cutting-edge rail technologies ✅ Print/Digital Magazine – Enjoy two in-depth issues per year, packed with expert content Choose the updates that matter most to you. Sign up now to stay informed, inspired, and connected — all for free! Thank you for being part of our community. Let’s keep shaping the future of rail together! Related topics Big Data, Digitalisation, Infrastructure Developments, Passenger Experience/Satisfaction, Real-Time Passenger Information (RTPI), Safety, Station Developments, Sustainability/Decarbonisation, Technology & Software, Training & Development