Network Rail to appoint integrated agency

Network Rail oversees Britain’s rail infrastructure including bridges, tunnels, level crossings and 18 key managed stations. The review will be overseen by head of marketing services Mark Shaoul.

Recent advertising developed by the body include safety campaigns warning of the dangers of level crossings and of trespassing on railway property.

A number of agencies have worked on recent Network Rail marketing, including Golley Slater, Clinic and Iris. A spokesman for Network Rail says: “We are exploring a possible new way of managing our marketing programme. At present we use a number of agencies to deliver different needs. These agencies are managed by our in-house team. We are going through a tender process to see if pooling this work with a single agency will help us deliver a better integrated, more cost effective programme to support our business as we deliver our £35bn programme of investment over the next five years.”

Iris created a television, press and outdoor campaign to promote Network Rail’s upgrade of the West Coast main line last June. The creative featured actor Bernard Hill reading a poem paying tribute to the original builders of the railway line and celebrates how the 19th century achievement has been rebuilt for the 21st century.

Network Rail took over the running of the rail infrastructure in 2002. It has just announced its intention to create a new national centre in Milton Keynes and has applied for planning permission.

Meanwhile, train operator Southern is also looking to appoint an advertising agency to work on its Gatwick Express route and is lining up a review of its Southern Trains account for April next year. A 12 month contract for the latter was handed to Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest in August.