The Chartered Institution of Railway Operators (CIRO) welcomed more than 200 members to Kings Place, London, on 15 October 2025, for the fifth annual Rail Ops Conference, the first to be held in-person.
Since its inception, Rail Ops has proved invaluable in sharing knowledge, insight and best practice across the railway industry. This year’s in-person format took the event to new heights, uniting members face to face for a day of learning, discussion and networking.
The Rail Ops Conference is free to attend for CIRO members, with places allocated by ballot. Designed as a professional learning and development event, it supports the growth of rail professionals at all career stages. The conference was headline sponsored by WSP UK Limited, whose generous support, alongside CIRO’s corporate members, enables the Institution to deliver flagship events like Rail Ops at no cost to members.
Delegates were welcomed by Mark Hopwood CBE, Managing Director of Great Western Railway and newly appointed Chair of CIRO, succeeding Jim Meade, Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann.
This year’s programme explored four key themes shaping the future of railway operations: integration, digital and data, devolved and private sector operations, and developing the operators of the future.
Bringing together leaders from across passenger, freight and infrastructure sectors, the speaker line-up featured David Davidson (South Eastern Railway), Tracey Messner (Network Rail), Ben Rule (East West Rail), Tom Desmond (Network Rail), Paul Plummer (University of Birmingham), Tony Osborne and Claire Volding (Network Rail High Speed), Maggie Simpson (Rail Freight Group), Charlotte Whitfield (Arriva Rail London), Stuart Jones (First Rail Open Access), Chris Jackson (TransPennine Express), Rehana Khawaja (Chiltern Railways) and Bronnie Clarke (Network Rail).
Throughout the day, delegates also had the opportunity to meet CIRO representatives from the Membership and Learning & Development teams, who were on hand to discuss how CIRO can support members’ professional growth.
Alberti Benson, Technical Director – Rail Operations at WSP, said:
“We are proud to be the headline sponsor of this year’s CIRO Rail Ops Conference, a key event that brings together leaders and innovators from across the railway industry. As the sector continues to evolve amidst significant technological, regulatory and environmental change, collaboration and knowledge-sharing have never been more important. At WSP, we are committed to supporting the industry through this period of transformation by providing expertise, innovative solutions and strategic guidance to help deliver a sustainable, efficient and future-ready rail network. We enjoyed engaging with delegates, sharing insights and working together to shape the future of rail.”
Reflecting on the day, Kelly Marklove, CIRO Membership Manager, said:
“Rail Ops has quickly become one of the most valued dates in our members’ calendar. To see it delivered in person for the first time, with such strong engagement and energy in the room, really underlines the importance of bringing our community together to share knowledge and shape the future of rail operations.”
For members unable to attend in person, all sessions were recorded and will soon be available to view on CIRO TV at www.ciromembers.org.
