Rail & Road
UAE’s Etihad Rail to create new commercial hubs across the country
Etihad Rail isn’t a train, but an economic rewire of the UAE which will create new commercial hubs around strategic stations in the country, say real industry executives.
“People are talking about passengers. I’m looking at logistics, B2B supply chains, and the decentralisation of corporate ecosystems. This will reduce travel time, resulting in increased meeting density and higher transaction volume. A salesperson based in Sharjah can close deals in Abu Dhabi and Dubai without losing 6 hours to traffic. That raises their output. Multiply that by the commercial class, and you start seeing a real GDP impact,” said Firas Al Msaddi, CEO of fäm Properties.
“When you increase the velocity of human capital, you don’t just improve lifestyle, you accelerate commerce,” he added.
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Etihad Rail’s 900 km network will extend across the UAE, from Ghuwaifat to Fujairah. The railway links the principal centres of trade, industry, manufacturing, production, logistics, population and all the major import and export points of the UAE. Etihad Rail is set to be one of the most transformative infrastructure projects in the UAE, directly impacting the commercial real estate sector.
“Etihad Rail isn’t a train. It’s an economic rewire of the UAE. It will redistribute demand, compress inefficiencies, and unlock new zones of living, commerce, and value creation. Those who still price real estate based on maps instead of travel-time analytics will lose money. Those who study station locations the way they used to study masterplans will build generational wealth. This is how the next wave of real estate winners will be made,” said the CEO of fäm Properties.
Mark Castley, CEO of real estate, Huspy, sees new commercial hubs emerge around strategic stations of Etihad Rail, with developers increasingly looking at integrated rail-industrial ecosystems.
“The combination of commercial hubs, residential centres and rail connectivity is an indicator of the future-centric vision the leaders of the UAE have for the nation. For forward-looking investors, the window is now, before pricing fully reflects the long-term potential,” he said.
Values rising
Historically, improved transport infrastructure has driven steady capital appreciation, and Castley expects the same here, with certain areas poised for above-average growth as connectivity improves.
Castley expects commercial property values near Etihad Rail stations to appreciate between 25 per cent and 30 per cent over the next 5 to 7 years, with the most significant gains concentrated in industrial and logistics-zoned assets within a 3 to 5 km radius of key freight terminals.
“Initial pricing trends already show early momentum in some logistics corridors, commercial plots have registered 10-15 per cent appreciation year-on-year following the announcement of station locations,” he said.
Our commercial team is advising investors to identify these “future hotspots” now, before the uplift is priced in. Over time, we expect sustained rental growth and higher occupancy rates, making these locations some of the most attractive for long-term capital appreciation in the UAE’s commercial property market.
It is expected that free zones with multimodal access such as Dubai Industrial City, Khalifa Industrial Zone (Kizad), and Fujairah’s logistics belt, are likely to outperform, driven by rising demand from e-commerce, third-party logistics, and manufacturing firms optimising for rail-enabled supply chains
“In the lead-up to full operations, we also anticipate developers launching new master communities along the route, while owners of existing properties in these areas may see higher resale prices and rental yields,” he added.
A new report has demonstrated how the organisation responsible for driving tramway safety is delivering added value to the sector while reducing accident risks.
Over the past year, the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board (LRSSB) has delivered on a series of landmark projects that have saved the sector an estimated £2.6 million, when compared to the cost of operators and other organisations working independently.
Carl Williams, LRSSB Chief Executive, explained: “Many of the projects we have led or supported would not have been possible to deliver at a network level, and the benefits of taking a sector-wide approach to safety are now clearer than ever.
“For example, our enhanced Tramway Accident and Incident Reporting system (TAIR) is now firmly established as the sector’s standard reporting platform, and the data it is generating is driving ever more sophisticated risk modelling.
“Recent improvements to TAIR have included the inclusion of RIDDOR reporting, and the system continues to evolve in line with the needs of the sector and the requirements of regulators.”
The progress made by the LRSSB over the past 12 months, and its growing value to the sector, is set out in the organisation’s latest annual report, which is now available to download here.
The document also highlights its support for research into innovative technology with the potential to provide a further boost to tramway safety, and its work on producing a raft of new and revised safety guidance documents.
Engagement with stakeholders and the strengthening of links with the Office of Rail and Road are also put into focus as the organisation looks towards greater independence.
“Since the LRSSB was established, it has made huge strides in reducing the risk of accidents and hazardous events across the UK’s light rail Sector, Carl said.
“With a ‘mission’ to prevent incidents and reduce harm, the LRSSB will continue to build its capacity and retain its capability to meet the sector’s growing requirements,” he added.
Panaji: The Goa-based Kineco Group has acquired TRB Lightweight Structures(TRBLS) — a UK supplier of lightweight components to rail majors, including Hitachi and the London Underground — for an undisclosed price.The acquisition will be housed under Kineco Global Rail, the group’s rail interiors business. This is the company’s second international deal after the purchase of Danish railway sanitation systems firm Semvac AS in Dec.“The acquisition of TRB Lightweight Structures is aligned specifically to the long-term strategic roadmap of our rail-focused brand—Kineco Global Rail. TRB’s legacy and deep expertise in lightweight rail interiors make it a perfect strategic fit. Importantly, both TRB and Semvac combined will now be able to ride on the back of Kineco Global Rail’s large engineering and manufacturing infrastructure in Goa, which is entirely dedicated to the rail interiors market,” said Kineco Group MD and chairman, Shekhar Sardessai.TRB, based in Huntingdon, UK, has over 70 years of experience in manufacturing lightweight components for rolling stock manufacturers in Europe and Asia. Under the agreement, the company will continue to operate under its brand name and maintain its UK manufacturing base.Its MD, Paul Colquitt, said the partnership would allow the firm to sharpen its focus on the rail sector while retaining its identity and operations in the UK.Kineco said the acquisition supports its plan to consolidate niche rail interior brands under one umbrella, as it positions itself to scale in global markets.
Rail & Road
Government provides £5m funding for 26 innovative rail projects to boost passenger experience
Twenty-six cutting-edge projects that aim to improve passenger experience on the railway have launched as part of Innovate UK’s First of a Kind competition. The projects are being supported by a multimillion funding package by the Department for Transport (DfT).
The First of a Kind competition is run in partnership with Innovate UK, working closely with Network Rail and train operators. It offers grant funding for innovative projects to be tested on the railway, to give them a better chance at being bought by train operators, freight companies and Network Rail.
Given the Transport Secretary’s clear direction to “put passengers at the heart of every journey”, this year’s winning projects focus on improving safety at the platforms, passenger safety and reducing incidents of vehicles hitting railway bridges. The DfT said that, with the collaboration of Network Rail and train operators, these innovations would help to “improve rail services and infrastructure where it’s needed most.”
Among the winning projects is IntelliPan Network, which will reduce delays for passengers by using AI to detect faults on overhead lines, eliminating dangerous, service-disrupting dewirements.
Another successful project, SafeRide 5G, will empower passengers to report incidents using their own devices safely and privately via onboard Wi-Fi, boosting response times and removing key barriers to reporting, improving passenger safety.
Twenty-six successful projects will be supported with £5 million in funding from the DfT, which said this boost demonstrated Government’s “commitment to trialling innovative technology to modernise our railway and boost the passenger experience”. It added that the projects would help to deliver better services for passengers, encouraging more people to take the train and supporting growth as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said: “The winners of this competition are taking cutting-edge technology to address some of the biggest challenges facing the rail industry, making a railway that works better for the people and goods using it.
“These innovations are putting safety, reliability and passenger experience first, like IntelliPan Network using AI to detect faults on overhead lines, reducing disruption caused by dangerous dewirements.
“Through this funding, we are building a platform on which innovation can thrive, giving new technologies a chance to succeed and driving economic growth as part of the Plan for Change.”
Previous competition winners are already being used widely across the railways. Amongst them is the Portable Track Geometry Measurement System, which provides immediate track information to engineers to speed up the lifting of speed restrictions or line closures, getting passengers to their destinations quicker.
Mike Biddle, Executive Director for Net Zero at Innovate UK, said: “The innovations receiving support through this competition will contribute to a more accessible, safer, and efficient railway system throughout the UK. The competition highlights the importance of collaboration with industry partners and focuses on delivering high-maturity demonstrations, ensuring seamless integration into the existing railway infrastructure.
“Delivered by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, on behalf of the Department for Transport, the FOAK rail programme seeks to identify and support outstanding, innovative solutions. Funded organisations will showcase the creativity and impact of their ideas through live demonstrations.”
The twenty-six successful projects have started work on the new technologies, with testing to take place over the coming months.
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