Page 8 - Rail Supplies Buyers Guide 2024-25

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company News
GeoAccess
Established in 2014 to address the need for inspections on difficult access sites in the rail sector, GeoAccess were originally established to solve a problem in a specific niche area for one main client. However, by delivering that service at the highest possible level, GeoAccess discovered that they had a unique skillset that was attractive to a much wider market. Their portfolio of clients now spans multiple market sectors across the whole of the UK, including earthworks, structures, drainage, and coastal defences, through to transmission towers, and mining assets.
With their core business focussed on Asset Management for the Railways, they supply Geotechnical Engineers and Engineering Geologists to carry out Earthworks Examinations, directly for Network Rail. GeoAccess are the sole framework supplier for Wales, Western and all Southern regions, and also recently announced they have been awarded a place on the framework contract for Northwest & Central Region, delivering earthworks exams to the highest standard across all areas.
GeoAccess now also provide a bespoke service to a number of Network Rail Tier 1 suppliers, inspecting Geotechnical assets and providing option reports to facilitate the design of new earthwork interventions, regrades and remediation. There is a huge drive to grow this side of the business as they recognise their experience and core competency within the inspection world fits perfectly with this sector.
Following a rainy Autumn of 2023 which extended into a very wet Winter season and didn’t stop there with an incredibly wet Spring 2024, GeoAccess have had to pull out all the stops attending multiple rapid responses to earthwork failures as a result of inclement weather events, surface water runoff and saturated ground
conditions. They have supplied experienced engineers at a moment’s notice to assess the stability of railway assets to facilitate the decision to safely run trains. Sometimes it is obvious what the issue is and recommendations can be made for the short and longer term solutions, other times it can be like a forensic investigation to establish the route cause, but often points to issues around the effects of water.
The next 12 months are going to be very exciting for the GeoAccess team following the creation of their Strategic Council. Meeting regularly the team discuss and build on the specific ways in which the organisation plans to position itself, achieve its short-term and long- term goals, and ultimately scale the business. Whilst ensuring the consolidation of their current client base and building on the successes of recent wins, GeoAccess have an eye firmly on the future to ensure they position themselves as the market leader in asset inspections.
Hot off the press, and very exciting news is the creation of their GeoAcademy. Initially being used as an in-house training platform, the academy does have plans to expand the service out to the market. The recent development of the VR (Virtual Reality) training is groundbreaking and the first of its kind in our industry. The application of this technology will not only aid the training of engineers in a safe virtual world but will also bring the reality of a real railway environment to the experience. Our plans for the GeoAcademy are ambitious with our aim to revolutionise the earthworks industry.
www.geoaccess.co.uk info@geoaccess.co.uk
Rail SuPPliES & SERvicES 2024
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