Frontline Labour – Wessex, Central & West Coast Mainline South & North West Routes

Objective: Our key objectives were to enhance worker safety, particularly in fatigue management, ensure a reliable supply of labour, deliver social value by supporting local SMEs, and improve the consistency and quality of labour. Network Rail’s objectives also included reducing ‘no shows’ for critical roles, unlocking efficiencies, and incentivising high-quality training and PPE use.

Challenges: The CP6 contract requires over 500 operatives across various competencies to supplement Network Rail’s in-house resources. The work involved maintenance activities and project work, demanding a resilient service model capable of responding to fluctuating workloads and emergencies.

Solution: To address these challenges, we developed a comprehensive recruitment strategy, splitting the UK into 38 fixed boundary areas to better target local labour. We established a strong working relationship with Network Rail, collaborating closely with depots to enhance resource capacity and skill sets.

Key Initiatives:

1. Dedicated Internal Team: Our experienced team of resourcers and recruiters, supported by an in-house Engineering Manager, ensured the consistent delivery of high-quality labour.
2. Training and Upskilling: We implemented long-term training plans to upskill workers, particularly focusing on critical grade roles to safeguard resilience.
3. Tier 2 Supply Chain: We manage a supply chain of SMEs, supporting local businesses and ensuring compliance with contract requirements.
4. Advanced Critical Contingency Planning (ACCP): We maintained a standby service with additional staff ready to cover shortfalls, enhancing our responsiveness to Network Rail’s needs.
5. Safety and Compliance: Our commitment to safety is paramount, with a dedicated team, 24/7 on-call support and digital products to ensure notifications, briefings and close calls can be reported in real-time.
6. Social and Environmental Impact: We supported Network Rail’s Social Performance Policy and Environmental & Sustainable Development Strategy, contributing to significant reductions in carbon emissions and energy usage.

Outcome: Throughout the contract, McGinley Support Services has consistently delivered fit-for-purpose safety-critical labour, supported by robust planning and rapid mobilisation capabilities. Our innovative approaches have not only met but exceeded Network Rail’s objectives, ensuring the safe and efficient delivery of all projects under the CP6 framework.

Feedback: Our performance has been highly praised by Network Rail, with regional and route directors highlighting our quick response times and effective resource management.