Scott McCloud

Said the following about Paul Breese:

“"As Head of Planning, Paul’s fruitful work has been instrumental in the success of the Elizabeth line. Operating a new railway on a combination of existing track on the Great Eastern and Great Western, operated by Network Rail; and dedicated track, operated and maintained by a new entity in Rail for London, adds a layer of complexity when it comes to planning.

Linking two separate railways means that special planning considerations must be taken into account to ensure the reliability of services both on the Elizabeth line, but also for the services of other train operating companies. Being a new, unproven railway, Paul and his team had to make assumptions based on digital modelling, rather than historical running.

With the railway opening in five stages, extending to six, Paul and his team have been required to design, model then execute timetables to suit each stage. Many of these stages have dynamically altered depending on the state of the infrastructure as different parts of the Elizabeth line activated over time. Each rollout has been a remarkable success, with limited passenger pushback and solid client satisfaction.

When COVID-19 hit, colleague shortages became an issue for the rail sector. Paul and his team managed to keep cool heads, and calmly modelled a timetable that would still ensure a safe and convenient service to passengers while minimising cancellations. This forward planning was praised by our client at a time where many other train operating companies were cancelling most services – and in some cases – all services out of some London termini.

Paul and his team have shown flexibility, agility and true grit and determination to make the Elizabeth line robust and punctual for its passengers."“