
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
2| KENT GROUP
electrification and plant projects
from early development to design,
construction and commissioning.
We undertake a diverse range of
services which can see our staff work
in the deepest tunnels in London to
the top of mountains in Glencoe.
Even after 31 years in this industry, I
am often still surprised by what it takes
to keep trains running on time on this
Victorian infrastructure. Programmes
like
Paddington Station 24/7
and the
superb documentary on Crossrail go
some way but I still think the public
would be very surprised to see what it
really takes, and perhaps a little more
considerate to the many thousands of
staff committed to delivering a better
future for our railways.
As an SME and a family business, we
have had to work extremely hard to
achieve success in this industry, and
we have done this with no support,
government grants or bank loans but
through reinvestment of the profits we
make back into the business. Ourwork
ethic comes from our father and the
four brothers who were brought up on
this and we have had to learn how to
best mentor and enthuse our workforce
and supply chain. This is not easy; it’s
not just a case of throwing money at
issues but is about finding like-minded
people to grow and develop with us
while recognising any weakness and
the need for improvement.
All the directors have a strong
engineering background, and we
have strong links with The Institution
of Engineering and Technology with
whom we are enterprise partners. This
helps us to recruit and develop our staff
and facilitates education and interface
with other industries and academia.
We have a long-term apprenticeship
programme that has seen continual
growth for over 25 years, and we
currently have fiveapprentices.
Our engineering business is also a
diverse operation, and we work on
projects which range from staircases
and footbridges to smart motorway
structures and even a chimney
extension at Guys Hospital.
Safety is the foremost priority of the
industry and remains our key focus. We
continually look to innovate and remove
risk wherever possible, and having held
a Personal Track Safety Card for over 30
years, I am fully aware of the dangers on
site. These are unlike any other industry:
we have to deal with exposed high-
voltage electrical systems. It takes a vast
degree of planning and competence
to access these sites. Despite the many
hazards, workforce safety has seen
massive improvements over the past ten
years, which is a credit to all who work
in the field as well as the professionalism
of the teams they support.
In the past nine years, there have been
no passenger fatalities as a result of
a train derailment or collision. This
makes the UK the safest major railway
in Europe and one of the safest in
theworld.
Guys Hospital roof
extension (above);
principal supply point
(below)
Even after 31
years in this
industry, I am
often still
surprised by
what it takes
to keep trains
running on
time on this
Victorian
infrastructure
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