The company has begun installing new 432-count fibre cables along the Great Western Main Line between London and Cardiff, working in partnership with AmcoGiffen and Network Rail.
This is the first stage of a nationwide rollout that will deliver at least 1,000km of new high-grade fibre along Britain’s railway corridors, forming a faster and more secure foundation for the UK’s digital economy.
Project Reach aims to strengthen national connectivity by using the rail network as a direct and resilient route for fibre deployment. The programme will support the growing demands of AI, cloud and data centre expansion, while also underpinning rail operations and wider transport digitisation.
By modernising the UK’s long-distance fibre infrastructure, the initiative is positioned to influence how competitively the country can operate in an increasingly data-driven global landscape.
For this first phase, more than 40 specialists worked through night-time access windows under strict safety and operational controls to ensure zero disruption to passenger services. Detailed planning and hour-by-hour coordination with Network Rail enabled the fibre pull to be completed on schedule and to required safety standards, setting the delivery benchmark for the rest of the programme.
“The milestone is about more than a successful fibre pull, it’s about building the backbone for Britain’s digital future,” said Lee Myall, CEO of Neos Networks. “AI, cloud and data centres may capture headlines, but they all rely on one thing: fibre. Without it, the UK’s digital ambitions simply can’t be realised. Project Reach is how we make sure the UK stays globally competitive for decades to come.”
John Booth, managing director at AmcoGiffen added: “This milestone marks the beginning of an ambitious programme that will strengthen the UK’s digital network for generations to come. Safe and efficient delivery in rail operations demands real expertise and precision, and our team has set the benchmark for both as we leverage our experience on Project Reach.
“The success of this first phase reflects the strength of our collaboration with Neos Networks and Network Rail, and the skill and commitment of everyone involved.”
Harriet Hepburn, corporate finance, partnerships and retail director at Network Rail added: “This first milestone highlights how collaboration between the public and private sectors can deliver tangible national benefits. Project Reach is modernising Britain’s rail communications while laying the foundation for the next phase of digital growth in the UK.”
Network Rail’s Wales & Western region is the first to begin fibre installation under Project Reach, with further deployments scheduled to continue through the end of the year.
Once complete, the programme will have delivered at least 1,000km of new high-grade fibre nationwide, providing scalable and secure connectivity to support the UK’s rapidly expanding data economy.
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