Hitachi Receives Order for UK Railway Traffic Management System Prototype

Tokyo, August 29, 2012 – Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501, “Hitachi”) today announced that Hitachi Rail Europe Ltd. has received an order for a prototype traffic management system from Network Rail Infrastructure Limited (“Network Rail”) in England, Scotland and Wales. Network Rail will test and evaluate prototypes ordered from Hitachi and two other companies, and based on the outcome, it will make a decision regarding the future roll-out of traffic management across the entire rail network in Great Britain.

Network Rail currently owns and manages railway infrastructure that includes railway stations and tracks throughout Britain, and controls railway operations from more than 800 signalling locations. Network Rail is planning to implement centralised management at 14 operating centres, including new centres scheduled to be built in the near future, and to introduce a new traffic management system as part of efforts to increase efficiency and reduce costs. This traffic management system, which is expected to be rolled out from 2014, will eventually cover all parts of Britain’s rail network. Network Rail has placed orders for prototype systems with three companies including Hitachi, and will use these prototypes to test and evaluate the systems’ performance and reliability.

Hitachi’s railway traffic management systems create railway operation plans that can be reconfigured flexibly in keeping with passenger demand, manage and control railway operations based on those plans, and support the rapid recovery of operations in the event of a delay or disruption. In Japan, these systems have been used on high-density commuter networks, as well as Shinkansen high speed lines and other main lines for over 30 years, and support the Japanese railway operation, which has gained a high reputation for its punctual and high-density operations. By providing traffic management systems, Hitachi will ensure reliable railway operations in Great Britain.

This is a remarkable achievement for Hitachi rail system business in the UK, following the successful introduction of the Class 395 high speed trains in 2009 and the Intercity Express Programme contract signed in July 2012. With this new order for railway system products, Hitachi will continue to strengthen its railway-related business on a global scale.

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