Clifford Chance advises Network Rail on Project Reach, a ground-breaking partnership to upgrade Britain’s telecoms infrastructure

Global law firm Clifford Chance has advised on Project Reach, a ground-breaking partnership between Network Rail, Neos Networks and Freshwave, to deliver the biggest upgrade to Britain’s rail telecoms infrastructure in decades. The project will improve 4G and 5G connectivity for millions of passengers, tackle signal blackspots in tunnels, and support future train performance enhancements.

Neos Networks will initially deploy 1,000km of ultrafast, high-count fibre optic cable along key routes including the East Coast Main Line, Chiltern Main Line, part of the West Coast Main Line, and the Great Western Main Line – connecting key business hubs, data centres and subsea landing stations. There are ambitions to expand to over 5,000km.

From 2026, Freshwave and mobile network operators will begin a multi-year project to address signal blackspots in 57 tunnels (nearly 50km), including the 4km Chipping Sodbury tunnel, and invest in 4G and 5G infrastructure at 12 main line stations (including Birmingham New St, Euston, King’s Cross, Manchester Piccadilly and Waterloo).

The enhanced network will enable more effective monitoring of railway assets and new technologies, facilitating faster, more reliable services and improved worker safety.

The innovative commercial model underpinning Project Reach brings together public and private sector investment and infrastructure and, alongside the benefits to rail users, is estimated by Network Rail to save the taxpayer approximately £300 million.

The Clifford Chance team advising Network Rail was co-led by partners Michael Pearson, Bryony Theaker and Angela Kearns, with support from a multidisciplinary team from across the firm, including Mark Fisher.