The UK's long-distance inter-city trainlinein partnership with Network Rail, has been awarded ‘Remarkable Innovation for Large Organisations’ at the 2024 Dynamites IT and Tech Awards for their Automated Deer Deterrent System which was all done in an effort to lower the number of deer strikes on the railway.

Ross Welham, LNER’s Lead Digital Research and Innovation Manager, said: “This award win is testament to the hard work and dedication that teams from both LNER and Network Rail have displayed in tackling this important issue.

“Since COVID, the deer population has grown massively and, sadly, we were seeing more deer strikes on the East Coast route. This technology greatly reduces the likelihood of an incident and the results speak for themselves. Some hotspot areas have seen no strikes since the introduction of the system, protecting the deer population, and improving railway performance for our customers.”

More than 6,000 deterrent events have been recorded with some areas having no strikes reported following the installation since the installation in 2023.

The tech uses AI technology to recognise deer that are approaching track and utilises audible alarms and lights to safely deter them away.

Johanna Priestley, Route Engineer for Network Rail’s East Coast route said: “It’s great that our joint project with LNER to reduce delays due to deer strikes on the East Coast Main Line is getting recognition for its innovative approach. Our Automated Deer Deterrent System is making a real difference in protecting wildlife whilst at the same time cutting down lengthy delays for passengers and freight on one of the busiest mainline railway lines in Britain.”