Sept. 12, 2025
By Nick Behan
With a career spanning both aviation and rail, Robert Sinclair brings a unique dual-sector perspective to his role as CEO of London St Pancras Highspeed, the UK’s only high-speed rail line. Formerly CEO of London City Airport, Robert now leads the business responsible for the critical rail link between London and mainland Europe. In this wide-ranging conversation, he reflects on competition, sustainability, digital transformation, and the pressing need for structural change in UK infrastructure.
Looking back, what’s been the most transformative change in the sector and how has it shaped operations today?
Probably the biggest change I’ve seen is the democratisation of travel. Over the past two decades, particularly in aviation, the rise of low-cost carriers in particular has made travel affordable and accessible to millions. This has been driven by intense competition, innovation, and operational efficiency, as well as the opening up of a vast range of new destinations for people to explore. That same potential exists now in international rail. Competition in high-speed rail, as seen in mainland Europe, drives down fares, increases choice, and improves customer service. We haven’t seen that yet through the Channel Tunnel, despite it operating at only 50% capacity. London St Pancras Highspeed is like a major hub airport that is half-empty with only one airline. The opportunity for growth, driven by liberalisation and competition, is enormous.
What’s the biggest sustainability challenge in your area of the sector, and how is your organisation responding to it?
Sustainability is increasingly influencing both business and individual travel choices. We’re seeing corporates rewrite travel policies, and younger generations prioritise low-carbon options. Rail is well-positioned, our carbon footprint per passenger is 90% lower than air travel, but we must not become complacent. We’re working closely with power suppliers to decarbonise the grid, with traction energy being our largest area of consumption. But sustainability isn’t just about emissions, it’s also about resilience. We’re seeing growing risks from climate events, so we’re also focused on climate-proofing infrastructure and communicating our actions clearly. It’s vital that sustainability strategies are visible, measurable, and backed by real action.
How do you balance commercial performance with the long-term imperative to become a more sustainable business, and where do you feel the biggest trade-offs or opportunities lie?
Fortunately, for London St Pancras Highspeed, sustainability and commercial success are integrally linked. We offer the most sustainable route to Europe and the most efficient means of transport to and from Kent. Our biggest sustainability win comes from decarbonising our power supply. By ensuring that our traction energy is as renewable as possible, we’re achieving both environmental impact and cost stability. We’re targeting short-term gains where possible but always focused on the long-term imperative. For us, this is not a trade-off, it’s a strategic priority that enhances our value proposition.
Where is AI already making an impact, and what excites or concerns you about its future?
AI is improving both management productivity and railway efficiency and safety. On the corporate side, tools like CoPilot help with meetings, briefings, and legal documentation, freeing up time for teams to focus on strategic tasks. On the infrastructure side, we’re working with operators to deploy AI for preventative maintenance, like using onboard sensors to detect track alignment issues or overhead line faults. We’re even exploring camera-based AI systems that scan infrastructure as trains operate, reducing the need to send maintenance crews into potentially dangerous environments. The efficiency and safety gains are huge. But with greater digitalisation comes greater risk from cyber threats. We must grow our cyber resilience in tandem with our technological capabilities.
Looking ahead to 2030, what shift will most define the future of transportation, and why?
The growth potential of international rail is immense. As fares fall and new entrants are encouraged, we’ll see rapid volume increases, just as aviation saw in the early 2000s. But the bigger trend is cultural. People, especially younger generations, are increasingly seeking experiences, not possessions. They want to travel more, explore more, and do so sustainably. Rail can meet that demand, but only if we embrace innovation, competition, and accessibility.
We also need to bring in new perspectives, recruiting from outside the sector to drive change faster. At London St Pancras Highspeed, we are deliberately seeking that diversity of thought to challenge norms and build a future-facing business that delivers for passengers and the planet.