CHRIS GRAYLING SEES RAIL INTEGRATION IN ACTION

Wednesday 20 Sep 2006

CHRIS GRAYLING SEES RAIL INTEGRATION IN ACTION

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Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling MP, was given a guided tour of the new railway integrated control centre (ICC) in York during a visit on 18 September. The centre, which has been operational since the summer of 2006, brings Network Rail people and train operating controllers together under one roof. This allows them to work closely, monitoring the network and quickly resolving incidents. Teams from Network Rail, GNER and Northern Rail are already located in the building and the First TransPennine Express team will be moving in soon. Under the new arrangements the track and train operators adopt common processes under the command of a single decision-maker, the Current Operations Manager - colloquially known as the 'fat controller' who is an employee of Network Rail. Dyan Crowther, Route Director for Network Rail in the North East said: “We were delighted to show Mr Grayling around the centre and demonstrate the ways in which we work closely with the train operating companies, reducing delays and improving the service for passengers.”

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