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Wednesday 21 Jan 2009

MORE VALUE FOR MONEY SOUGHT IN TRACK RENEWALS

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National

Network Rail today outlined its plans for achieving better value for money from its track renewals programme.

Over the next five years, high levels of investment in track renewals will continue with almost £4bn being invested. Total outputs for the five years will remain as previously planned although adjustment in phasing in the early part of the period will result in less volume of track renewals in the first year to allow time for new, more efficient ways of working to take effect delivering the value for money needed to meet tough ORR output targets as well as being less disruptive to passengers and freight users.

Simon Kirby, director infrastructure investment said; "We are committed to continue to invest in our railway to deliver ever higher levels of reliability for the passenger and freight users. But we must deliver value for money for this work and it makes sense to take advantage of new, more efficient methods of working in our future planned work."

With almost three times the investment being made in growing and expanding the rail network over the next five years, the work available in the field of track enhancements - around £800m - has increased significantly. Following a recent tendering exercise looking for contractors to be involved in a good proportion of this work, seven have been selected, including all the current track renewals contractors.

Mr Kirby concluded: "With smarter and more mechanised ways of carrying out track renewals coming on stream in a few years time, reducing volumes next year and ramping up in the years that follow will help to deliver the savings we need if we're to meet ORR output targets."