NETWORK RAIL RESPONSE TO ORR ON NEW YEAR OVERRUNS

Thursday 28 Feb 2008

NETWORK RAIL RESPONSE TO ORR ON NEW YEAR OVERRUNS

Region & Route:: National

Network Rail today responded to the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) report into overruns at the New Year. Iain Coucher, Chief Executive said: “We are clear that the ORR has said that what happened at the New Year cannot happen again. We agree and accept the findings in the report. We will make changes in the way we plan and manage future work on the railways. "We have already made changes and the action we have taken since the New Year to bring in more specialist engineers and to create military-style command posts will further improve our delivery record and enable us to build a bigger, better railway that passengers and freight users deserve. “We are now focused on delivering our improvement programme for Easter and have already begun informing passengers about the works taking place. We will work with the train operating companies and National Rail Enquiries over the next few weeks to get the message out so passengers will be able to check their journeys before they travel. “Clearly the fine is very significant. We will now be making representations to the ORR that this money should be used to deliver additional and concrete benefits for passengers."

Notes to editors

In January Network Rail pledged a number of actions to be taken following the investigation into the engineering over-runs. These include: • Increasing in-house capability in key specialist engineering disciplines - specifically, overhead line (OHL) engineers • Contractors will have to reduce significantly their reliance on agency staff for the delivery of big engineering projects • Military-style command posts have been set up for all major works, delivering clearer lines of authority • Train and freight operating companies have been invited to have greater involvement at every stage of a project • Key specialist engineering resources, such as overhead line, are now overseen nationally by Network Rail In the weeks before Easter, Network Rail will roll out a press advertising campaign and posters at stations advising people to check before they travel. These will support communications by train operating companies to provide information to help people plan their journeys. Visit www.networkrail.co.uk for further details on some of the most important improvement works taking place this Easter.

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We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.

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