Network Rail Transparency Challenge Panel's inaugural meeting

Friday 22 Nov 2013

Network Rail Transparency Challenge Panel's inaugural meeting

Region & Route:: National

As part of its efforts to increase the transparency of its operations, Network Rail yesterday held the first meeting of its Transparency Challenge Panel. The panel, which will meet twice a year, includes members of the rail industry, other business leaders, experts in transparency and a journalist.

The proposed terms of reference of the group are:

To challenge Network Rail’s transparency proposals and plans and its progress in delivering them
To improve links between Network Rail’s transparency programme and related initiatives elsewhere
To identify and share best practice in transparency and other areas to help the company improve its programme and take advantage of new opportunities
To help the company identify and track key transparency benefits and success factors

Mark Farrow, Network Rail's head of transparency, said: "Being truly transparent isn't just about publishing information. We need to listen to other people’s views about the company and look at how we can help people better understand our business, what we do and why. The new panel comprises an enormous amount of expertise and I am convinced their input will help us improve our work in this important area."

Notes to editors

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/transparency/

The Transparency Challenge Panel members are:

David Higgins, chief executive, Network Rail
David Sidebottom, Passenger Team Director, Passenger Focus
Emma Thwaites, Communications Associate, Open Data Institute
Heidi Mottram, CEO, Northumbrian Water and former MD Northern Rail
Krisztina Katona, Open Data Implementation Manager, Cabinet Office
Mark Farrow, head of transparency, Network Rail
Nick Illsley, CEO of Transport Direct on behalf of the Department for Transport
Oliver Morgans, Transparency Lead, Financial Conduct Authority
Peter van Veen, Director of Business Integrity, Transparency International Ltd
Richard Thomas CBE LLD, Former Information Commissioner
Rory Sutherland, Executive Creative Director and Vice Chairman, Ogilvy One London
Sim Harris, Managing Editor, Railnews
Suzanne Wise, group general counsel, Network Rail

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries

Journalists
Network Rail press office - National
020 3356 8700
mediarelations@networkrail.co.uk

About Network Rail

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.

Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.

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