Media centre

Friday 1 Oct 2004

PERFORMANCE LEAPS AHEAD AS NETWORK RAIL CELEBRATES ITS SECOND ANNIVERSARY

Region & Route:

National

Performance took a leap forward during the first six months of 2004/05 as Network Rail reduced train delays by 16% compared to the same period last year.  Network Rail slashed delays  by over 800,000 minutes over this period (April-September), meaning that around 84% of trains ran on time.  After two years of significant change and progress, punctuality improvements continue and costs are being driven down, although there remains much still to do. John Armitt, Network Rail Chief Executive, said: “The past two years have seen tremendous change and progress as Network Rail has got to grips with its poor inheritance.  The changes we have made are delivering tangible results for passengers and the taxpayer as both train delays and costs fall.  But complacency is not a word in our dictionary and we will continue our drive to raise performance, reduce costs and rebuild Britain’s Railway.” Much has changed and been achieved over the last two years: ·        16,000 maintenance workers seamlessly taken in-house as a unified national rail maintenance operation is created ·        2672 miles of new rail installed – replacing 13.5% of the entire network ·        Almost 30 supertankers full of ballast, some 5.4 million tonnes, replaced ·        2.3 million sleepers renewed – stood end to end they’d be taller than 600 Mount Everests ·        The Interim Review has given us a firm financial framework within which to deliver our investment into the railways - more - Birthday - 2 ·        Continuous improvement in safety standards, with broken rails at all time low 334 in 03/04 compared to 444 previous year - a 25% reduction ·        Train protection & warning system installed throughout the UK – on time and budget ·        £300m+ invested in new technology and engineering equipment ·        Stage one of the West Coast upgrade completed on time – 125 mph railway to Manchester ·        Fat controllers introduced and now working at fully integrated control centres at three locations controlling trains across Southern England ·        One million minutes fewer train delays in 2003/04 and over 800,000 more already slashed in the first half of 2004/5 Mr Armitt continued: “We have more changes to make, and more improvements to deliver both for our customers and the passenger.  It’s our people who will make the difference - over 30,000 professional and dedicated employees who have made the improvements we have seen.  We will continue to invest in them as we look to deliver an ever more safe, reliable, and efficient railway.” Mr Armitt concluded: “We have now seen 12 periods, almost a full calendar year, of consecutive performance improvement as Network Rail delays are driven down.  Absolute attention to detail combined with closer working with our train operator colleagues is making a real difference.  We will not take our eyes off the ball - we must deliver a good performing railway day-in day-out, year-in year-out. “I’m proud that we have come so far in so short a space of time. In just two years we have turned this company around but our job is far from finished as we seek ever more improvement.”