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Network Rail has today published new and updated information on its online transparency portal: www.networkrail.co.uk/transparency

Network Rail has released station retail sales results showing 7.8% growth in like-for-like sales from September to December 2013 – the most successful quarter for Network Rail managed station retailers on record and a significant outperformance over high street sales (+0.6%*).

Network Rail has awarded framework agreements to cover its programme of civil examinations and assessments for the next five years.

Following the latest severe storms last weekend, Network Rail has updated its estimate of the time it will take to restore the railway at Dawlish. It has now advised that the railway will be repaired by mid-April and that it will be working night and day with dedicated resources to accelerate this programme.

First Great Western (FGW) and Network Rail plan to restore the majority ofservices into and out of London Paddington from Monday (17th February).

Mark Carne, Network Rail's new chief executive will take up his new role from Monday 24th February, slightly earlier than originally planned.

Immense efforts by hundreds of rail engineers overnight have seen scores of trees removed from blocked lines, over a dozen dewirements repaired and hundreds of pieces of debris cleared of the track across Wales and the north of England.

Services to the South West out of Paddington continue to be the most disrupted as a result of flooding at Maidenhead and storm damage at Dawlish. Advice to passengers is avoid Paddington if at all possble today as services are very limited.

Nationally, the vast majority of routes are open and services are operating normally.