Network Rail needs to spend more on improving the reliability and safety of the network in the next five year period, having recently ‘failed passengers’, the rail regulator has said.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR), has set out its initial view of Network Rail’s plans to spend more than £34bn operating, maintaining and renewing the network in Control Period 6 (CP6), from 2019 to 2024.
It said that railway performance has ‘failed many passengers in recent months’ and that strong planning is central to improving Network Rail’s performance and therefore the service passengers receive.
In its Draft Determination, the ORR identified ‘greater scope for Network Rail to do more than it had proposed to boost reliability and safety, for the benefit of both passengers and freight customers’.
It said Network Rail should amend its plans to deliver around £1bn of additional renewals work, funded through greater efficiency and other savings. This will bring the total renewals budget to £18bn across Britain.
The regulator said Network Rail should also include an extra £80m for safety-related expenditure, including spending on level crossings and worker safety initiatives.
ORR chief executive Joanna Whittington said: ‘ORR’s initial assessment of Network Rail’s five year plans shows that the transition from a centrally run company to one structured round eight geographic routes has improved the quality of the plans but we want to see £1bn more spent on renewing the railway to improve reliability and boost safety.'
Network Rail’s chief executive Mark Carne CBE, said it welcomed the ORR’s ‘general support’ for its plans.
He said: ‘We will consider the detail carefully over the coming months as there are still some areas of concern that we will need to work with ORR on before it publishes its final determination in October.’
Register now for full access
Register just once to get unrestricted, real-time coverage of the issues and challenges facing UK transport and highways engineers.
Full website content includes the latest news, exclusive commentary from leading industry figures and detailed topical analysis of the highways, transportation, environment and place-shaping sectors.
Use the link below to register your details for full, free access.
Already a registered? Login
