The rail regulator has warned the industry that it must change how it works together to meet the challenges of climate change and deliver a safe, punctual and reliable railway.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has set out its annual assessment of and priorities for the industry, highlighting both Network Rail’s success in delivering efficiencies and pressure on the infrastructure operator from climate change.
ORR chief executive John Larkinson
Network Rail has delivered its £4bn efficiency targets for the CP6 five-year control period, which ended in April 2024, despite increasing inflationary pressures and the impact of severe weather, the ORR said.
The regulator said Network Rail must continue progress in following its recommendations to speed up its surveys of the condition of its structures and ensures the work to improve drainage asset knowledge, integrity, and the provision of competent inspection and maintenance resource, continues.
It said that while performance in terms of punctuality and cancellations has largely stabilised across the railway, with the exception of the Wales and Western region, ‘the network did not cope well with severe weather during autumn and winter’.
Between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024 across Britain, 3.8% of passenger trains were cancelled, which remains close to the worst performance since this measure was introduced.
Only two-thirds (67.6%) of passenger trains arrived on time and 90.3% of freight trains arrived within 15 minutes of booked arrival time.
The ORR said it is imperative that Network Rail continues to deliver on its performance improvement plans, working with industry partners.
Chief executive John Larkinson said: ‘Network Rail has successfully delivered its efficiency targets for the year, which is good news for those who fund the railway – passengers and taxpayers.
‘And it is positive that it has largely stabilised train performance, although we needed to take enforcement action on the Wales and Western region to secure improvement for passengers and freight.’
The new Chief Inspector of Railways, Richard Hines, recognised the industry’s continued high standards, but said climate-related changes are impacting on infrastructure and operations, with the rate of high consequence earthworks failures at its highest since 2008.
He said: ‘There is pressure on Network Rail from climate change, ageing assets and the need to increase maintenance work to compensate for reduced renewals spend.
‘The company needs to maintain safety, improve train performance and deliver further efficiencies against this backdrop. Now more than ever, achieving this will require increased close working with train operators.’
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