12.09.13
Network Rail ‘falling short of expectations’ – ORR
Network Rail is underperforming on key efficiency objectives, the ORR’s annual efficiency and financial assessment shows.
The regulator warned that efficiency improvements had slowed in 2012-13, and that Network Rail was “unlikely” to deliver the potential 23.5% efficiencies identified for operations, renewals, maintenance and asset management by the end of CP4.
A number of initiatives are increasing efficiency, with Network Rail rationalising its signalling to improve operating maintenance.
But a lack of knowledge of assets, delayed delivery of civils renewals and poor maintenance planning are affecting performance, the ORR said. Network Rail must move towards preventative maintenance, with more focus on drainage; there were 125 earthwork failures in 2012/13 compared to just 12 the year before.
The company also remains short of key targets on performance, with long distance passenger services 4.9 percentage points below target.
ORR chief executive Richard Price said: “Network Rail has been entrusted with large amounts of public and passengers’ money, which, if invested well, should deliver the levels of efficiency and punctuality it promised to deliver.
“However, the company is falling short of expectations at the moment. It is facing many problems of its own making, having failed to deliver plans to renew Britain’s rail network, with delayed works now affecting performance. The company must urgently catch-up and address the problems which are causing disruption to passengers and target its work as efficiently as possible. This is vital as it heads towards its new five-year delivery plan with more stretching targets.”
Network Rail has not yet responded to the report.
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