03.08.15
NR’s CP5 capability plan must ensure work ‘adequately resourced’ – ORR
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has told Network Rail that milestones for “early improvements” and ensuring work is “adequately resourced” must play a central part in responding to the delivery challenges of CP5.
The regulator’s chief executive, Richard Price, responded to a letter from Network Rail’s boss Mark Carne to say that the infrastructure owner’s capability improvement plan will “need to have the right level of granularity and clear milestones so that you will be able to tell whether your plan is on track, and having the effects you intended”.
The ORR wants a draft plan by the end of August, with progress monitored via the November edition of the ‘Monitor’.
Carne’s original letter to Price and Philip Rutnam, permanent secretary at the DfT, said: “We will clearly need support from ORR, government and the rest of the industry to make some of the required changes and to present a clear narrative to the public about the progress which is being achieved as well as the challenges which remain.”
He added that the report by Sir Peter Hendy on enhancements is due to make its recommendations in the autumn and this will conclude at around the same time as the proposed updates to the rest of Network Rail’s business plan.
At around the same time Network Rail intends to provide ORR and government with a summary of the changes “which we are making to enable delivery through improvements in the capability of the business”.
Carne also noted that devolution to empowered route ‘businesses’ and alliancing with operators are still fundamental building blocks for Network Rail’s plans and these changes will be supported by an effective matrix organisation with a strong performance management framework and a rigorous approach to structured continuous improvement.
“We now have the executive team that I need to drive these changes and I am looking to make greater use of wider talent from across the business as well as attracting the sort of business leaders which are needed to run large Route businesses and major programmes of work,” he said.
(Image: Richard Price, chief executive at the Office of Rail and Road)