The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has issued a warning to Network Rail, demanding immediate action to address the deteriorating punctuality and reliability of train services in its Eastern region.
Over the past two years, delays attributed to Network Rail have surged from 2.4 million to 3.3 million minutes annually. The situation is projected to worsen further, deviating significantly from the region's performance targets.
While some routes, like the Anglia line, maintain relatively good performance, others are experiencing significant disruptions. The East Coast Main Line has seen a rise in incident-related delays, while the East Midlands route has witnessed a sharp decline in on-time arrivals. Additionally, the North London/Mildmay line, used by both London Overground and freight trains, has suffered a marked deterioration in service reliability.
The ORR emphasizes that while train operators bear some responsibility, Network Rail must prioritise its own contribution to delays.
In response to the ORR’s intervention, Network Rail Eastern has committed to developing an improvement plan by December 20th, 2024. The ORR has suggested that the company should draw inspiration from Network Rail Wales & Western, which recently implemented a comprehensive improvement plan following an ORR investigation.
The ORR stresses the importance of a holistic approach, urging Network Rail to collaborate closely with train operators and other stakeholders to tackle the root causes of performance issues.
Stephanie Tobyn, Director of Strategy, Policy and Reform said:
“We have seen a trend of rising delays in parts of the Eastern region in recent months, with passengers and freight users not seeing the punctual and reliable service they should expect from the rail network.
“We recognise the significant ongoing work of Network Rail to address this and the complex challenges they face in parts of the Eastern region, but it is clear that a fresh approach is required to fix the issues.”
“We are pleased that Network Rail has responded positively to our request.”
“As with the Wales and Western region, we want to see Network Rail integrate passenger and freight operators into the process to effectively address issues that deliver sustained improvements in punctuality and reliability.”
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