After 20 years at the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) – including seven years at the helm – Chief Executive John Larkinson has announced he will leave the organisation at the end of April 2026.
Larkinson informed ORR Chair Declan Collier of his decision to retire from executive roles a month ago. Following discussions with the Chair, he confirmed that April 2026 will mark his departure. The Board will now begin the process of recruiting his successor.
Reflecting on his time in the role, John Larkinson said:
“I feel exceptionally fortunate to have played my part in the wider industry and for 20 years at the ORR and particularly to be ORR’s Chief Executive.”
“It has been a great privilege to lead ORR through what has at times been a challenging, but ultimately overwhelmingly rewarding, period as the rail and road sectors recovered from the pandemic and as the rail sector is being reformed.
“There is never a perfect time to move on, but most of my tenure as Chief Executive has been against a backdrop of rail reform, and I feel that the introduction of the Railways Bill into Parliament is an appropriate time to depart. I want to give a new Chief Executive the opportunity and the time to continue the process of transforming the ORR into its new roles set out in the Railways Bill and support the creation of Great British Railways.
“I would like to thank Declan, the Board, my leadership team and all the staff at ORR for their help and support over the last seven years. As an independent and expert body, with a strong commitment to transparency, the ORR has played a crucial role in the development of the rail and road sectors, as it will continue to do so into the future.”
ORR Chair Declan Collier paid tribute to Larkinson’s leadership:
“John has been an outstanding Chief Executive, steering the organisation through the challenges of the last seven years, including recovery from the pandemic and ongoing rail reform. I am personally grateful for his leadership at the Board and commitment to the rail and road industries.”
Image credit: ORR
