Regulator says better planning for possessions regime to reduce delays for passengers

19 March 2002
ORR/02/02

The Rail Regulator, Tom Winsor, today published the final conclusions of his review to improve the incentives relating to the "possessions" regime for Britain's rail network. He has issued a review notice which will be sent to operators and Railtrack detailing the improvements made to the changes introduced in the October 2000 periodic review. The effect of the notice will be to encourage Railtrack to plan more efficiently its requirements for access to the network for necessary maintenance and renewal work.

Introducing the review notice, Mr Winsor said: "The early and efficient planning of work on the railway is important for all users of the network. Railtrack must get this necessary work done efficiently and those doing the work must do so in a safe environment. Passenger and freight operators must have reliable information on which to plan their services and keep their customers informed.

"Under the new regime, Railtrack will benefit from giving train operators early notification of its plans. The changes I am making address the issues raised in the post-Hatfield industry-wide working group set up by the Deputy Prime Minister to look at possessions planning. The changes will not hamper Railtrack's ability to gain access to the network whenever and wherever that is necessary; rather they should encourage it to adopt a timely approach to the planning of work.

"The new arrangements will be introduced in good time for the winter timetable starting in September 2002."

Copies of The possessions review: final conclusions on the Schedule 4 incentive structure are available here or in hard back from Sue MacSwan, ORR Librarian, tel: 020 7282  2001; fax: 020 7282 2045; e-mail: rail.library@orr.gsi.gov.uk

Notes to Editors

  1. The changes to the regime were announced in the periodic review of Railtrack's access charges in October 2000 - The periodic review of Railtrack's access charges: final conclusions - and were originally due to be introduced in June 2002.
  2. Following further work on the best way to calculate the payments in The possessions review - an initial consultation, July 2001 and thus incentivise Railtrack to plan its engineering work effectively the Regulator published his provisional conclusions in The possessions review: provisional conclusions on the Schedule 4 incentive structure, December 2001.

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