Regulator publishes draft business plan for Network Rail's first full year
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18 March 2003
The Rail Regulator's business plan for 2003-04 is published for consultation today. It sets out the regulatory programme for the first full year of Network Rail's stewardship of the network, when the emphasis will continue to be on the delivery of important objectives for the industry, and for rail users and funders. The ORR's guiding principle throughout will be to prioritise work in the way best calculated to facilitate the operation of railway services, by holding Network Rail firmly and fully to account for its stewardship obligations, delivering the interim review of track access charges and handling access and licence applications in good time. In other words, the ORR will get on with the job reliably, in the way the industry has come to expect. Tom Winsor said: "This business plan explains what the ORR aims to deliver on key policy priorities this year. This includes the interim review of track access charges, the completion of the new model track access contracts, and the development of contractual local output commitments, as well the casework on track access agreements the ORR will expect to handle. It is important that the ORR's priorities are geared towards the industry's priorities. Rail regulation must be both proactive and reactive. Rail regulation is a means to an end - providing the railway industry with an impartial referee to ensure fair play, the experience and skill to ensure the private monopoly infrastructure provider is held to account for its performance, and independent financial assessment of the amounts needing to be spent on the competent and efficient stewardship and operation of the network." The Regulator's business plan for 2003-4 aims to develop a framework of relationships across the railway industry that will support the Strategic Rail Authority's refranchising programme, and provide the right climate for the seamless transfer of franchises between outgoing and incoming operators. In the course of the year, the Railways and Transport Safety Bill will be going through the legislative process to create a statutory board for the newly-named Office of Rail Regulation - the last of the regulatory offices to be brought into line with what is standard practice for the other utility regulators. This business plan is in five sections. The first part contains the Regulator's aims and key objectives; the second part deals with the outputs and actions required to deliver these objectives; the third part details the business support programmes needed to meet these tasks; and the fourth part of the business plan sets the Regulator's expenditure plans and budgetary programme. The plan is published in draft in order to check that the ORR has identified the right priorities and outcomes for the coming year, through consultation with the industry stakeholders who pay the licence fees that fund the ORR's work. Responses to this consultation are requested by Friday 25 April 2003. Notes for editors: The ORR draft business plan 2003-04 is available to download from the right hand side of this page and from the ORR Librarian, Sue MacSwan, 1 Waterhouse Square, 138-142 Holborn, London EC1N 2TQ, tel: 020 7282 2001, fax: 020 7282 2045. Press enquiries: ORR Press Office : 020 7282 2002/2007
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