Network Rail's accountability

As the owner and operator of the national rail infrastructure, Network Rail has a key role to play in railway safety and improving railway performance and efficiency. The network licence is a key means by which we hold Network Rail to account. 

The key condition of Network Rail's network licence is Condition 7 (network stewardship) which requires the company to operate, maintain, renew, replace, improve, enhance and develop the network having regard to all relevant circumstances including matters of finance. The network licence requires Network Rail to produce plans, strategies and other documents including an annual business plan describing how it will balance different priorities and requirements, route utilisation strategies and annual return. If we believe that Network Rail is not complying with the requirements of its licence, we may take enforcement action to secure compliance.

Network Rail is also held to account through the following framework:

  • Joint Performance Improvement Plans (JPIPs) which are an annual agreements between the Train Operating Company (TOC) and Network Rail detailing how each party will contribute to continuously improving performance. The Network Rail elements of the JPIP constitute customer reasonable requirements and hence can be enforced by ORR as part of Network Rail's licence obligations. In future, it is expected that JPIPs will be supplemented by Long Term Performance Plans (LTPP) which relate to an entire control period. Some operators have local output commitments - introduced in 2004 to improve Network Rail’s accountability to individual train operators;
  • the regulatory regime for the railways and health and safety – more information about regulations affecting railways can be found in the section on UK railway legislation;
  • contracts with customers and funders and our approval of those access contracts or direction of third party access  – more information can be found in the section on agreements and contracts;
  • periodic reviews -  more information can be found in the periodic review 2008 section;
  • industry wide codes that establish operational and technical rules and procedures which need to be common for all industry participants; and
  • general rules of administrative law which apply when carrying out duties of importance to the public, such as the type approval of new rolling stock;.
Last updated 7 November 2008

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