Rail Regulator publishes proposed business plan for 2004–07

12 February 2004
ORR/05/04

Today, Tom Winsor, the Rail Regulator, published for consultation the Office of the Rail Regulator’s (ORR’s) draft business plan for 2004–07.  This draft business plan sets out the ORR’s high-level aim, objectives and planned programme of work for the year ahead and identifies key work priorities for the following two years. 

On 5 July 2004, a new statutory board will replace the Rail Regulator.  The Office of the Rail Regulator will become the Office of Rail Regulation.  This business plan has been drafted in anticipation of that change, and sets out a programme of work which spans Tom Winsor’s last three months as the last Rail Regulator, and the first nine months of the new statutory board. 

Tom Winsor today said: “This draft plan sets out the programme of work in which my office will be engaged during the final three months of my term as Rail Regulator, and gives the new statutory board a secure grounding in delivering the right regulatory outputs for Britain’s railways.  The plan sets out how ORR will build upon the foundations laid by both the access charges review 2003 and the introduction of stronger, simpler contracts governing the relationship between the major players in the railway industry.  

“This plan describes the continuing programme of regulatory reform which will focus on delivering a better functioning of the industry as a whole, based on the right economic and contractual framework. ORR will carry out a review of Network Rail’s structure of charges to ensure the right economic incentives are in place for all industry participants; reform the network code that underpins the track access contractual relationship between Network Rail and train operators; and improve the regulatory monitoring regime governing Network Rail’s delivery of its business plan and its management of costs.  My office will also participate fully in the review of the structure of the rail industry announced by the Secretary of State for Transport on 19 January 2004." 

The draft ORR business plan for 2004–07 includes provisional budget details for the coming year as well as projected budget figures for the subsequent two years. The budget for 2004–05 assumes a decrease of 4.7% when compared to the budget for the current year. This plan is being published as a consultation draft to allow stakeholders to provide their representations on ORR’s programme of work and to ensure that it properly reflects the industry’s priorities.  The closing date for responses is 26 March 2004.

Notes for editors:

The ORR business plan is also available from the ORR Librarian, Sue MacSwan, 1 Waterhouse Square, 138–142 Holborn, London EC1N 2TQ, tel: 020 7282 2001, fax: 020 7282 2045, e-mail: rail.library@orr.gsi.gov.uk.

Press enquiries

ORR Press Office: 020 7282 2002/2007
Out of hours – pager 07659 127303