Monitoring of Network Rail’s performance, now extended separately to Scotland, shows continuing improvement in train performance
19 August 2005
ORR/34/05
The latest edition of Network Rail Monitor (NRM), the quarterly report on Network Rail’s performance as owner and operator of the national rail network issued by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), is published today with, for the first time, a companion edition for Scotland. This reflects the fact that railway outputs in Scotland will be funded separately by the Scottish Executive from 1 April 2006.
Chris Bolt, Chairman of ORR, said:
“It is important that Network Rail’s performance is monitored closely and open to scrutiny so that delivery is measured against what is required of the company. This is important for rail users, and taxpayers in Scotland, who from next April will be directly funding Network Rail in Scotland. Across the country, the Monitor for this quarter shows further improvement in train performance overall, but with some worrying trends on some routes. Meanwhile, ORR continues to monitor Network Rail’s underspend to determine how much of this is due to efficiencies and how much is due to deferral of work.”
Network Rail Monitor (Great Britain) for the first quarter of 2005–06 (1 April – 25 June 2005) shows that:
- Train Performance: This continues to improve, with on average 84.3% of trains arriving on or close to time over the twelve months to June 2005, compared with 81.2% a year earlier. Further progress is expected, but there are some signs of Network Rail improvement slowing down, and there are also marked variations in performance in some areas which ORR is investigating further with Network Rail.
- Infrastructure Assets: Network Rail is continuing to achieve reductions in most asset failures, although at a slower rate, with Q1 figures 6% below the comparable period last year.
- Expenditure: Network Rail is continuing to underspend against its budget, by 8% in Q1, compared with 15% for the whole of 2004-05. The largest underspend during the quarter under review was on enhancements which are 22% below budget. ORR will continue to review the causes to ensure that Network Rail is delivering the outputs for which it is funded and that underspending is not jeopardising the long-term health of the network.
- Safety: The measure of risk from precursors to train accidents remains relatively static. The risk from signals passed at danger has reduced significantly following the installation of the Train Protection and Warning System and the risk from public misuse of level crossings now predominates.
Network Rail Monitor (Scotland) for the first quarter of 2005–06 (1 April – 25 June 2005) shows that in Scotland:
- Train Performance: The percentage of trains arriving on or close to time has declined over the last year in contrast to the network-wide improvement.
- Infrastructure Assets: Infrastructure failures are showing no sign of improvement, in contrast to the network-wide trend. Track geometry is improving and the number of broken rails is declining.
- Expenditure: Underspending is at a lower rate than in the business as a whole and is dominated by underspending on West Coast Main Line track renewals.
Now that ORR has taken over the publication of National Rail Trends from the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), we will look at the best way of combining this with the Network Rail Monitor and future safety information in a single quarterly package.
In September, ORR will publish the Annual Assessment (previously known as the Stewardship Statement) of Network Rail which will analyse in more detail Network Rail’s business performance during the year 2004–05.
Notes to editors:
1. The Network Rail Monitor (Great Britain) and a commentary is available on the ORR website at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/nr_monitor-q1-gb.pdf.
2. The Network Rail Monitor (Scotland) and a commentary is available on the ORR website at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/nr_monitor-q1-scot.pdf.
3. Statement on Network Rail’s Stewardship of the National Rail Network 2003–04 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.
4. The consultation document Network Rail Monitor is also available from the ORR Librarian, at the above address.
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