ORR introduces the new series of quarterly National Rail Reviews to monitor Britain's rail industry
21 August 2006
ORR/26/06
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) publishes the first of the new quarterly series, National Rail Review, today.
This publication provides comment on the issues and trends in the national rail industry in Britain and also incorporates the latest quarterly edition of The Network Rail Monitor, with companion scorecards for England and Wales, and for Scotland. The National Rail Review draws on and includes access to National Rail Trends, which now becomes a rolling online data resource, enabling users to have access to the most up-to-date information possible.
The first National Rail Review covers developments up to and including Quarter 1 2006-07 (April, May and June 2006). Highlights include the highest ever level of passenger satisfaction, a continuing rise in both passenger and freight traffic on the railway, and the sustained good progress in improving punctuality as measured by the public performance measure (PPM), which is now at the highest level since August 2000.
ORR Chief Executive Bill Emery said: “Our new quarterly National Rail Review will provide regular comment on how the British rail industry is performing. We will draw on the existing Network Rail Monitor and National Rail Trends to assess performance, progress and the key issues being addressed by the rail industry.
“Our first review identifies many positive trends, and many challenges ahead. Overall passenger satisfaction stays at an all time high. There is continuing steady progress in train punctuality, and stewardship of the network. However, Network Rail and its partners need to address the regional variations in performance. Maintaining and improving on this performance also requires the industry to meet the challenges of growing demand, and fluctuating energy costs.
“Managing safety on the railways is vital. We are concerned about the increasing risk associated with misuse of level crossings that lies behind the deteriorating position in the statistics. We are supporting and encouraging Network Rail and other safety duty holders to tackle these issues and level crossings will continue to be one of our main priorities as joint safety and economic regulator.”
The National Rail Review - Q1/06-07 highlights a number of key industry achievements, including:
- Total passenger kilometres is increasing by 2.5% per annum, and total passenger revenue is increasing by 6.9% per annum.
- Good progress being made by Network Rail and its partners in improving punctuality. The public performance measure (PPM) of 87.0% at the end of quarter 1, is up from 84.3% a year ago.
- Overall passenger satisfaction equals its best ever level of 80%, driven by service improvements and new trains.
- The rail freight market continues its steady growth, with freight moved increasing by 5.5% per annum. Within this, Anglo-Scottish coal increased by 19.5%, and oil and petroleum by 9.7%.
A number of issues that the industry is facing have also been identified, including:
- Performance is poor on the Western route, and ORR has been investigating.
- As in many other industries, train operators have to deal with significant increases in energy costs.
Network Rail Monitor for Quarter 1 2006-07 (1 April to 24 June 2006) shows:
Great Britain
- Safety - The risk to passengers from a train accident (as measured by the train accident Precursor Indicator Model) is increasing. The largest contributor continues to be misuse of level crossings by road users.
- Infrastructure Assets – There continues to be an overall improvement in asset condition. Asset failures caused 24% fewer delay minutes than in Quarter 1 2005-06. The Asset Stewardship Index (ASI) ended Quarter 1 significantly better than the target set by ORR.
- Network Rail’s Expenditure – In Quarter 1, expenditure on operating, maintaining, renewing and enhancing the network was £43 million (3.6%) below budget.
- West Coast Main Line Route Modernisation – Network Rail is currently on target to deliver further planned capacity and journey time enhancements by December 2008. Although some services have been reinstated on the Sandbach to Wilmslow line, full restoration of the timetable is not planned until December 2006.
Scotland
- Train Performance – Performance in Scotland has now recovered from the problems that led to our investigation in winter 2005-06. We congratulate all those whose efforts have contributed to this and who continue to work for further improvements.
- Expenditure – Total expenditure in Scotland in Quarter 1 was £108 million, 10.6% under the budget of £121 million.
National Rail Trends has been updated with the latest Q1 data for passenger journeys and kilometres, freight moved and lifted, and station usage.
Notes for editors
- The National Rail Review is available on the ORR website at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/301.pdf.
- National Rail Trends is available on the ORR website at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.129.
- The Network Rail Monitor and a commentary is available on the ORR website at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/300.pdf.
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