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ORR investigates Network Rail's engineering over-runs

2 January 2008
ORR/01/08

The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) confirmed today that it had launched an urgent investigation into the engineering over-runs at Rugby and at Liverpool Street.

It will review the planning and management of the works, to assess Network Rail's project planning, its management and resourcing of the projects, and its dialogue with train operators once it became clear that the works would not be completed on time.

Chris Bolt, ORR Chairman, said: "ORR fined Network Rail for its project planning and management failings after it failed to complete the Portsmouth resignalling project last Christmas. It is extremely disappointing to have a repeat of that experience, on key parts of the network.

"In the case of the West Coast works at Rugby, we decided before Christmas that it was in the longer term interests of rail users to allow Network Rail to close the railway for an extra day, on 31 December. Our decision reflected an assurance by Network Rail that this extra time was necessary to complete the works, which are an important part of the programme to enable a new timetable to operate on the West Coast Main Line in December 2008.

"The immediate priority must be to get the railway working again, in order to minimise further disruption to passengers. As part of our investigation, we will review Network Rail’s whole programme for completing the West Coast works in a way which meets the requirements of passenger and freight train operators and of funders.

Notes to editors

  1. ORR has received a complaint by Virgin Rail that Network Rail has breached the terms of its licence to operate the network. It decided before Christmas not to issue a Provisional Order requiring Network Rail to complete the works at Rugby by the original date of 30 December, but will consider urgently whether the company has fully complied with its Network Licence. If it concludes that there has been a licence breach, ORR can impose a number of sanctions on Network Rail, including a financial penalty.
  2. ORR fined Network Rail £2.4m for project planning and management failings following the overrun of signalling work in the Portsmouth area at Christmas 2006: http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.8836
  3. The works on the West Coast Main line at Rugby are an important part of the works to enable a new timetable to operate on the West Coast Main line in December 2008.

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