ORR seeks views on national rail standards regimes
16 May 2008
ORR/17/08
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) today sought the views of industry stakeholders on the national rail standards regimes. Standards play a key role in facilitating the delivery of a safe and efficient railway.
ORR recognises the ongoing work by the industry to improve standards. However, standards have been cited as the cause of inefficiencies in the way that the rail network is maintained, enhanced and operated.
ORR wants to understand whether there is a clear view among industry stakeholders on what is the purpose of the standards regimes and whether the various standards regimes are fit for that purpose. In addition ORR wants to identify any systemic problems with the regimes, or with the way they are applied and, importantly, to review its role as safety and economic regulator in relation to standards.
Michael Beswick, executive director rail policy, said: “The railway industry will be required in the future to deliver greater capacity and safety improvements, and to become much more efficient. The increasing programme of enhancement work supporting this will put additional pressure on the rail industry to ensure it has suitable standards in place. The industry also faces an acceleration in the development of European Technical Specifications for Interoperability.”
ORR welcomes views from the industry by Friday 18 July 2008, and expects to publish a report of its findings later this year.
Notes to editors
- A copy of the letter sent to stakeholders is available on our website at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.67
Press enquiries
ORR Press Office – 020 7282 2188/2007
