Monitoring Network Rail’s performance

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has set out its view on actions needed for the West Coast Main Line (WCML) and East Coast Main Line (ECML) after their major timetable projects reached crucial decision-making points.

The most important thing to passengers after safety is the punctuality and reliability of trains. In 2018, performance in Network Rail’s North West and Central region (NW&C) deteriorated and failed to substantially recover during 2019.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is calling for Network Rail to take action to retain a railway which more reflects the train service performance improvements seen over the pandemic, as more passengers return to the railway.

An Office of Rail and Road (ORR) review commissioned into how Network Rail (NR) plans for and delivers engineering works has found that while there have been some recent improvements, further work is required to minimise disruption to passengers and ensure public money is spent appropriately.

A total of 234 rail industry stakeholders helped shape today’s report published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) through sharing their experiences on the quality of Network Rail’s engagement. Findings show significant improvements in 2020-21, despite the challenging context of COVID-19, with a majority rating Network Rail's engagement as good or very good (73%).

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has today published its 2020-21 annual assessments of rail safety in Great Britain and of Network Rail’s performance.

The Office of Rail and Road’s annual assessment of Network Rail Scotland’s performance in 2020-21 highlights a difficult year for the region. The derailment of a ScotRail service at Carmont, near Stonehaven, in which three people died, tragically demonstrates the need for Network Rail to make sure that railway assets are resilient to the impacts of extreme weather and climate change.

The Office of Rail and Road’s annual assessment of Network Rail’s performance shows the Wales and Western region was able to complete upgrade and renewal work despite the pandemic. The regulator also highlights the need for improvements to track worker safety and the examination of structures, in the region.

The Office of Rail and Road’s annual assessment of Network Rail shows a renewed focus by the North West & Central region towards improving punctuality and reliability. And despite the pandemic, the region was able to complete upgrade and renewal work.

The Office of Rail and Road’s annual assessment of Network Rail shows safety performance in the Eastern region has been good as it continues to work towards improving the safety of its workforce. The region has also managed its infrastructure well with fewer failures on the network in the last year.