This month we published our Business Plan setting out what we will deliver over the next twelve months. This follows on from 2017/18 where we successfully met our business plan commitments for the year. We have also renewed our commitment to our key standards including our safety inspectors spending more than half of their time in the field, achieving 54% last year.
In the next year we have a number of important milestones as we determine the regulatory settlement for Network Rail for the next five years and contribute to work on the development of the Performance Specification and investment plan for RIS2.
As in previous years, this summer we will issue a series of annual reports: our Network Rail Monitor reporting on Network Rail’s performance in the last year; our Assessment of Highways England; and reports on the Health and Safety performance of the rail industry and on consumer experience.
And of course, we will continue to act on events beyond the Plan; ensuring that those responsible make Britain's railways safe for passengers and provide a safe place for staff to work; reporting transparently on the performance of Network Rail, Highways England and the wider rail industry; working to improve the experience of rail passengers, and authorising new vehicles, infrastructure, access and licensing on the network.
Joanna Whittington
Chief Executive
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Engaging with Industry and Individuals
ORR’s work is based on proactive engagement with the industries we regulate. This month, Chief Executive Joanna Whittington briefed the Rail Supply Group Council on progress on the 2018 Periodic Review, while our Director of Railway Markets and Economics, John Larkinson, updated the Rail Freight Group on key elements of the next control period. Our Chair Stephen Glaister has also written about the ORR Board’s engagement with regional stakeholders.
Safety: Taking Action
ORR’s bases much of its safety work on helping the industry in its management of risk. Chief Inspector Ian Prosser spoke recently about our RM3 risk-management model, and Principal Inspector Patrick Talbot has written about our work with the freight sector. ORR also has powers to take enforcement action where health and safety rules are breached; this month a successful ORR prosecution saw BAM Nuttall and McNealy Brown fined £965,000 for failing to put proper procedures and safeguards in place after a worker was severely injured.
Building our team
ORR is an organisation built on people; we place a priority on developing and retaining our staff, at all levels. The picture above shows trainee inspectors, inspector assistants and administrator colleagues preparing to attend a confined spaces training exercise, as part of a week-long residential construction training course at the National Construction College. As well as operational training, we are building management skills in ORR through a structured Senior Leadership Programme; with a second cohort of colleagues now on the six-month scheme.
GDPR
With the new rules on data protection coming into force in May, ORR will be in touch with you to ensure you still wish to receive information from us. You will receive an email in the coming weeks with a link to a subscription page on our website. Please follow the link in that email to continue receiving these and other updates from ORR.