The summer months are always busy at ORR as we issue four key annual reports; our Network Rail Monitor; the annual report on Health and Safety of the rail network; Measuring Up, covering consumer experience of the railways; and our annual assessment of Highways England’s performance.
These documents underpin our commitment to transparently reporting on how the rail and road networks are performing, providing evidence to stakeholders and driving improvements in performance and efficiency.
This year we also publish our Draft Determination of our Periodic Review of Network Rail on 12 June. This will be followed by a period of consultation on our initial findings ahead of our final determination in the Autumn. The periodic review will set out changes to how we regulate Network Rail to support its devolution to eight geographical routes and a system operator, as well as our assessment on the funding for Network Rail and the outputs it will be expected to deliver in the next Control Period.
In the meantime, our work to protect the interests of road and rail users continues, some of which is highlighted below.
Joanna Whittington
Chief Executive
Top stories
Access, licensing and safety certification – Day-to-day at ORR
With VTEC Services on the East Coast Mainline transferring to London North Eastern Railway (LNER), Catherine Williams. ORR Deputy Director or Railway Market and Economics, outlines ORR’s role in delivery of licences, safety certification and access arrangements to companies operating on the network.
Protecting passengers
ORR has a role in ensuring passengers can access the right information before they travel, and in ensuring operators have adequate policies in place to assist passengers with disabilities.
This month, ORR wrote to Train Companies after finding that they were not giving passengers good enough information to help them plan their journey, and created an advisory group to bring together passengers and industry to update the guidance on rail accessibility policies.
ORR prosecutes
Two successful prosecutions were brought by ORR this month following failures to protect passengers and railway staff. Network Rail were found guilty after a signaller was severely injured at a level crossing in East Farleigh. South Devon Railway Trust were fined after a young boy fell through the floor of one of its trains.
Future Roads Forum
ORR is the monitor of Highways England. Richard Coates, Deputy Director Highways at ORR set out our priorities for the second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2) and preparations for the introduction of the Major Road Network.
Eurotunnel
Together with our French counterpart Arafer, ORR is responsible for regulating the Channel Fixed Link to make sure Eurotunnel’s management of the line is transparent and fair for train operators. This month, ORR and Arafer published our opinions on Eurotunnel’s 2019 Network Statement.
Your data
The law on data protection in the UK and EU has changed. To find out how ORR uses your personal data, see our privacy notice.