The regulator's Network Rail monitor and annual assessment 2010-11 provides an overview of Network Rail's performance over the past year. It found significant failings, including:
• Safety - weaknesses in Network Rail's safety culture have been recognised including the exposure of flawed injury reporting. ORR is often frustrated by the slow pace of necessary safety improvements, and a number of enforcement notices followed failure to make timely progress.
• Operational performance - Network Rail missed many of its targets for the year including for delays and punctuality. ORR has determined that exceptionally severe winter conditions were a major factor, and the company has admitted that despite its efforts it could have performed better. In addition, a recent upward trend in delays is concerning and the regulator has required Network Rail to submit plans for improvement, including how it will better cope with winter weather conditions in the future.
• Efficiency – While Network Rail is ahead of plan for delivering maintenance and operating cost efficiencies, the ORR said that it could not confirm the overall position yet as there were still questions about its assessment of renewals efficiency that need to be answered.
ORR chief executive Bill Emery said: "Network Rail made good progress in some important areas last year - delivering improvements to many railway stations and lines across the country. However, we have also seen performance setbacks and failures which mean that Network Rail faces big challenges if it is to meet the increasingly demanding targets it is funded to achieve.
"Network Rail missed the majority of its operational performance objectives for areas like punctuality, and it quickly needs to take steps to improve its safety culture. We want to see Network Rail learn quickly from its problems and to focus on improving performance that matters most to passengers.
"With targets getting increasingly tough year-on-year, ORR is pressing Network Rail not to fall off the pace of all its regulatory commitments - and to act now."
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