Collaboration is the key to meeting challenges ahead – Richard Price (ORR) 28th February 2012

Office of Rail Regulation(ORR)

As Great Britain’s railways stand on the eve of a critical phase of reform, the industry must work together to meet the big challenges ahead, Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) Chief Executive Richard Price said today.
 Speaking at the Waterfront Rail Industry Reform Conference in London, Richard Price praised recent moves to bring the railways closer to local communities through Network Rail’s devolution, as well as industry-led initiatives like ‘alliances’ between train operators and Network Rail as the railways step-up efforts to improve efficiency. He also looked ahead to the government’s forthcoming rail Command Paper, which will outline the vision for the GB’s railways, and the current periodic review, which sets the plan for the railways between 2014-19, as crucial means towards achieving £2.5billion annual savings ORR will be looking for the industry to deliver by 2019.
 Richard Price said:
“Taxpayers and rail users quite rightly expect quality services and value for money – and our prime motivation, our driving force, must be to ensure that they get what they pay for through their taxes and through the farebox.
“I firmly believe that this requires a collaborative whole-industry approach between Network Rail and train operators. The periodic review provides an ideal opportunity for us to turn ambition into action. The goals that we set Network Rail will be tough and challenging, make no mistake. We will be on their case to make sure they deliver.
“But it is how the industry performs as a whole, how it establishes partnerships, how it shares risk and reward so that interests are aligned around improving efficiency and performance, that will make the difference. Network Rail will be the focus of the Periodic Review, but the industry as a whole needs to work together to get results across the system.
“ORR is looking to the industry to take the initiative. Our interest is in efficiency and in what is delivered, while interfering as little as possible in how it is delivered.” 
To read the speech in full, visit: http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/rp-costs-customers-and-safety_280212.pdf