Updated
09.30
Network
Rail’s
spending
plans
for
Control
Period
7,
which
begins
in
April,
have
been
given
the
green
light
by
the
Office
of
Rail
and
Road.
The
budget
of
£43.1
billion
consists
of
£38.5
billion
for
England
and
Wales,
and
£4.6
billion
for
Scotland.
Network
Rail
has
changed
some
of
its
proposals
since
the
ORR
issued
its
draft
determination
in
June.
Among
the
revisions
is
an
additional
£600
million
for
safeguarding
its
infrastructure,
which
is
ageing
and
under
threat,
as
well
as
improving
safety
and
performance.
Train
performance
covers
punctuality
and
cancellations,
and Network
Rail
will
need
to
work
closely
on
improving
performance
with
passenger
operators. The
ORR
said
‘targets
are
more
challenging
than
originally
proposed
by
Network
Rail
but
are
realistic’.
Freight
has
been
set
‘challenging’
targets,
with
growth
set
at
7.5
per
cent
in
England
and
Wales
and
8.7
per
cent
in
Scotland.
The
ORR
is
supporting
Network
Rail’s
plan
to
upgrade
its
structures
so
that
more
rail
freight
can
be
moved.
Track
access
charges
for
freight
operators
will
continue
to
be
capped.
Other
targets
for
Network
Rail
include
dealing
with
risks
effectively,
particularly
those
posed
by
financial
pressures
and
climate
change.
Network
Rail
will
be
required
to
reduce
its
carbon
emissions
by
more
than
20
per
cent,
while
biodiversity
is
also
to
be
preserved
and
enhanced.
Money
will
continue
to
be
tight.
The
ORR
said:
‘It
is
therefore
vital
that
Network
Rail
continues
to
build
on
the
success
of
recent
efficiency
initiatives,
to
help
secure
a
financially
sustainable
railway
and
deliver
value
for
money.’
The
ORR’s
director
for
economics,
finance
and
markets
Will
Godfrey
said:
‘I’m
pleased
to
see
that
Network
Rail
has
responded
well
to
our
challenges
to
its
initial
plans
and
the
result
is
more
robust
and
customer
focused
plans
which
we
believe
will
deliver
better
outcomes
for
passengers
and
freight.
‘The
plans
are
challenging
but
achievable.
Our
five-year
funding
and
regulatory
settlement
provides
stability
and
a
platform
for
the
industry
to
plan
and
invest.
This
is
important
not
just
for
Network
Rail,
but
also
for
passenger
and
freight
operators
and
the
supply
chain.
’Network
Rail
must
now
set
out
how
it
will
deliver
on
our
final
determination.’
Network
Rail
chief
executive
Andrew
Haines
responded:
‘The
rail
sector
enjoys
an
almost
unique
level
of
funding
certainty
and
that
is
a
privilege
that
comes
with
serious
responsibilities.
More
than
£43
billion
will
be
spent
over
the
next
five
years
to
deliver
a
safer
and
better
railway
for
passengers
and
freight
customers.
Today’s
announcement
gives
clarity
and
certainty
for
the
railway
and
our
supply
chain
partners
and
will
now
enable
us
to
continue
building
on
our
detailed
delivery
plans.
‘The
UK
and
Scottish
Governments’
funding
commitment
and
today’s
news
is
a
significant
vote
of
confidence
in
the
industry’s
future.
The
impact
of
inflation,
tight
public
finances
and
the
need
to
invest
more
to
manage
the
impact
of
more
frequent
extreme
weather
on
the
infrastructure
does
mean
that
our
funding
will
need
to
go
further
than
ever
before.
‘Throughout
CP7
we
are
committing
to
delivering
extensive
investments
across
the
length
and
breadth
of
the
network.
In
addition
to
improvements
to
safety,
we’ll
work
to
boost
train
performance,
usher
in
new
technologies,
invest
significantly
more
funds
to
tackle
climate
change
as
well
as
make
£3.6
billion
of
efficiency
savings.’
