Examination of Witnesses (Questions 116-119)
MR CHRIS
BOLT, MR
MICHAEL BESWICK,
MR IAIN
COUCHER AND
MR ROBIN
GISBY
23 NOVEMBER 2005
Q116 Chairman: Good afternoon, gentlemen.
Would you be kind enough to identify yourselves for the record?
Mr Bolt: Chris
Bolt, the Chairman of the Office of Rail Regulation.
Mr Beswick: Michael Beswick, Director
of Rail Policy at the Office of Rail Regulation.
Mr Coucher: Iain Coucher, Deputy
Chief Executive, Network Rail.
Mr Gisby: Robin Gisby, Director
of Operations and Customer Services at Network Rail.
Q117 Chairman: Do any
of you have anything you want to say briefly in introduction or
may we go straight to questions?
Mr Bolt: Happy for you to go straight
in.
Q118 Chairman: Alright
then, has the advance booking process for the festive season gone
well this year?
Mr Bolt: Shall I start on that?
Q119 Chairman: Yes, Mr
Bolt, you are a brave man.
Mr Bolt: I think the answer is
yes, certainly in comparison with last year where there were very
clear problems and Network Rail was not delivering the timetabling
information to train operators which meant that timetables were
not available and TOCs were not able to open for advance reservations.
We are in a position this year where broadly the T-12 responsibilities
of Network Rail for timetables and T-9 for train operators opening
services for reservations have been met. There have been one or
two exceptions and clearly as the regulatory body we have been
looking at that, but overall it has been a much better picture.
| 
