Conclusions and recommendations
1. Network Rail receives over half of its
funding from the taxpayer but as a private sector company it is
not directly accountable to Parliament.
The Department should strengthen the governance and accountability
arrangements of the rail industry to make Network Rail more directly
accountable to the taxpayer for the money that it receives and
for improving passenger rail services.
2. The Office of Rail Regulation sets its
targets for Network Rail for a five year period and does not revise
them within that period to reflect changes in circumstances.
In 2006-07, those targets were less demanding than Network Rail's
own targets. The Office of Rail Regulation should review and,
where appropriate, revise its targets at least once during the
main control period so that they take account of changing conditions
and continue to be challenging.
3. Approximately 20% of the most disruptive
incidents examined by the National Audit Office involved the attendance
of one or more of the emergency services but the relationships
between the rail industry and the emergency services are fragmented.
The Department should play a more active role in bringing together
the rail industry, the emergency services and other stakeholders
(such as coroners, the Samaritans and Passenger Focus) to improve
incident management, for example, by organising an annual conference.
It should also look to other transport sectors and other industries
to identify expertise that will benefit the rail sector.
4. Many emergency services deal infrequently
with the rail industry and do not always have sufficient information
to enable them to make contact promptly when required.
The Office of Rail Regulation should provide assurance to the
Department that Network Rail has appropriate mechanisms in place
to allow the emergency services to contact relevant rail staff
during incidents.
5. Passengers are not receiving the information
they need during delays and are not always told how to claim compensation
for delays. The Department, in conjunction
with Passenger Focus, should monitor:
a) the progress of Train Operating Companies
in implementing the Association of Train Operating Companies'
guidance on providing information to passengers, including communications
by drivers on services where there are no other onboard
personnel;
b) whether passengers are aware of their rights
to compensation;
c) whether the value of compensation payments
made are consistent with factors such as the numbers of eligible
passengers, the delays incurred on services and the compensation
arrangements in force for each Train Operating Company; and
d) that, where relevant, Train Operating Companies
provide compensation claim forms to passengers on delayed services.
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