Office of Rail & Road news – Page 2
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In depthTrain Control: En route to digital signalling
Final testing and commissioning of ETCS Level 2 is underway on the Northern City Line to London’s Moorgate terminus, which is due to go live later this year as a ‘pathfinder’ project for the East Coast Digital Programme. Chris Jackson reports.
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In depthUK: Lumo takes on the airlines
In the 18 months since its launch on the London – Edinburgh route, open access operator Lumo has driven up ridership and lifted rail’s market share significantly, as FirstGroup’s Commercial & Revenue Director Stuart Jones explains to Tony Miles.
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In depthUK: East Coast collaboration is delivering
Almost uniquely among UK train operators, LNER is seeing ridership on its inter-city services well above pre-pandemic levels, while a collaborative approach between operator and infrastructure manager is driving up performance. Tony Miles investigates.
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Rail Business UKTimetable confirmation could be reduced from 12 to eight weeks ahead
UK: The Office of Rail & Road is seeking feedback on the impact on passengers and other users of potentially changing the deadline for Network Rail to confirm timetables from 12 to eight weeks before a train runs. The proposal is to remove the reference to ...
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Rail Business UKAvanti West Coast submits revised recovery plan
UK: Inter-City West Coast operator Avanti West Coast has submitted a revised timetable production recovery plan to the Office of Rail & Road. The regulator had sought changes after the operator’s initial improvements had stalled with weekend timetables being finalised just a few days in advance. ...
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Rail Business UKRail regulator calls for passenger-friendly approach to short-notice train cancellations
UK: Train operators need to introduce a more passenger-friendly and transparent ways of working when making late changes to services, according to industry regulator the Office of Rail & Road. Currently ‘pre-cancellations’ made via a process known as ‘p-coding’ can be confirmed up to 22.00 the ...
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Rail Business UKScottish HLOS and SoFA submitted to ORR
UK: The Scottish government’s High-Level Output Specification and Statement of Funds Available for Control Period 7 was submitted to the Office of Rail & Road on January 27. Initial publication of the HLOS and SoFA for the period from April 1 2024 to March 31 2029 ...
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Rail Business UKAvanti West Coast required to produce improved timetable recovery plan
UK: The Office of Rail & Road has told Avanti West Coast to submit an improved timetable production recovery plan by February 2. The regulator said Avanti had initially made reasonable progress against its September 2022 recovery plan, but the position had deteriorated in 2023 with ...
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Rail Business UKTrain driver sentenced for Bromsgrove collision
UK: A train driver who was distracted by a using mobile phone leading to a collision between a DB Cargo locomotive and a passenger train has been sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. He must also undertake 120 h of unpaid work and ...
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Rail Business UKCompetition concerns over Hitachi’s planned acquisition of Thales signalling business
UK: The Competition & Markets Authority has expressed concern that Hitachi Rail’s planned acquisition of Thales’ Ground Transportation Business could eliminate a credible competitor for the supply of signalling systems, at a time when efforts are being made to increase competition in the UK market. Hitachi ...
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Rail Business UKModernisation and efficiency improvements included in High Level Output Specification
UK: There is ‘an urgent need for continued modernisation and significant efficiency improvements to bear down on the cost of the railway’, according to the High Level Output Specification which sets out what the Secretary of State wants to be achieved from the management of rail ...
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Rail Business UKGrand Union’s Carmarthen to London service approved
UK: The Office of Rail & Road has approved Grand Union Trains’ plans to launch an open access passenger service between London and southwest Wales using bi-mode trains with a high-quality interior including 2+1 seating in standard class. On December 1 ORR announced that it had ...
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Rail Business UKRail industry finances showed signs of recovery in 2021-22
UK: The rail industry’s finances showed signs of recovery from the effects of the pandemic in the last financial year but passenger revenue remained well below pre-pandemic levels, according to the latest statistical report from the Office of Rail & Road. The Rail Industry Finance report ...
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Rail Business UKPassenger numbers at UK’s busiest station still less than half of pre-pandemic levels
UK: London Waterloo has regained its status as the most used National Rail station according to estimates for the 2020-21 financial year, although usage was less than half that recorded in the last year before the coronavirus pandemic. The Office of Rail & Road’s estimates for ...
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Rail Business UKRail pay and conditions are favourable against market comparators, study finds
UK: Pay and conditions in the rail industry are typically favourable when compared to market comparators, owing to working hours, defined benefit pension options and high levels of trade union membership, according to a report published by the Office of Rail & Road. ORR commissioned the ...
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Rail Business UKORR finds Network Rail exceeded planned efficiency improvements
UK: Network Rail achieved £840m of efficiency improvements in 2021-22, ahead of the £830m target for the year, according to an annual assessment of its efficiency and wider financial performance published by the Office of Rail & Road. The infrastructure manager has delivered £1·9bn of efficiency ...
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Rail Business UKRegulator asks for views on next periodic review of HS1 Ltd
UK: The Office of Rail & Road has launched a consultation asking stakeholders to provide views on the processes and approach to the next periodic review of high speed line concessionaire HS1 Ltd. ORR is required by law to approve HS1 Ltd’s plans and charges for ...
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Rail Business UKNetwork Rail maintains good stakeholder engagement, ORR finds
UK: The Office of Rail & Road says its annual assessment of how Network Rail engages with its stakeholders shows a strong performance in the past year, although overall satisfaction has dipped slightly. ORR assessed how well Network Rail performed against four principles of good stakeholder ...
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Rail Business UKNetwork Rail needs to change depot plant asset management
UK: Consultancy Frazer-Nash has undertaken a review of Network Rail’s depot plant asset management systems on behalf of the the Office of Rail & Road, looking at whether effective systems are in place to ensure that depot plant is maintained, renewed and upgraded. Frazer-Nash concluded that ...
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Rail Business UKHS2 infrastructure manager will be able to levy Investment Recovery Charge
UK: The Office of Rail & Road has ruled that the future infrastructure manager for the London to West Midlands Phase One of High Speed 2 will be able to levy an Investment Recovery Charge on future operators using the line. An IRC is an exceptional ...