Management of Engineering Projects

On 28 February 2008 the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) published a report into the engineering overruns that were experienced in January 2008. The report concluded that there were weaknesses in Network Rail’s approach to risk assessment and mitigation.

As a result, ORR issued Network Rail with a ‘final order’, requiring Network Rail to produce to ORR, by 30 June 2008 (and following consultation), a plan setting out how we intend to implement measures to ensure that our planning and execution of projects for the renewal, replacement, improvement, enhancement and/or development of the network which require possessions will be carried out in an efficient and economical manner and in accordance with best practice.

Network Rail published a consultation document on its plan for reviewing project delivery on 13 May 2008. We received 8 responses to this consultation from a range of industry stakeholders including passenger and freight operators, funders, passenger groups, contractors and consultants. We are grateful to all those who took the opportunity to respond.

The comments that we received were generally supportive of our proposals as outlined within our consultation document but we have made a number of amendments to our plan to reflect stakeholder input.

The final plan has been delivered to ORR in accordance with the timescales as set out in ORR’s final order.

A summary of our plan for reviewing project delivery can be downloaded here.

By 31 December 2008 Network Rail will implement the actions as outlined within the plan and will deliver a report to ORR. In conjunction with the independent reporter, ORR will then assess whether Network Rail has satisfied the requirements of the final order.