Is rail regulator pushing Network Rail too hard?

摘要

I wonder if the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is the correct body to conduct the truly independent inquiry into Network Rail's overrunning engineering works at Christmas. If the ORR was really doing its job, should it not have known beforehand what was intended and robustly challenged Network Rail to ensure that the works were feasible in the timeframe, and that sufficient contingency arrangements were in place if things did not work out? The sad fact is that the regulator is preoccupied with economics and efficiency savings and is ill equipped to understand the engineering and operational requirements of the industry it regulates.