NR chief orders inquiry into festive overruns

Network Rail Chief Executive Mark Carne has instructed NR’s infrastructure projects director Francis Paonessa, to provide a report into the sequence of events and associated decision making that led to the problems experienced on December 27, when London King’s Cross was not re-opened in time, resulting in trains terminating at Finsbury Park. The latter was latter closed because of crowding.

To compound the problems, the Great Western Main Line from London Paddington was also affected because a possession overran.

Carne said Paonessa’s report will look into the sequence of events and associated decision making that led to the problems experienced, and to advise any immediate steps that NR needs to take to increase the robustness of its works delivery capability.

He expects the report by January 9 he said, and intends to publish the findings.

Carne said: “The events over the Christmas period highlighted the unacceptable impact on the travelling public when plans go wrong. “I therefore propose that there should also be a broader, industry-wide review, into the timing of our major works programmes and the passenger contingency arrangements for such works.

“Passengers rely on the railway. We have an obligation to manage the essential safety maintenance and renewal activity that is required and we need to do this in a manner that minimises the overall impact on society at large. I will discuss this review with industry parties in the coming days before formalising the terms of reference for this review.”

For the full story, see RAIL 765, published on January 7.