In short yes. In our Annual Efficiency and Finance Assessment, we find that Network Rail has delivered cost efficiencies in how it operates, maintains and renews the rail infrastructure, but has also reported financial underperformance.
How is this possible?
Our measure of financial performance encompasses both Network Rail’s income as well as its expenditure and assesses whether it has delivered its required activities for more or less than it was funded to deliver them. Efficiency examines the drivers of cost changes but not changes to income and focuses on the operation, support, maintenance and renewal of the existing network – but does not include enhancements.
In 2024/25 Network Rail delivered £325 million of efficiency improvements, 24% ahead of our target for the year (£263 million). Leading indicators also show that Network Rail is reasonably well placed for the delivery of cost efficiencies in the second year of its five-year control period (CP7). These are all welcome signs and reflect the efforts Network Rail is making with contracting strategies, modernising maintenance, the use of minimum viable product approaches to project delivery and greater use of technology.
Financial performance
Nevertheless, the company financially underperformed by £243 million against its delivery plan. Net of income, Network Rail spent £243 million more than originally planned, despite delivering efficiency improvements. This was driven by a combination of factors such as inflationary pressures that pushed up the cost of renewals projects, pay awards exceeding CPI inflation, and financial payments to train operators (linked to not achieving train performance benchmarks).
This efficiency and financial performance are against a backdrop of £14.5 billion of total expenditure by Network Rail in the last year, £9.9 billion if we focus on the operation, support, maintenance and renewal of the network alone.
Therefore, the future trajectory for efficiencies really matters. This is particularly so recognising the financial pressures ahead, the substantial use by Network Rail of its five-year risk funding in the last year alone (it used 55% of the £1.7 billion set aside for CP7) and the fact that it continues to operate with a funding gap (at close to £0.5 billion in the last year).
We will continue to work with Network Rail on reviewing its plans and reporting what is delivered in return for the funding secured through our periodic review. This is important not just as we review Network Rail’s performance on the CP7 settlement but also as we work with government ahead of the creation of Great British Railways and in readiness for the next funding period.