Content archived on 20 April 2024
A spokesperson for the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said:
"The Office of Rail and Road welcomes the Public Accounts Committee’s scrutiny of Network Rail's vitally important rail investment programme for 2014-2019. The escalating costs and late delivery of key rail projects are unacceptable.
"The report recognises that problems have arisen which need addressing for rail users and taxpayers and makes a series of recommendations which affect a number of parties. We need to learn the lessons, and agree with PAC’s recommendations that uncertainties in key projects need to be addressed differently; clear accountability arrangements need to be in place for major projects; Network Rail needs to embed tighter project planning, cost control, and deliverability; and a sector-wide skills strategy for the rail industry is needed.
"With the changes to Network Rail’s ownership and finances since it became a public sector company, ORR agrees that a review of its own role in major projects is appropriate. That review will need to cover the specification, planning and costing of major projects, their delivery and monitoring. It is important that this review covers governance arrangements across all parties.
"ORR looks forward to participating in this work to ensure that Network Rail’s extensive rail investment programme is delivered on behalf of taxpayers and users of the network."