News
Regulator: Passenger train performance on the High Speed 1 network improves, but action needed on management of lifts and escalators
30 July 2025
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The high speed route from London to the Channel Tunnel, operated by London St. Pancras High Speed, saw significantly improved train performance in the latest reporting year alongside increases in traffic volumes, the Office of Rail and Road said today (30 July) in its annual report on London St. Pancras High Speed. However, the regulator has required the company to improve how it manages its
ORR approves limited new passenger services on East Coast Main Line from December 2025
29 July 2025
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The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has approved some additional services from December 2025 for three open access operators, extending or adding to their existing services on the East Coast Main Line (ECML).
Summer 2025 ORR newsletter
23 July 2025
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Our summer 2025 newsletter.
ORR: National Highways must lock in the good progress of last decade as it gears up to deliver next Road Period
18 July 2025
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National Highways has delivered significant improvements for road users in the second road period (RP2 2020 - 2025), says the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), but the company must learn lessons from missed commitments to deliver better performance in the next Road Period.
ORR: Network Rail delivering efficiently, but cost pressures remain and industry must keep focus on safety throughout rail reform
17 July 2025
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• Industry must retain a relentless focus on safety throughout rail reform. • Financial constraints on Network Rail require careful management in the coming years. • Network Rail is taking action where train performance needs to improve. Passenger train punctuality is largely stable, but cancellations have reached record highs, with train operator cancellations the dominant factor.
The Rail and Road Pod Episode 26: Lego and dinosaurs - ORR engineers on their chosen careers
14 July 2025
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To mark the recent International Women in Engineering Day, four ORR engineers recall their career paths, their work at ORR and give advice on those interested in joining their profession.
ORR report shows satisfaction with assisted rail travel remains unchanged as it sets out new operator rating system
11 July 2025
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The Office of Rail and Road’s latest survey shows once again there remain too many instances of passengers not receiving the help they had booked. As part of the regulator’s priorities for the coming year, it will benchmark and rate each operator on its delivery of passenger assistance to better target interventions.
Rail regulator rejects West Coast Main Line applications due to insufficient capacity
3 July 2025
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The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has rejected applications from three companies seeking track access contracts with Network Rail to run services on the West Coast Main Line (WCML).
Office of Rail and Road July 2025 newsletter
30 June 2025