Rail watchdog raises safety fears over maintenance plans

The rail regulator has raised safety concerns about the network, after warning that senior managers could be overworked under untested maintenance proposals that could threaten more delays on the troubled west coast main line. The Office of Rail Regulation also criticised Network Rail's recent performance, saying too many passengers were left in the dark about services during the prolonged cold snap in January, and threatening further disciplinary action over problems with the west coast route. However, the concerns over a transformation in the maintenance programme due to start next month dominated the ORR's latest Network Rail bulletin. It outlined four issues: that the changes are untested; that the west coast line could be severely affected; that section managers, who monitor sections of track, might be overworked; and that the changes could encourage staff to curtail planning and safety briefings. The ORR's chief executive, Bill Emery, said he supported the changes in principle but was concerned about their implementation. "We will have no hesitation in taking immediate action if safety to passengers or employees is put at risk. I now urge Network Rail to resolve all identified issues before it commits to implementing this maintenance restructuring," he said. The rail network's safety record has improved significantly since the government-backed Network Rail took over tracks, stations and signals from Railtrack in October 2002. The crash at Potters Bar in May that year, which killed seven people, and the one at Hatfield in 2000, which killed four passengers, were caused by track and points problems. Track safety failures last caused a fatal accident on 23 February 2007, when a Glasgow-bound Pendolino train derailed at 95mph in Grayrigg, Cumbria, killing one passenger. The rail union RMT said the ORR report confirmed that the maintenance changes would undermine rail safety "with lethal consequences". The union is balloting members for industrial action over plans to cut 1,500 jobs as part of the changes. "This news completely justifies the union's decision to ballot members for strike action to defend rail safety and their jobs," said Bob Crow, the RMT general secretary. The cuts are part of a Network Rail cost-cutting drive that was implemented after the ORR ordered the company to find efficiency savings in its £35bn budget over the next five years. A Network Rail spokesperson said it was committed to a safe railway and would deal with the ORR's concerns. "The ORR has done a thorough job on auditing our proposals and where they have raised concerns we are addressing them." However, Emery said the ORR would keep a close watch on the company's response. The changes are due to be introduced "as soon as possible" from April, according to Network Rail. "We would have very serious issues if they press the go button having not satisfied these concerns," said Emery. Network Rail said it would continue to tackle problems with the west coast line, after ORR officials warned that a recent deterioration in performance on that line was "not good enough". ORR said the poor installation of signalling equipment on the London to Glasgow route was still haunting the company. Network Rail was fined £14m for engineering overruns on the line in January 2008. The company added that it had "worked tirelessly" with train operators to help passengers through the cold weather in January.