Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of Network Rail's ability to deliver infrastructure projects.

The independent regulator, the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), is responsible for overseeing and enforcing Network Rail’s obligations, including the delivery of infrastructure projects. On 20 November ORR published its assessment, in the ‘Network Rail Monitor’, of Network Rail’s performance in the first two quarters of Control Period 5 (2014-19) covering the period 1 April to 11 October 2014. ORR reported that following a period of relatively successful delivery in Control Period 4 (2009-14) Network Rail has not made the expected progress in the early stages of certain enhancement projects in Control Period 5. ORR has asked Network Rail to produce an improvement plan to demonstrate how it will change its approach to make up for these delays and will hold Network Rail to account for its delivery. DfT is working extremely closely with ORR and Network Rail to ensure that the vital passenger benefits in the Rail Investment Strategy are delivered.