Network Rail cash

“We must be realistic” - NR Chief Executive Mark Carne discusses funding for the next five-year financial period.

While Network Rail Chief Executive Mark Carne believes in breaking up the company via devolution, he says the company’s value remains greater than the sum of its parts.

He told delegates at the trade press briefing: “How do you measure success? A balanced scorecard was introduced in 2014. In 2016 we made significant changes as targets were set by customers for the first time. Now we’re having a stakeholder board, with Dick Fearn chairing the first one [see story, pages 10-11].

“The supervisory board has no formal power. It has authority to bring people together and make sure people are doing the right thing. I don’t know if it needs more power - I’m not sure. Other routes are keen to explore this.”

NR’s London North Western Route Managing Director Martin Frobisher said: “It’s a case of rolling out across every customer and asking what matters to them? A scorecard is the first step - we want a measure that represents what passengers want.

“Routes are set up as a full business. We have put in the Chief Operating Officer, which frees up the RMD role to look at other improvements. Devolution is about cutting through the red tape and regulation.”

Carne added: “I think we are spending money much better. Cost per track mile, is it helpful? No! Are we maintaining the right bits?

“Central Network Rail is shrinking. The RMDs are becoming very powerful people in the organisation. We have around 2,000 staff in the central offices - it will come down to 1,500. We hope 95% of people will be in a route.

“We have the most amazing people in the railway. They know how to run the railway better.”