Track quality improves in 2015-16

Network Rail’s performance on track geometry continues to show an improving trend in England and Wales, says the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). In 2015-16 there was a Moving Annual Average of broken rails per 100km of 0.026, just 0.001 above the previous year’s figures.

Fitment of tubular stretcher bars on switches and crossings continued, with 1,600 installed in 2015-16, while new and repeat track twist faults were down 5.7% to 4,410. This figure masks significant variations, with the Wessex Route making a 34.4% improvement, while on the Western Route there was a 5.5% decline in performance.

Plain line renewals were 1% ahead of target, despite NR’s High Output programme ending the year 9% below target. Renewals of underbridges were 15% behind plan, but earthworks slightly ahead. Overhead line renewals met NR’s targets, and those for conductor rails were 63% ahead of plan.

2015-16 also featured the lowest number of level crossing deaths ever recorded - there were three fatalities, none of them involving the occupant of a vehicle.

NR’s crossing closure programme is continuing, but the ORR says this is becoming a harder process as the target population grows smaller and local opposition more significant.