Watchdog turns its attention to Network Rail over £11.4bn upgrades

RAIL watchdog the Office of Rail Regulation is investigating York-based Network Rail over breaches of contract.

The ORR is launching an inquiry into whether Network Rail botched its handling of an £11.4bn upgrades contract, as well as performance and punctuality in the year 2014/15.

It is also investigation failures at other under-performing rail operators in the South, Thameslink and Southern.

This comes in the wake of intense scrutiny in the rail industry, as tensions rise with unions and commuters.

The rail union RMT has been in disputes with Network Rail over pay. After negotiations the organisation is recommending that members accept a revised offer, but the poor relationship between the two is symptomatic of the failings of the rail operator.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said of the situation: “The daily problems on both tube and rail have been exposed again this morning as the reality of the pressures on both fleet and infrastructure have been rammed home with a vengeance.

“The current system of fragmentation, privatisation and exploitation of the travelling public in the name of train company profits‎ is a daily disaster and it is time for this nonsense to stop. Britain is crying out for a publicly owned railway run in the public interest as the only alternative to this privatised chaos. “