Network Rail: A History of Controversy

Source: Tim Brockley

Network rail has a long a storied history of controversy. The national company, which oversees almost all the UK’s rail infrastructure, belongs to a collective of rail companies that have been subject to increasing criticism over the past decade. A drop in the level of services provided, as well as the quality of service and clarity in communication with customers is created an increasingly frustrated public.

First and foremost are National Rail’s budget woes which, as a public sector company, means that the taxpayers will be paying most of the costs. At current, the company utilises a spending plan worth £38.5 billion known as CP5, intended to run from 2014 to 2019. However, mismanagement of this budget, which also resulted in the sacking of CEO Richard Parry-Jones, has put far more strain on the company and made it likely that the budget will not cover intended costs.

External regulators, including National Rail’s own internal regulatory body, have found it extremely difficult to communicate with the organisation, making it difficult for the government to properly plan investments in the network.

Direct communication from consumer is also impossible it seems, as proven in the case of Kat Murphy, a London resident whose home connects directly to National Rail Stamford Hill embankment. The area itself, which is National Rail property, is currently overgrown with weeds which could potentially pose a threat if left untended.

Ms. Murphy was eventually told that she couldn’t hire her own commercial Japanese Knotweed contractors  to clear the mess because she’d been refused access to the land. Further attempts to negotiate a solution fell on deaf ears, and Network Rail even refused to send their own specialists to take care of the weeds. The matter has now resulted in legal action against Network Rail.

Network Rail also has plenty of environmental issues for which it has been criticised. Most recently, residents in Spalding in Lincolnshire prepared for long battle with National Rail over plans to destroy a long seated area of wildlife and forestation, in order to build new fencing around its railway lines. National Rail’s attitude to property enforcement is often at the detriment of either local residents or natural habitats, but rarely does the company U-turn on such issues.

One such issue that actually had the company reverse its position was the Flying Scotsman, a famous steam locomotive that had been restored and set to operate once again. National Rail ended up cancelling operation of the service due its failure to properly undertake the necessary safety assessments, leaving hundreds of rail enthusiasts angry that the rail operator had known about the work for months, but had completely mismanaged the timeline of the project. National Rail soon rolled back on this, and allowed the service to continue as planned.

This is just a peek of a recent history of controversy that National Rail has courted. In reality, these controversies go back many years, and are a big part of the coordinated effort to change the company, by both internal and external influencers. These recent missteps show how National Rail can be bad for almost everyone. Whether you’re a traveller, an enthusiast, a rail worker, or even someone unlucky enough to live near a National Rail station or property, difficulties are almost guaranteed to arise.