Network Rail to bring possessions in-house

Network Rail is clamping down on rail contractors' abuse of track possessions by bringing the process in-house.

The rail operator has received reports of lead contractors being unable to co-ordinate possession booking efficiently, stopping other contractors coming on site during their possessions or suddenly cancelling other contractors' possessions.

Network Rail statistics show that on one route nearly half of possessions were cancelled by the main contractor. According to Network Rail, contractors are not charged for cancelling.

On another route there were 580 changes on possessions in one week, made up of 180 cancellations, 210 amendments and 85 late work additions due to problems getting machinery on site, poor communication between the rail operator and the contractor and a lack of co-ordination on site.

Around 25% to 30% of the possessions changed in the 10 days before work started.

Bad planning has also been attributed to the problems with around 44% of possessions starting at least 10 minutes late.

Time was also wasted by 33% of contractors finishing on-site 30 minutes earlier than planned.
Network Rail now wants to more than double the number of work packages carried out per possession from 1.9 to 4.

"Conventional thinking, which does not incentivise lead contractors to allow other contractors on site, has to change," said Network Rail's business change manager for possessions Nick De Bellaigue. "We want to improve planning and efficiency and take more control. By introducing weekly reviews we can monitor performance on site.

"Any contractors under-performing could see remedial action taken," added De Bellaigue.

In one example, Bellaigue explained that three possessions produced 18 hours of disruption for just six hours of work due to lost time over three days.

This compares with the preferred option of only 11 hours of disruption for one six-hour slot of work over one day through better planning.

Network Rail's plans include fewer but longer possessions organised by its six area teams months before work starts.

Information for the bookings will then be passed on to one of the 100 possession managers Network Rail is trying to recruit.

The managers will be responsible for monitoring the site team and will report back on efficiency.