RAILWAYS ACT 1993

National Rail Enquiry Scheme

The franchised train operators are subject to an enforcement order which requires them to ensure that 90% of calls made to the National Rail Enquiry Scheme (NRES) (the 0345 484950 number) are answered. The train operators failed to meet this requirement in September and October last year and were fined a total of £350,000 for those failures. Since then NRES has been answering in excess of 90% of calls made to the number. Accordingly the Regulator is satisfied that NRES has arrangements in place to meet the call answering requirement, and that therefore the enforcement order is no longer required.

Notice of Revocation of Orders

Under section 56(6) of the Railways Act 1993, I give notice that the Regulator proposes to revoke the Final Orders which were made on 15th August 1997, in respect of the 25 franchised train operating companies (TOCs), under which they were required to comply with their licence requirement in respect of the target number of calls answered by the National Rail Enquiry Scheme (NRES).   NRES has met this target for 4 consecutive periods and the Regulator is satisfied that they have the systems and resources in place to continue to do so. Accordingly the revocation of the Orders should not affect the ability of NRES to meet the target number of calls, but the requirement to do so continues to be a licence requirement of the TOCs.   Before deciding whether to revoke the Final Orders the Regulator will consider any representations or objections with respect to the proposed revocation. Such representations or objections may be made by 20th March 1998, and should be addressed to Dee Cotgrove, Office of the Rail Regulator, 1 Waterhouse Square, 138-142 Holborn, London EC1N 2ST. Copies of the Final Orders are available from that address. J. A. Rhodes, authorised by the Rail Regulator