Practical changes to reduce bureaucracy and red tape for Network Rail's front line delivery staff have been identified in a report published today.
The changes are presented in a joint Department for Transport/Cabinet Office report in which key rail public bodies have agreed to streamline requests for information and data. Such requests can often mean front line staff spend valuable time on paperwork and processes rather than concentrating on the important role of delivering an improved rail service.
The changes will see:
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A reduction in duplicate or ad hoc requests;
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Making commonsense demands for reporting information;
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Assessing the impact a request might make on NR staff's workload, before making it;
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Improving communications between and within organisations; and
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Streamlining the processes for checking information.
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Kim Howells, Transport Minister commented:
"It is essential that we keep any bureaucracy to a minimum for those at the sharp end of delivering improvements to our railway. We have listened to what staff are saying and are taking action over the next few months to remove burdens and improve the way we work together."
Welcoming the report, Paul Plummer, Network Rail's Director of Corporate Planning and Regulatory Affairs added:
"We look forward to the introduction of these new arrangements and hope that they will enable our frontline staff to concentrate on delivering a better railway for the passenger."
Notes to editors
1. The report delivers 15 agreed actions to reduce or remove burdens from Network Rail's front line staff. Copies of the report ‘Making a Difference: Reducing Burdens on Network Rail’ are available from psinfo@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk or can be downloaded from the Department for Transport website and the Cabinet Office website
2. The joint Department for Transport/Cabinet Office Regulatory Impact Unit project started in July 2003. The scope of the project was to look at ways:
"to reduce and remove the unnecessary bureaucratic and administrative burdens relating to data and information requirements placed on Network Rail by the Department for Transport and other key stakeholders."
3. A Project Board was set up to oversee the study consisting of representatives from the Strategic Rail Authority, the Office of the Rail Regulator, the Heath and Safety Executive, Network Rail, the Department for Transport and the Cabinet Office.
4. The project team conducted a number of interviews with a range of staff working in Network Rail's regions, its operational areas and Head Office. These interviews identified areas in which improvements could be made.
5. The Regulatory Impact Unit, based in the Cabinet Office, works with other Government departments, agencies and regulators to ensure that regulations are fair and effective and help reduce bureaucracy and red tape. The team working with the Department for Transport on this project specialises in focused projects that deliver practical solutions to remove unnecessary and bureaucratic burdens, thereby freeing up staff to deliver a better service to the public
