§ John ThursoTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will publish provisional findings from the comprehensive asset register on the cost of the backlog of repair and maintenance work on the rail network; [149713]
(2) if he will set a target date to remove the backlog of maintenance and renewal work to achieve steady-state condition. [149714]
§ Mr. McNultyThe purpose of the asset register is to ensure that Network Rail has appropriate knowledge of the condition, capability and capacity of the network assets. As its development continues, the asset register will introduce new techniques and better quality asset information that will enhance Network Rail's understanding of the age, use and behaviour of individual assets in service, so that it can improve:
- (a) its planning for the appropriate maintenance and repair interventions;
- (b) the accuracy of long-term predictive modelling of maintenance and renewal interventions; and
- (c) the management and monitoring of actual performance against planned activities, and the costs of those activities.
Work to develop these long-term planning tools is still in progress but, in their early stages, they provided important input to the Rail Regulator's review of access charges during 2003—particularly in respect of track renewals.
The Regulator's conclusions, published on 12 December 2003, provide for increased levels of funding for infrastructure maintenance and renewals. It is now for Network Rail to respond by increasing its activities in accordance with the scope and priorities of work that it determines in response to the Regulator's review.