Summary
The UK rail regulator, the Office of Road and Rail (ORR), admitted it did not have all the necessary information when it decided that a Manchester to London train should run without passengers. The decision was initially made to use the train as a "firebreak" in the timetable, but was reversed after criticism and realization of key missing facts.
Key Facts
- The ORR initially decided that a Manchester-London train should run without passengers, effectively making it a "ghost train."
- The decision aimed to use the train slot as a "firebreak," intended to manage delays.
- The train was meant to run from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston as a regular service, contrary to ORR's initial belief that it would start at a depot.
- Missing information included that the train would be "fully crewed" and required for another service from London to Glasgow.
- The decision received backlash, leading the ORR to reverse it in response to criticism from the public and officials.
- The ORR admitted that its team did not ask for further information from the train company, Avanti, which could have influenced the decision.
- ORR's chief executive stated they were handling 82 complex track access applications at the time.
- The regulator has acknowledged the incident as a learning experience and is strengthening its processes based on lessons learned.
