RFG completes NR relationship study

The Rail Freight Group (RFG) and PSL have completed the Network Rail supplier relationship critique, an anonymous series of face-to-face interviews with key stakeholders on the relationships they share with the infrastructure manager.

The report into Network Rail (NR) was completed for the RFG by PSL, a joint Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and CBI initiative, and is now available for review.

PSL conducted a series of candid talks with a large number of firms whose comments remain unattributed.

It explored six key areas vital to rail freight stakeholders including; openness and engagement, innovation, improved processes – notably GRIP, the difference between Price, Cost and Value, sharing internal Network Rail good practice as well as the command and control structure.

It found that despite the challenging task NR faces in delivering high service quality, it needed to work much closer with its customers to achieve its goals.  Top of the list of complaints by far was the need to establish much more open relationships with NR and found that while it was doing better and was starting to address concerns, it needed to step this up and consider a more focused approach to business partnerships and harness the knowledge and experience that exists in the UK rail community.

Tony Berkeley, RFG chairman, said: “RFG commissioned this report from PSL following concerns expressed by some of our members about the NR supplier relationship.  The clear intention of the research was always on creating a base for constructive dialogue with NR senior executives and encouraging them to see the growing need for change.  Firms wanted to see this improve but were unwilling for their companies to be identified.

“We have now sent this report to the Value for Money study team as an input to its work.”

For further information and to read the report, visit: www.rfg.org.uk

Published: 17/08/2010