Network Rail (NR) in the UK is lagging behind the rest of European companies in efficiency, with a 40% efficiency gap in maintaining and renewing its infrastructure, according to the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR).
The UK's rail regulator is, however, ahead of its European peers including Germany, Ireland and Belgium in the cost of track laying for engineering work, upgrading signal boxes and repairing overhead lines.
The study, part of the ORR's estimation of NR's finances and efficiency, reveals that NR has reported a 3.6% efficiency improvement in its operating, maintenance and renewals efforts during 2009-10 compared with the previous year.
The ORR said NR should show about 18% of efficiency savings during the next four years to meet its targets, according to news.scotsman.com.
