In one of those results that would have been impossible to do deliberately, performance across the rail network is exactly where it was – right down to a tenth of one percent – this time last year.
The moving annual average (MAA), in many ways a more important measure than looking at data just for one month, climbed gradually but steadily after the nadir in late 2001, until late 2009. Despite fluctuations since then, two winters of awful weather and other performance issues have kept the MAA down in the low 90% region.
The ORR has already made clear its displeasure with Network Rail’s recent performance. Whether it can turn things round over the next year remains to be seen.