RAIL OPERATORS Network Rail and Great Western Railway have announced the foundation of a unified operations control team to improve delivery.
It is the latest move in a continued agreement signed in 2016 aimed at improving collaboration between the two operators, and is designed to improve operations performance by bringing control functions under a unified team.
GWR and Network Rail Control teams based in Western House, Swindon, work together to manage the day-to-day safe operation of the railway on the GWR network.
Daryn McCombe, GWR’s Train Service Delivery and Performance Director, will now also take on a role as Network Operations Director.
The appointment comes after McCombe started on the railway back in 2008 on London Underground’s Operation Graduate Management Programme before joining GWR in 2015.
He has held a number of roles including in stations and driver management, and latterly in the Control and performance teams.
Mr McCombe said: “Put simply, our organisations and our customers are always better off when we combine our efforts.
“This change brings our working relationship even closer and aims to enhance our operational performance by fostering collaboration, streamlining our processes, and ultimately improving the service we deliver to all passengers.
“By working together more closely as one team we will be in a stronger position to manage our performance; tackle disruption; make swift decisions and ensure we stay focused on our shared objective – to bring a safe, reliable and seamless railway experience to our passengers and customers.”