Rail and Road Pod
The official Office of Rail and Road podcast brings together a series of conversations to discuss issues impacting all aspects of Britain's railways and England's road network. Twitter: @railandroad. Email: podcast@orr.gov.uk. Website: www.orr.gov.uk
Episodes
25 episodes
Balancing the costs and benefits of health and safety improvements on the railway
We speak to Jennifer Genevieve, deputy director in our economics, finance and markets team, and Sarah Shore, deputy director in our railway safety team to discuss how the rail industry determines what is "reasonably practicable" when making saf...
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Season 4
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Episode 25
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18:39
Episode 24: Holding National Highways to Account
We speak to Rachel Gittens, Deputy Director for Strategic Road Network, and Iain Ritchie, Head of Safety and Performance, to learn more about ORR's recent annual assessment and investigation of National Highways.
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Season 3
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Episode 24
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12:42
Episode 23: Chief Inspectors of Railways special edition
In this episode we join a conversation between Ian Prosser CBE, who recently retired as Chief Inspector of Railways, and his successor Richard Hines. Ian takes a look back at the successes and challenges during his 15 years ...
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Season 3
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Episode 23
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19:58
Episode 22: Rail Passenger Experience - targeting improvements
In this podcast Jacqui Russell, the head of our Consumer team, and Matt Westlake, who leads on accessibility matters, will both provide an insight into the recent work of their team who review the many aspects of the rail passenger experience. ...
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22:41
Episode 21: Authorisations - giving the green light
New, major, upgraded or renewed infrastructure and rolling stock applicants have to follow a framework and seek an authorisation from the ORR before placing the infrastructure or rolling stock into service.In this podcast we'll learn ab...
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Season 3
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Episode 21
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14:01
Inside Highways UK 2023
Highways UK brings together the people responsible for managing, maintaining, and future-proofing the nation's road networks. Over the course of the two-day event our roads team discussed areas including our Annual Assessment of Na...
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10:00
Episode 19: Trainee inspectors - making the grade
In this episode, we take a look at the journey taken by a trainee inspector of railways at the Office of Rail and Road. We speak to two current trainee inspectors, an ORR inspector who explains what is needed to make the grade and Ian P...
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Season 3
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Episode 19
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18:03
Episode 18: Britain's heritage railways - improving safety in the sector
In this episode, we take a look at the safety work we do in the heritage sector.Simon Barber, our principal inspector of heritage, and Richard Hines, our deputy chief inspector of non-mainline, discuss the frequent occurrences of working...
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Season 3
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Episode 18
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11:49
Episode 17: ORR Chief Executive John Larkinson discusses rail reform at Accelerate Rail
In this episode, Chief Executive, John Larkinson discusses ORR's role in rail reform.Recorded at the Accelerate Rail event in London on 21 March, John explains how rail reform and the implementation of Great British Railways will lead t...
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Season 3
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Episode 17
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10:04
Episode 16: Railway staff safety: learning from our past
In this episode we discuss the Railway Work, Life & Death project, which takes a look back at railway worker accidents in Britain and Ireland from the late 1880s to 1939. We're joined by Dr Mike Esbester, a senior lecturer in history ...
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Season 3
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Episode 16
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31:07
Ep 15: Inside Highways UK
In this episode we're out and about at the Highways UK event which took place at the NEC in Birmingham. We hear from John Larkinson, Chief Executive of ORR, Anthony Smith, Chief Executive, Transport Focus, and Nick Harris, Chief Executive, Nati...
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Season 3
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Episode 15
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7:58
Ep 13: Know your rail rights
As Britain's rail regulator, the Office of Rail and Road plays a vital role in improving the passenger experience in compensation, passenger information and accessibility.In this episode, the Rail and Road Pod takes a closer look at som...
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Season 3
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Episode 13
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15:00
Ep 12: Women in transport and challenging gender bias
The topic of conversation this month ties in with International Women's Day on 8 March, the day which celebrates women's achievement and raises awareness against gender bias. Our topic for discussion is women in transport, specifica...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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45:07
Ep 11: Improving performance on England's road network
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is the independent monitor of National Highways' performance and efficiency. This role was established in 2015 as part of the Government's road reform package. Since then, ORR has been holding Nati...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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15:56
Ep 10: Behind Britain's rail stats
You Tuber, Geoff Marshall takes over the reins as guest host to discuss all things railway stats.Geoff's joined by guests from the Office of Rail and Road and the Office for Statistics Regulation to learn more about some of the statisti...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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31:05
Ep 09: How the rail industry is delivering disability awareness and equality training
On our 9th episode, we’re taking another look at accessibility on Britain's railway. We're discussing disability awareness and equality training that forms an integral part of the requirements set out in the Office of Rail and Road...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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20:48
Ep 08: Collaborating with heritage railways to promote safety
On this, the second episode focusing on heritage railways, the Rail and Road Pod visits Aln Valley Railway in Northumberland to continue the discussion on how ORR and the heritage sector are collaborating to maximise safety.Once again, ...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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27:34
Ep 07: Assessing Network Rail's performance
In this episode, the Rail and Road Pod looks at how the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) holds Network Rail to account for its performance and efficiency. The podcast takes an in-depth look at some of the key findings from the r...
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Episode 7
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18:53
Ep 06: Inside Rail Live
In this episode, the Rail and Road Pod visits the Rail Live exhibition at the Quinton Rail Technology Centre in Warwickshire.The event, over two days, brings the entire rail industry together in a real railway environment.Over t...
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Episode 6
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20:57
Ep 05: Reopening heritage railways safely
In this, the first of a two-part episode, the Rail and Road Pod hears about how heritage railways are safely returning for passengers and how one particular railway has delivered improvements over the last year.To discuss, the Pod is jo...
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Episode 5
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29:55
Ep 04: Monitoring England's roads
Highways England maintains, renews, operates and improves the strategic road network – the motorways and main 'A' roads in England. The Office of Rail and Road is responsible for monitoring and enforcing the performance and effici...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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17:46
Ep 03: Access and capacity on Britain's railway
The official Office of Rail and Road podcast brings together a series of conversations to discuss issues impacting all aspects of Britain's railways and England's road network. On this episode ORR’s Deputy Director for Access and In...
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Episode 3
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22:38
Ep 02: Brew Monday, mental health and the railway
On this episode of the Rail and Road Pod we're discussing the important issue of mental health and finding out more about the rail industry's long standing partnership with the Samaritans. Host, Kenny Walker, is joined by Jason Alexandre, a tra...
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Episode 2
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19:27