Lego and dinosaurs - ORR engineers on their chosen careers

ORR's duties are wide-ranging, and its engineers are integral to the work carried out across both rail and road. 
This can include evaluating in...

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 tea...

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 re...

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. ...

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 int...

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 p...

Inside Highways UK 2023

Highways UK brings together the people responsible for managing, maintaining, and future-proofing the nation's road networks. 

Over the c...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 o...

Ep 14: Managing health and safety risks through RM3 e-learning

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 informati...

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 awaren...

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 pa...

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 Offic...

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...

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 discussio...

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...

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 t...

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 part...

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...

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 a...

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 sta...

Ep 01: Accessible travel

Scope’s Executive Director, James Taylor and the Office of Rail and Road’s Deputy Director of Consumers, Stephanie Tobyn join the Rail and Road podcas...