Rail Regulator's view on freight charging endorsed by industry

31 August 2000
ORR/00/30

Rail Regulators view on freight charging endorsed by industry

In a document published today the Rail Regulator, Tom Winsor, sets out the progress made since 26 May 2000 when he announced a fundamental review on his policy for Railtracks access charges to freight operators.

Responses to the May document from freight users, operators and funders have endorsed his proposals for a policy aimed at providing greater transparency and predictability of freight charges and for building a new policy from first principles.

The Governments ten-year plan includes considerable support for rail freight with the aim of increasing rails share of freight haulage in the UK to 10% within 10 years.

A new policy developed with current market needs in mind will help the industry as a whole to respond to the challenge of promoting and meeting the proposed growth in rail freight, says Tom Winsor, Our work to date shows that we are moving in the right direction to provide an environment for determining appropriate access charges for freight services.

The arrangements for funding freight growth, however, will be a matter for the operators and the SRA.

Todays publication summarises the responses to the initial consultation and outlines some of the key issues.  It also sets out the timetable for the remainder of the consultation process. Consultees are asked for their further responses by 29 September 2000.

A copy of todays consultation document is available by this link Review of freight charging policy: emerging views on key issues or from the ORR Librarian, Sue MacSwan, 1 Waterhouse Square, 138-142 Holborn, London EC1N 2TQ. Tel: 020 7282 2001; fax 020 7282 2045; e-mail rail.library@orr.gsi.gov.uk.  The May document is available from the same sources.  All non-confidential responses to the May document will shortly be available on the ORR website.

A report prepared by NERA and Symonds - The standalone cost of freight access - has also been published today.