ORR proposes a more focused approach to licence exemptions
14 November 2007
ORR/31/07
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) today launches a new consultation seeking to establish a more focused approach to licence exemptions.
Operator licensing is one of ORR’s key roles. Bodies exempted from the licensing regime have less demanding obligations imposed on them, and are subjected to lower levels of scrutiny.
ORR exempts many operators from having a licence where the public interest justifies it, and the operators do not need to take part in national arrangements. Typically, exemptions would be granted for heritage railways, minor freight networks and light maintenance depots, and maintenance trains.
The proposals by ORR include:
- making our exemptions policy clearer, so operators can easily work out whether an exemption will be appropriate;
- extending exemptions to cover passenger light maintenance depot operators, reducing the regulatory burden on them;
- making the exemption process more flexible so operators will not need to make a new application to us every time they extend their operations; and
- simplifying the application process, making it faster and easier to get an exemption.
ORR is inviting views from stakeholders about the proposals, particularly those who currently hold a licence exemption or are intending to apply for one in the future. Views should reach us by 8 February 2008.
Notes for editors
- A copy of the consultation document is available at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/345.pdf.
- Section 7 of the Railways Act 1993 allows ORR to grant licence exemptions to individual operators of railway assets.
- ORR committed to do this work in its 2007-08 business plan.
- To date ORR has granted around 100 exemptions. Guidance was published on exemptions early in 2005, when we also streamlined the application process. These proposals build on that earlier work.
- These proposals will have no impact on industry safety arrangements.
- The closing date for responses is 8 February 2008.
Press enquiries
ORR Press Office – 020 7282 2188/2007
