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Access for freight customers

We have developed simple and transparent model track access contracts for freight customers. The model contracts provide freight customers with control over the exercise of their own access rights associated with the movement of their goods.

For guidance on how to apply for a freight customer access contract please read our Criteria and procedures for the approval of track access contracts (PDF PDF 1149 Kb) (C&Ps).

Potential new entrants to the market should familiarise themselves with our Starting Mainline Rail Operations (PDF PDF 832 Kb) document.

We advise all applicants to use our model contracts, provided below.

Guidance (PDF PDF 69 Kb) on how the Periodic Review (PR13) will apply to new access contracts

For previous policy decisions and workstreams, please see the policy and document archive.

For previous access application decisions, please see our decisions library or, for decisions in the last six months, the relevant decisions page.

If you have any questions, please contact us.

Model contracts

Applicants are advised to begin with the freight customer model contract. Further guidance on this can be found in our C&Ps document above.

General approval

We have developed a general approval (removing the need for specific ORR approval) for freight customers.

The Freight Access (Track Access Contracts) General Approval 2012 (PDF PDF 353 Kb) enables:

  • Enables Network Rail and freight customers to enter into a freight customer track access contract which may contain certain firm access rights for a limited 2 year period;
  • Network Rail and a freight operator (nominated by a freight customer) to enter into a freight customer specific track access contract for freight operators; and
  • Enables freight operator and Network Rail to make certain changes to the freight operator’s existing track access contract relating to liability necessary where the freight operator has entered into a freight customer-specific track access contract for freight operators. The changes permitted under the General Approval are shown in the Model Track Access Contract (Freight Services) - Freight Customer Mark Up (PDF PDF 1396 Kb).

Last updated: March 2013

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