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Regulator consults on revisions to track access policy to ensure that decisions on capacity allocation meet the needs of passengers and freight customers

26 January 2010
ORR/01/10

The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has today launched a consultation on revisions to its track access policy which aim to ensure that its decisions on capacity allocation remain consistent with the needs of passengers and freight customers.

John Thomas, director railway markets and economics said:

“With an increasing number of train services leading to limited capacity being available on some parts of the network, access decisions have increasingly required us to make a choice between alternative and sometimes competing services.

“We want to ensure that our track access policy remains fit for purpose – that when we approve new competing passenger services we are striking the right balance between the benefits to passengers and the impact on revenues of existing operators; that we assess the benefits of freight and passenger services on a consistent basis; and that the right trade-offs are being made between capacity, performance and journey times.”

The consultation closes on 20 April 2010.

Notes to editors

  1. To view the consultation paper in full please go to: http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.9833
  2. The regulator is seeking views on its existing track access policy, with specific reference to:
    • The removal of Moderation of Competition whereby it would not be granted for new applications unless under exceptional circumstances.
    • How it deals with access applications for new and competing services where its policy has been not to approve rights where the primary effect would be to abstract revenue from an existing train operator without compensating benefits to passengers (the abstraction test).
    • How it compares the benefits of freight and passenger services.
    • How it decides between the impact of performance, capacity and journey times on existing contracts when approving new track access rights.

ORR Press Office

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