Glossary

Browse the A-Z below for some rail-specific terms that are used in this website, together with their meanings.
 

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  • A

  • ACoRP

    Association of Community Rail Partnerships

  • ACR

    Access Charges Review. A review undertaken by ORR to establish the revenues and associated financial framework required for the network operator to operate, maintain, renew and enhance its infrastructure.

  • ACS

    Access Charge Supplement

  • ADC

    Access Disputes Committee : A committee which resolves disputes under the Network Code.  Its members are professional railway employees, elected by rail industry parties.  The ADC does not hear or decide disputes under the Network Code.  Instead it supervises the overall access disputes process and appoints a panel drawing on appropriate expertises to resolve the dispute.

  • ADRR

    Access Dispute Resolution Rules: Rules which govern the handling of rail disputes arising from matters covered by the Network Code.

  • ASI

    Asset Stewardship Index. This was developed by ORR and introduced in April 2004 after the Access Charges Review 2003. The ASI is a composite measure comprising track geometry, broken rails, Level 2 exceedences, points/track circuit failures, signalling failures, electrification failures and structures/earthworks related TSRs.  The index is based on a ceiling level of 1.1 to be reached at 2008/9.  It is calculated such that the lower the current index is, the better.

  • Asset failures

    Asset failures are the total number of incidents causing train delay where the cause is the responsibility of Network Rail. This measures the performance of assets where failure directly delays trains.

  • ATOC

    The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) is an incorporated association owned by its members. It was set up by the train operating companies, formed during privatisation of the railways under the Railways Act 1993.

    As well as being the official voice of the passenger rail industry, it also provides its members with a range of services that enable them to comply with conditions laid on them in their franchise agreements and operating licences. These include the National Rail Enquiry Service (NRES) and Railcard marketing.  

    ATOC's principal activities include assisting members to co-operate on developing and managing projects that benefit passengers and to promote the advantages of the rail network.

  • ATP

    Automatic train protection.

  • AWS

    Automatic Warning System