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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  • P

  • PACE

    Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984

  • PACTS

    Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety

  • PCAW

    Public Concern at Work

  • PDAC

    Performance Data Accuracy Code : Establishes the standard of recording of the times at which trains arrive at, depart from or pass specified points, and the difference between those times and the corresponding times published in the Working Timetable.

  • Performance order

    Directs a party in breach of contract to do, or refrain from doing, anything that the arbitral tribunal making the order considers just and reasonable in the circumstances.

  • Period

    Normally a 28-day, or four weekly, period for business reporting purposes (Sunday to Saturday). At the end of the year, March 31, and the beginning of the year, 1 April, the period length can change to ensure a break is made at 31 March.

  • Periodic review

    Where the ORR considers how much money Network Rail will require over the next five years and sets track charges for train operating companies (TOCs) and freight operating companies (FOCs) accordingly.

    For more information see our section on Periodic reviews.

  • Permitted business

    Permitted business means the Network Business and the Permitted Non-Network Business.

  • Phase 1 Changes

    Changes to the Network code as a result of the industry consultation period of 2003/2004.

  • PIM

    The Train Accident Precursor Indicator Model (the PIM) managed by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), measures the risk, per million train miles, of a train accident - i.e. collision, derailment, fire or striking a road vehicle on a level crossing. The measure incorporates 82 precursor events in eight groups. Around 65% of the risk arises from events largely under the control or the responsibility of Network Rail, e.g. track geometry, infrastructure failures, environmental factors (flooding, land slips etc.) and level crossing misuse.

    The PIM risk indicator was set to a reference value of 100 at the end of March 2002 and the PIM risk indicator provides a measure of the change in risk relative to this level. A reduction in the index is therefore beneficial, denoting a reduction in risk.

  • Points failure

    A fault within a set of points (switches and crossings).

  • PPM

    PPM is the percentage of franchised passenger trains arriving at their destination and within a specified lateness margin (typically five or ten minutes). This measure captures all delay causes (Network Rail, train operators (TOCs) and others.

  • PSRs

    Permanent speed restrictions

  • PTA

    Passenger Transport Authority: body responsible for setting out a local authority's transport policy and expenditure plans to be allocated for public transport.

  • PTEs

    Passenger Transport Executives: seven bodies throughout Great Britain charged with helping to integrate the use of public transport services, by ensuring that they meet the public’s needs and contribute to the wider social, economic and environmental well-being of local communities.

  • PUWER

    Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1992