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Access for freight operators

For guidance on how to apply for a track access contract for a freight operator 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.

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.

Application form

Applicants should use a Form F application form for all applications under sections 17-22A. The form is available below in Word and PDF format:

Model contracts

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

Freight general approvals

We have powers under sections 18 and 22 of the Act  to grant general approvals. The current freight general approvals are listed below: 

Last updated: 19 January 2012

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