How to apply for access for passenger services

For guidance on how to apply for a track access contract for a passenger operator, please read our Criteria and procedures for the approval of track access contracts. For regular scheduled passenger services, please use our passenger model contract. For non-regular charter passenger services, please use our charter model contract.

For international passenger operators wishing to apply for access to operate cross-border services, ORR has produced guidance on the assessment of new international passenger services. This guidance sets out our approach to assessing the ‘principle purpose’ of the proposed new service as well as whether it would compromise the ‘economic equilibrium’ of a public service contract, as provided for in Directive 2007/58/EC.

Application forms

The application forms to accompany passenger track access applications under each of sections 17, 18, 22 and 22A are available below in Word and PDF format:

• Section 17 (Word 2000) (PDF version)
• Section 18 (Word 2000) (PDF version)
• Section 22 (Word 2000) (PDF version)
• Section 22A (Word 2000) (PDF version)

Passenger general approvals

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

• The Passenger Access (Short Term Timetable and Miscellaneous Changes) General Approval 2009 (PDF) permits Network Rail and a train operator to make amends to their track access agreement particular types of amendment, subject to certain conditions without our specific approval. The amendments permitted are described in the general approval, which includes an explanatory note. Any amendments beyond those permitted will require our specific approval under section 22 or directions under section 22A of the Act;
• The Passenger Access (Model Contract Amendments) General Approval 2007 (PDF) allows any amendments which are necessary to passenger track access agreements to reflect the version of the passenger model contract published on 19 July 2007; and
• Passenger Access (Model Charter Track Access Contract) General Approval 2009 (PDF) permits Network Rail and charter train operators to enter into track access contracts based on the charter model contract for the provision of passenger charter services and to make certain specified amendments to such contracts. Word versions of these documents are in Related documents.

If you have any questions, please contact us.

Last updated: 25 November 2009

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