Office of Rail Regulation

Network Code introduction

The Network Code (formerly the Railtrack Track Access Conditions) is a common set of rules applying to all parties to regulated track access contracts with Network Rail.

Each train operator or other party holding access rights to use the rail network has a bilateral track access contract with Network Rail. In particular, the Network Code sets out the industry procedures governing:

• the translation of access rights into the construction of the timetable (Part D);
• the contractual arrangements governing changes to the trains used on the network and to the network itself (Parts F and G); 
• changes to access rights (Part J);
• the process for establishing Local Output Commitments (LOCs) to be given by Network Rail to train operators (Part L), or Joint Performance Improvement Plans (JPIPs); and
• appeals to the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) (Part M).

For a more detailed explanation of each part of the Network Code please refer to Network Code in Detail in related links.

The Network Code is a contractual code, and safety responsibilities (e.g. through safety certificates and safety authorisations, and Railway Group Standards) take priority over Network Code obligations. The only parties with contractually enforceable rights under the Network Code are the parties to track access contracts. However, the Network Code does not create any direct contractual relationship between train operators; all the relationships (obligations, remedies, liabilities) flow through Network Rail.

The Access Dispute Resolution Rules (ADRR), setting out how disputes under access contracts are resolved, are annexed to the Network Code.

The Network Code is currently going through a process of reform. For further information, on the reform of the Network Code and the rail industry dispute resolution regime, please see the related page, Network Code Reform.

All documentation relating to the Network Code is available on the Network Rail website.

As well as the current edition of the Network Code, Network Rail’s website includes copies of all previously published versions of the Network Code, so that in case of any dispute it is possible to see which version of the Network Code was in force at any given point in time.