Core Valley Lines (CVL) access

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Components

This page contains all Core Valley Lines (CVL) track access application consultations, decisions, consolidated agreements, and the CVL charging framework. It also contains information on the CVL Network Code, including details of any approved modifications to the Code, and our consultations on a network licence for the operator of the network.

Current track access applications

This section contains all application forms, documents and responses we make public, relating
to CVL track access applications we are currently considering. This includes:

  • new track access contracts; and
  • amendments to track access contracts.

There are no current track access applications.

Decisions on track access applications

This section contains all decisions we have made in relation to CVL track access applications.
This includes:

  • new track access contracts; and
  • amendments to track access contracts.

 

2019 to 2024

The table below presents decisions made from 2019 to 2023:

DateTOC/FOCNumberLinks to documents
3 June 2024Freightliner Heavy Haul Limited 2nd SA     Freightliner Heavy Haul Limited Approved 2nd SA
Freightliner Heavy Haul Limited Approval Notice dated 3 June 2024
Decision letter
3 June 2024Freightliner Limited2nd SA     Freightliner Limited Approved 2nd SA
Freightliner Limited Approval Notice dated 3 June 2024
Decision letter
3 June 2024DB Cargo (UK) Limited2nd SA     DB Cargo (UK) Limited Approved 2nd SA
DB Cargo (UK) Limited Approval Notice dated 3 June 2024
Decision letter
14 May 2024RailAdventure UK Limited 1st SARailAdventure UK Limited Approved 1st SA
RailAdventure UK Limited Approval Notice dated 14 May 2014
Decision letter
14th May 2024GB Railfreight Limited    2nd SAGB Railfreight Limited approved 2nd SA
GB Railfreight Limited Approval Notice dated 14 May 2014
Decision letter
7 February 2024Transport for Wales Rail Ltd 9th SAApproved Agreement
Decision Letter
29 January 2024RailAdventure UK Limited-Approved Agreement
Decision Letter
Directions Notice
25 January 2024RailAdventure UK Limited-Approved agreement
Decision Letter
Directions Notice
7 November 2023Transport for Wales Rail Limited (TfWRL)7th SAApproved agreement
Decision letter
6 November 2023Transport for Wales Rail Limited (TfWRL)8th SAApproved agreement
Decision letter
3 March 2023Seilwaith Amey Cymru / Amey Infrastructure Wales Limited
Vintage Trains Limited intage Trains Limited 
-Directions Contract
Decision Letter
Directions Notice
15 December 2022Seilwaith Amey Cymru/Amey Infrastructure Wales Limited and Transport for Wales Rail Limited
 
5th SASupplemental agreement
Decision letter
17 August 2022Seilwaith Amey Cymru / Amey Infrastructure Wales Limited and Rail Express Systems Limited4th SASupplemental agreement
Approval notice
Decision letter
1 February 2022Seilwaith Amey Cymru / Amey Infrastructure Wales Limited and Rail Express Systems Limited-Decision Letter
Directions Notice
Directed Contract
 
4 August 2021Seilwaith Amey Cymru/Amey Infrastructure Wales Limited and Transport for Wales Rail Limited-Decision letter
Directions notice
Rhymney Station Sidings Connection Agreement
1 February 2021Amey Keolis Infrastructure/Seilwaith Amey Keolis Limited3rd SAApproved agreement
Decision letter
1 February 2021Amey Keolis Infrastructure/Seilwaith Amey Keolis Limited2nd SAApproved agreement
Decision letter
16 July 2020Amey Keolis Infrastructure/Seilwaith Amey Keolis Limited1st SAApproval Notice
Decision Letter 
25 March 2020Amey Keolis Infrastructure and Merthyr Ltd Connection Contract-Direction Notice
Decision Letter
Cwmbargoed Sidings Connection Agreement
29 November 2019Amey Keolis Infrastructure/Seilwaith Amey Keolis Limited,
GB Railfreight,
Freightliner,
Freightliner Heavy Haul, and
DB Cargo
(4 separate directions) freight services track access contracts
-Decision letter
GBRf directions
Freightliner directions
Freightliner HH directions
DB Cargo directions

Consolidated agreements

A consolidated agreement is a document incorporating all approved amendments to the existing approved agreement.

They are provided by CVL for reference purposes only.

Certain information may be excluded from these consolidated versions. This is because we may withhold from publication information which relates to the affairs of a private individual or a corporate or unincorporated body if we are satisfied that publication would or might seriously and prejudicially affect the interests of that person or body.

The table below presents CVL consolidated agreements:

TOC/FOCConsolidated agreement
RailAdventure UK Limited (Freight Services)Railadventure UK Limited dated 15 May 2024
GB Railfreight Ltd (Charter Passenger Services)GBRf Charter dated 20 March 2023
Transport for Wales Rail Limited  TfWRL dated 7th February 2024
GB Railfreight Ltd (Freight Services)GB Railfreight Limited dated 15 May 2024
Freightliner LtdFreightliner Limited as at 5 June 2024
Freightliner Heavy Haul Limited (Freight Services)Freightliner Heavy Haul Limited as at 19 June 2024  
DB Cargo (UK) Limited (Freight Services)DB Cargo (UK) Limited as at 5 June 2024

The CVL Network Code

The CVL Network Code is a common set of rules and industry procedures that apply to all parties who have a contractual right of access to the CVL infrastructure owned and operated by the CVL infrastructure manager.

The CVL infrastructure manager manages and maintains the CVL Network Code, and all related documentation. The full CVL Network Code can be found on the CVL Infrastructure Manager website.

Our responsibility is to ensure that the CVL Network Code provides appropriate contractual certainty for all affected parties and does not benefit one contractual party to a greater extent than another.

Description of the CVL Network Code

The CVL Network Code sets out the industry procedures governing:

  • the way in which service performance is monitored and measured (Part B);
  • modifications to the CVL Network Code (Part C);
  • the translation of access rights into the construction of the timetable (Part D);
  • environmental protection issues (Part E);
  • the contractual arrangements governing changes to the trains used on the CVL network and to the CVL network itself (Parts F and G respectively);
  • the CVL Railway Operational Code (Part H);
  • changes to access rights (Part J); and
  • appeals to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) (Part M).

The CVL Access Dispute Resolution Rules (ADRR), setting out how disputes under access contracts are resolved, can also be found on the CVL Infrastructure Manager website.

Safety responsibilities, for example through safety certificates and safety authorisations, and Railway Group Standards, take priority over the CVL Network Code obligations.

Approved amendments to the CVL Network Code

Part C of the CVL Network Code provides processes by which the Code can be modified.

  • Condition C1 provides a democratic industry process whereby the CVL infrastructure manager and each Access Beneficiary can propose changes to the CVL Network Code; and
  • Condition C3 provides the ORR with a right to make changes.

Recent modifications are listed below.

Modifications to the CVL Network Code

The table below presents documents related to CVL Network Code modifications:

Proposal Approval notice
Covering Letter
Proposals for amendment
Date approvedLinks to documents
Approval of changes the CVL Network Code to reflect changes to Network Rail Network Code through Network Rail PfC 12522 July 2024Cover Letter
Approval Notice
Appendix A – Marked-up copy of the CVL Network Code
Approval of changes the CVL Network Code to reflect changes to Network Rail Network Code through Network Rail PfCs 121-124 and 126        25 March 2024Cover Letter
Approval Notice
Appendix A – Marked-up copy of the CVL Network Code
Approval of changes to Part B of the CVL Network Code and a consequential change to the Access Dispute Resolution Rules annexed to the CVL Network Code to reflect changes to Network Rail Network Code through Network Rail PfC 1196 April 2023Cover Letter
Approval Notice
Appendix A – Marked-up extracts from the CVL Network Code
Approval of changes to CVL Network Code (Access Dispute Resolution Rules) to reflect changes to Network Rail Network Code through Network Rail PfC 114-1166 October 2022    Cover Letter
Approval Notice
Appendix A – Marked-up version of CVL ADRR
Approval of Proposal for Change 21/02a – changes to Part A of the CVL Network Code and the CVL Access Dispute Resolution Rules22 September 2021Approval Notice 
Appendix A – Approved changes (Part A)
Appendix B – Approved changes (CVL Access Dispute Resolution Rules)
Cover letter
Approval of Proposal for Change 21/03 – changes to Part D of the CVL Network Code24 August 2021Approval Notice and approved changes
Cover letter
Approval of changes to the CVL Network Change Standard Forms A to X15 July 2021Approval Notice and approved changes
Cover letter
Approval of Proposal for Change 21/01 – changes to Part D of the CVL Network Code12 March 2021Approval Notice and approved changes
Cover letter
Approval of Proposal for Change 20/01 – changes to Part D of the CVL Network Code
    
8 September 2020Approval Notice and approved changes
Cover letter
Approval of the CVL Network Change Standard Forms A to X21 July 2020Approval Notice and approved changes
Cover letter

Model contracts

There are no current model contracts.

Charging framework

Core Valley Lines charging framework

Network licence

This section gives information on our consideration of a network licence for the operator of the CVL network, including our consultation documents, stakeholder responses and conclusions.

The table below provides documents related to the CVL network licence:

DatePublicationsDocuments
22 November 2021Licence modification confirmation notice: To make changes to the Core Valley Lines network licence relating to referencing the Infrastructure AgreementNetwork licence modification notice for Amey Infrastructure Wales
31 August 2021Statutory consultation: on Modification to the Core Valley Lines network licenceAmey Infrastructure Wales - Statutory notice for Network Licence modification
13 December 2019Statutory consultation: network licence for the Core Valley Lines Infrastructure Operator of last resortWales Infrastructure Manager of Last Resort Limited
26 November 2019Conclusion: Network licence for Amey Keolis Infrastructure / Seilwaith Amey Keolis Limited

Conclusions letter, 26 November 2019 

Responses to ORR's proposal to grant a network licence for the operation of the Core Valley Lines statutory consultation

25 July 2019Statutory consultation: Network licence for Amey Keolis Infrastructure / Seilwaith Amey Keolis LimitedStatutory consultation on network licence for Amey Keolis Infrastructure Ltd
7 June 2019Initial consultation on a network licence for the operator of the Core Valley Lines

Amey Keolis Infrastructure 
Seilwaith Amey Keolis Limited

Responses