Information on how competing and complex applications for the December 2024, May 2025 and December 2025 timetable changes will be considered.
This process is now concluded.
We are still holding Industry Meetings on a monthly basis. If you would like to attend please contact Claire Brooks.
The process
On 24 April 2024, ORR wrote to industry setting out a process for access applications for December 2024, May 2025 and December 2025.
This process was necessary to manage an expected higher-than-usual number of access applications from freight and passenger operators for additional or amended services for these timetable changes.
In addition, it was anticipated that some services in the applications would interact with each other, or have the potential to, at different points across the GB railway network.
Under the published process, on 20 May 2024, ORR received a higher-than-usual number of applications which also contained multiple interactions requiring assessment.
On 5 June 2024, Network Rail wrote to ORR, with its plan for assessing the applications. ORR responded to Network Rail’s plan on 22 July 2024.
Applications
An overview of the applications received was published on 29 May 2024. Overview of case progression of applications received: this document will be updated on a regular basis.
In August 2024 we published the applications received from passenger and freight operators and the related representations from Network Rail.