Consultations

Here you’ll find all our consultations, both open and concluded, past policy, licence and access casework consultations. You’ll also find our response to consultations from other organisations.
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Discounting for cost benefit analysis involving private investment, but public benefit

13 January 2014
Joint Regulators Group (JRG) statement on cost benefit analysis methodology JRG has published a statement on the methodology used for discounting for cost-benefit analyses (CBAs). These analyses may be used by regulators when considering measures that generate consumer or wider public benefits, while requiring regulated firms to incur some costs. CBAs enable regulators to estimate the value of the

ORR's regulation of land disposals by Network Rail

13 January 2014
Reference: ORR/012/2012 Date published: 3 December 2012 Start date: 3 December 2012 Closing date: 18 January 2013 We have asked for views on how the arrangements for regulating with Network Rail's land disposals have worked in practice over the last two years and to propose some further improvements. We last revised our arrangements in October 2010, at the same time as the rail value for money

Review of the general approval (stations) 2010 and general approval (depots) 2010

13 January 2014
Reference: ORR/004/2013 Date published: 26 February 2013 Start date: 26 February 2013 Closing date: 23 April 2013 The general approval (stations) and general approval (depots) 2010 have been in force for over two years. To ensure the policies remain fit for purpose, we wrote to access parties – those with day to day use of the general approvals – to seek their views on some changes we proposed and

ORR business plan 2013-14

13 January 2014
Reference: ORR/001/2013 Date published: 21 January 2013 Start date: 21 January 2013 Closing date: 15 February 2013 This consultation reported on the draft business plan that ORR developed using its new strategic objectives as a basis to describe the activities to deliver its priorities for the year 2013-14. All ORR's stakeholders should have an interest in how it proposes to regulate the industry

The first consultation by ORR on the 2014 periodic review of HS1 Ltd (PR14)

13 January 2014
Reference: ORR/003/2013 Date published: 19 February 2013 Start date: 19 February 2013 Closing date: 16 April 2013 The concession agreement, a contract between High Speed 1 (HS1) Limited, which owns and operates the HS1 network, and the secretary of state for transport, sets out the purpose, and in general terms, the process for conducting periodic reviews. The concession agreement sets out ORR's

Draft exemption for the placing on the market of rail vehicles and components which contain asbestos

13 January 2014
We sought views on a draft exemption to allow the placing on the market of asbestos-containing railway vehicles, and asbestos-containing components of railway vehicles. This stems from a consultation by The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on proposals for draft regulations that would allow the placing on the market and use of a second-hand asbestos-containing article

Our approach to the duty to cooperate under the Localism Act 2011 - conclusions

13 January 2014
The Localism Act 2011 requires local planning authorities, and certain other public bodies to cooperate in planning processes which are of bigger than local significance, by engaging "constructively, actively and on an ongoing basis" to develop strategic policies. In particular, the duty: relates to sustainable development or use of land that would have a significant impact on at least two local

Changes to Network Rail's licence

13 January 2014
Date published: 15 November 2013 Closing date: 12 December 2013 This was a formal statutory consultation on our updated proposed changes to conditions in Network Rail's network licence. The changes are mainly to clarify, streamline and simplify obligations. Subject to this consultation and Network Rail's consent, we intend to make the changes proposed no later than 1 April 2014. This consultation

Implementing the EC4T cost reconciliation

14 December 2013

Content archived on 07 June 2025

This was a consultation on the principles of and changes to the contractual wording for the cost reconciliation (or "cost wash-up") for charges for electric current for traction (EC4T) as part of the 2013 periodic review (PR13).

Implementing PR13 - capacity charge

4 November 2013

Content archived on 07 June 2025

This consultation was extended to 4 November 2013, as explained in our update letter of 25 October 2013 clarifying the contractual wording in relation to freight operators.

Implementing PR13 - charter operators

25 October 2013

Content archived on 07 June 2025

his consultation set out the specific changes we propose to make to charter track access agreements to implement our 2013 periodic review (PR13).

Capacity charge for freight operators

14 October 2013

Content archived on 07 June 2025

This letter was a consultation setting out the ORR's proposed conclusions for the capacity charge for freight operators in control period 5 (CP5), with reference to the Rail Delivery Group (RDG)'s proposal received in the letter dated 13 September 2013 .

Consultative letter expanding on the discussion of the capacity charge

14 September 2013

Content archived on 07 June 2025

This letter expanded on the discussion of the capacity charge in chapter 16 of ORR's draft determination of Network Rail's outputs and funding and, in particular, on the proposal put forward by the Rail Freight Operators' Association (RFOA).

Draft determination

14 September 2013

Content archived on 07 June 2025

The 2013 Periodic Review (PR13) is the process through which we determine the outputs that Network Rail must deliver, the efficient cost of delivering those outputs, and the access charges the company can levy on train operators for using its network to recover those costs. Our draft determination set out our package of overall decisions on PR13 for consultation.

Implementing PR13

14 September 2013

Content archived on 07 June 2025

This consultation set out the specific changes we proposed to make to track and station access agreements and Network Rail's network licence to implement our 2013 periodic review (PR13).

The Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations

21 May 2013
The European Commission adopted Regulation 445/2011 on a system of certification of ECMs for freight wagons (the ECM Regulation) on 10 May 2011. We have consulted on the draft regulations to give effect to the ECM Regulation in Great Britain and bring the enforcement of it in line with our existing enforcement remit. In the light of lessons learned from operating under the current regime and other

Contingency planning for PR13 implementation

17 May 2013

Content archived on 07 June 2025

In April 2013, we consulted Network Rail and train operators on our proposed contingency plan in the event that there is a delay to the formal implementation of the 2013 periodic review (PR13).

Electricity for traction charges for control period 5

8 May 2013

Content archived on 07 June 2025

This was a consultation on charges for electric current for traction (EC4T). We consulted on assumed levels of transmission losses for control period 5 (CP5) and how we propose to reform the volume wash-up.

Freight specific charge for biomass

28 March 2013

Content archived on 07 June 2025

his was a consultation on whether to introduce a freight specific charge on biomass as part of the periodic review (PR13). A freight specific charge balances payments for freight costs more fairly between businesses, taxpayers and passengers, recognising the wider benefits that rail freight brings against the costs of subsidising rail freight that would not otherwise travel by road.

Real time train information - findings from our review

28 February 2013

Content archived on 07 June 2025

This consultation reported on the the findings of our review of National Rail Enquiries' (NRE) voluntary code of practice (the code), which governs how NRE deals with applications for access to its real time train information (RTTI) database ('Darwin').

Volume incentive

5 February 2013

Content archived on 07 June 2025

This consultation set out our package of proposals to improve the effectiveness of the volume incentive.

Managing level crossings: guide for managers, designers and operators - consultation

21 December 2011
' Level crossings: a guide for managers, designers and operators' replaces 'railway safety principles & guidance, part 2, section E - guidance on level crossings'. In April 2010 we consulted industry on the draft guidance. We asked for comments from stakeholders on the clarity and comprehensiveness of the document. The consultation ended on 13 July 2010 and having considered thoroughly the