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.
Clear filters

Revising railway safety regulations: Railway Safety (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 1997, Railway Safety Regulations 1999 and Railway Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2001

8 July 2014
In 2014, as part of the Government's 'Red Tape Challenge' to reduce unnecessary secondary legislation, we consulted on our proposals to revoke the Railway Safety (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 1997, Railway Safety Regulations 1999 and Railway Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2001 (together ‘the current Regulations’) and replace them with a new set of regulations. The decision

Periodic review 2013 (PR13) consultations

1 July 2014

Content archived on 23 June 2025

A list of our closed PR13 consultations in date order. Consultation on implementation of CP5 capacity charge for new open access operators Last updated: 1 Jul 2014 Consultation about our proposed approach to implement our decision on the capacity charge rates payable by new entrant open access operators (OAOs) during CP5. Capacity charge baselines for freight, open access passenger and charter

Consultation on implementation of CP5 capacity charge for new open access operators

16 May 2014

Content archived on 23 June 2025

Date published: 16 May 2014 Closing date: 1 July 2014 Consultation about our proposed approach to implement our decision on the capacity charge rates payable by new entrant open access operators (OAOs) during CP5. In our final determination we made our decision on the capacity charge rates payable by new entrant open access operators (OAOs) during CP5. We said that: New entrant OAOs will pay CP4

Capacity charge baselines for freight, open access passenger and charter operators

19 March 2014

Content archived on 23 June 2025

In our Periodic review 2013: final determination of Network Rail's outputs and funding for 2014-19, we concluded that the capacity charge would be levied on freight, open access and charter operators in CP5 subject to a number of baselines, so that Network Rail would effectively receive a higher charge for traffic above certain thresholds as part of a year-end reconciliation or wash-up process.

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

Implementing the EC4T cost reconciliation

14 December 2013

Content archived on 23 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 23 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.

Capacity charge for freight operators

14 October 2013

Content archived on 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 June 2025

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

Railway Safety Regulations 1999 - review of policy on the use of Mark 1 passenger rolling stock operated at speeds exceeding 40 kilometres per hour

14 July 2011
The Railway Safety Regulations 1999 permits exemptions to be issued to allow operators to use MK1 rolling stock on the national network. Most exemptions specify a barrier vehicle between the locomotive and the rake of coaches. The barrier vehicles were defined as Mark 2 (MK 2) or Mark 3 (MK 3) and most exemptions prohibited passengers from travelling in the leading vehicles We have consulted pdf

The Railways and other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2011

31 May 2011
We consulted on proposals for Regulations implementing Directive 2008/110/EC and Directive 2009/149/EC in Great Britain, both of which amend Directive 2004/49/EC (the Railway Safety Directive). Directive 2008/110/EC establishes a system for maintenance arrangements across the European Union. Summary of key outcomes Consultation on the Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) (Amendment