The FOI and EIR legislation provides public access to the information we hold unless that information falls within the scope of a FOI exemption or EIR exception.
A request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 should be made in writing to ORR's Public Correspondence Team (PCT). You can ask for environmental information in writing or by phone.
Contact details:
Public Correspondence Team
Office of Rail and Road
25 Cabot Square
London
E14 4QZ
Email: contact.pct@orr.gov.uk
The Public Correspondence Team can be contacted on the following telephone number: 020 7282 2018.
Responding to a request for information
The Public Correspondence Team aims to respond to requests for information within twenty working days of receipt. If we need to extend this deadline, we will let you know within the original twenty day period and try to give an indication of when we expect to respond in full.
We aim to release all information requested unless we do not hold the information or if an exemption applies as set out in the Act. Some exemptions are subject to the public interest test meaning that we must consider whether the public interest in withholding the information requested outweighs the public interest in disclosure.
We can refuse requests on costs grounds or if they are considered vexatious or 'identical or substantially similar' to a previous request from the same person within a reasonable time period.
If we decide that the requested information should not be disclosed or can be refused, we will respond in writing explaining the reasons for that decision.
Complaints and appeals
If an applicant does not agree with our decision in relation to a request for information or has any other complaint in relation to our handling of a request, then the applicant can request an internal review.
Details of how to appeal will be provided to you with our response. An applicant may refer the matter to the Information Commissioner.
As we are a relatively small non-ministerial government department, there may be instances where ORR's Directors Group was involved in the original decision.
If this is the case, we will waive our right to consider the complaint or appeal internally. We will inform an applicant where we waive our internal complaints procedure. An applicant could then appeal directly to the Information Commissioner.
Statistics on implementation in central government
Statistics on the handling of requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act by central government bodies, departments of state and ORR, are available on GOV.UK website and are published by the Cabinet Office.