Access for passenger operators

The documents contained below provide guidance and the application form for track access by passenger operators whether franchised or Open Access. Industry standard Model Contracts are included as well as details of General Approvals which cover situations where you may enter or amend contracts without needing to apply to us for specific approval. Related documents and links are provided to help with questions that may arise when drafting applications.

For guidance on how to apply for a track access contract for a passenger operator (including charter and open access) please read our Criteria and procedures for the approval of track access contracts pdf icon PDF, 1,500 Kb (C&Ps).

Potential new entrants to the market should familiarise themselves with our Starting Mainline Rail Operations pdf icon PDF, 455 Kb document.

We advise all applicants to use our model contracts, provided below.

Applicants should note this guidance on how the 2018 periodic review (PR18) will apply to new access contracts.

For international passenger operators wishing to apply for access to operate cross-border services, we have produced guidance on the assessment of new international passenger services pdf icon PDF, 345 Kb.

If you have any questions, please contact us.

Application form

Applicants should use a Form P application form (for passenger operators, including charter and open access operators) for all applications under sections 17-22A. The form is available below in Word and PDF format:

• Word version doc icon DOC, 1,304 Kb
• Open Document Text version odt icon ODT, 1,245 Kb
• PDF version pdf icon PDF, 332 Kb

Model contracts

Applicants are advised to begin with the passenger model contract. Further guidance on this can be found in our C&Ps document above.

• Passenger model contract:
  • Track access passenger model contract (Word) - April 2019
  • Track access passenger model contract (PDF) - April 2019
• Charter trains model contract:
  • Track access model contract - Charter Passenger Services (Word) – December 2019 
  • Track access model contract - Charter Passenger Services (PDF) – December 2019 
• Model clause Relevant Schedule 8 Modifications provision doc icon DOC, 42 Kb

Passenger general approvals

We have powers under sections 18 and 22 of the Act to grant general approvals. The current passenger general approvals are listed below:

• The Passenger Access (Short Term Timetable and Miscellaneous Changes) General Approval 2009 pdf icon PDF, 62 Kb permits Network Rail and a train operator to make amendments to their track access agreement, subject to certain conditions without our specific approval. The amendments permitted are described in the general approval, which includes an explanatory note. Any amendments beyond those permitted will require our specific approval under section 22 or directions under section 22A of the Act;
• The Passenger Access (Model Contract Amendments) General Approval 2007 pdf icon PDF, 19 Kb allows any amendments which are necessary to passenger track access agreements to reflect the version of the passenger model contract published on 19 July 2007; and
• Passenger Access (Model Charter Track Access Contract) General Approval 2009 pdf icon PDF, 222 Kb permits Network Rail and charter train operators to enter into track access contracts based on the charter model contract docx icon DOCX, 144 Kb for the provision of passenger charter services and to make certain specified amendments to such contracts.
• Supplemental Agreement (Interim Treatment of the 2013 Periodic Review) General Approval 2013 pdf icon PDF, 259 Kb permits Network Rail and a train operator to make amendments to their track access agreement to give effect to ORR's proposed contingency arrangement in the event of a delay to the statutory implementation of PR13.

For previous policy decisions and workstreams, please see the policy and document archive.

For previous access application decisions, please see our decisions library or, for decisions in the last six months, the relevant decisions page.