Office of Rail and Road

Avanti West Coast 807001 awaits departure from Liverpool Lime Street on November 11 2024 with the 0901 to London Euston. AVANTI WEST COAST.

News

Avanti West Coast at risk of losing extra Liverpool paths

Appeal by Virgin over the way Network Rail handled track access situation is partially upheld.

Avanti West Coast 22 Jul

News

Level crossing investigation notes danger posed by trains obscured by others

Office of Rail and Road also reviewing Network Rail's decision making processes regarding safety systems at crossings.

Level crossings 21 Jul

News

Still too many instances of booked assisted travel not happening

Latest Office of Rail and Road figures show unchanged satisfaction levels for assisted travel.

Office of Rail and Road 21 Jul

803002 working Lumo's 1S93 1045 Kings Cross to Edinburgh through Little Ponton in Lincolnshire on August 5 2022. PAUL CLARK

News

FirstGroup details criticism of Rochdale Lumo rejection

FirstGroup writes to ORR requesting more information and disputing some of the reasons for rejecting its WCML plan.

FirstGroup 17 Jul

Lumo Class 803 and LNER Azuma unit side by side at London King's Cross. ALAMY.

News

Changing open access analysis "would delay all ECML decisions"

Office of Rail and Road writes back to DfT warning of the impact changing the analysis process at such a late stage.

East Coast Main Line 4 Jul

Avanti West Coast is the principal operator on the West Coast Main Line, and has submitted five different bids for extra train paths as it seeks to return services that were withdrawn during COVID. But it faces competition from a posse of open access operators. AWC 805005 approaches Rugeley Trent Valley on May 10, during a Class 805 ‘Evero’ test run. ALAMY.

Comment

Snap Analysis: It's the end of the open season for open access

The decision from The Office of Rail and Road could spell the end of many open access operators aspirations for expansion as the reality of the ECML and WCML capacity issues begins to bite.

Industry views 3 Jul

News

WCML open access decisions explained - DfT letter "not relevant"

Office of Rail and Road decision letter explains the factors that were and weren't relevant in its decision.

Office of Rail and Road 3 Jul

Off-lease 221104 passes Wellington as part of a driver training run between Central Rivers TMD and Wrexham. ALISTAIR COX.

News

All three West Coast Main Line open access bid rejected

Bids by FirstGroup, Virgin and Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway have all been turned down.

Open access 3 Jul

Temple Mills International Depot yard. DAVID STUBBINGS.

News

Next deadline in Temple Mills depot application process is put back

Request to push back first deadline is made by "one of the applicants".

Temple Mills 30 Jun

News

Conflict of interest fears raised in DfT's latest open access letter

Another letter to the Office of Rail and Road highlights concerns over conflict of interest and cumulative revenue abstraction.

Open access 27 Jun

Two Eurostar e320s alongside each other at Temple Mills International Depot. DAVID STUBBINGS.

News

Thoughts starting to turn towards long-term international depot for Channel Tunnel services

Government looking into options after ORR sets out next steps of Temple Mills access process.

Channel Tunnel 17 Jun

Passenger going through the ticket gatelines

News

Rail fares enforcement: "Much more work to be done" ORR tells RAIL

Much more work needs to be done to ensure that the rules governing rail fares enforcement are fit for purpose believes ORR’s director of strategy Stephanie Tobyn.

Office of Rail and Road 10 Jun

Eurostar Class 374 units undergoing maintenance at Temple Mills. EUROSTAR.

News

Decision date for Eurostar rivals' depot requests set as ORR confirms next steps of process

Office of Rail and Road sets out what will happen and when before it decides if another operator can use Temple Mills depot alongside Eurostar.

Office of Rail and Road 5 Jun

News

Urgent reform needed in rail fare enforcement, ORR review finds

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has recommended that rail fare enforcement is overhauled and made fairer in a new review of the current system.

Office of Rail and Road 4 Jun

Frecciarossa at Milan station. FRECCIAROSSA.

News

Trenitalia submits Section 17 application for Temple Mills Depot access

Trenitalia submits section 17 application for Temple Mills Depot access

Channel Tunnel 25 Apr

An artist's impression of Grand Central's Hitachi tri-mode set. ARRIVA.

News

Grand Central announces Hitachi tri-mode order after securing 11-year track access extension

Open access operator announces £300m deal for Hitachi's first UK tri-mode units.

Grand Central 3 Apr

Eurostar trains at the Eurostar Engineering Centre maintenance depot in Temple Mills, London. ALAMY.

News

5 key takeaways from the Temple Mills capacity report as both sides claim it supports their view

The ORR-commissioned study has found there is some capacity at Eurostar's depot.

Office of Rail and Road 1 Apr

News

"Some capacity can be found" at Eurostar's Temple Mills depot, report finds

Eagerly anticipated report into depot comes as three operators look to challenge Eurostar.

Eurostar 31 Mar

Eurostar train stands at St Pancras. ALAMY.

News

Eurostar and rivals all claim Temple Mills capacity report supports their arguments

Three rival firms want to take on Eurostar and run cross-channel services.

Eurostar 31 Mar

LNER Azuma 800203 passes Grantham. ALAMY.

News

Network Rail issues ECML performance warning amid tense exchange over track access requests

Specific feedback is being submitted to ORR after a wider letter about ECML was sent to the regulator.

East Coast Main Line 31 Mar

Office of Rail and Road

Avanti West Coast at risk of losing extra Liverpool paths

Level crossing investigation notes danger posed by trains obscured by others

Still too many instances of booked assisted travel not happening

FirstGroup details criticism of Rochdale Lumo rejection

Changing open access analysis "would delay all ECML decisions"

Snap Analysis: It's the end of the open season for open access

WCML open access decisions explained - DfT letter "not relevant"

All three West Coast Main Line open access bid rejected

Next deadline in Temple Mills depot application process is put back

Conflict of interest fears raised in DfT's latest open access letter

Thoughts starting to turn towards long-term international depot for Channel Tunnel services

Rail fares enforcement: "Much more work to be done" ORR tells RAIL

Decision date for Eurostar rivals' depot requests set as ORR confirms next steps of process

Urgent reform needed in rail fare enforcement, ORR review finds

Trenitalia submits Section 17 application for Temple Mills Depot access

Grand Central announces Hitachi tri-mode order after securing 11-year track access extension

5 key takeaways from the Temple Mills capacity report as both sides claim it supports their view

"Some capacity can be found" at Eurostar's Temple Mills depot, report finds

Eurostar and rivals all claim Temple Mills capacity report supports their arguments

Network Rail issues ECML performance warning amid tense exchange over track access requests

Most read

Scottish main line will "end up with discontinuous electrification"

FirstGroup explains why Class 222s were "only option" for Lumo Euston-Stirling service

16 DB Cargo UK drivers switching to rival

Office of Rail and Road

Avanti West Coast at risk of losing extra Liverpool paths

Level crossing investigation notes danger posed by trains obscured by others

Still too many instances of booked assisted travel not happening

FirstGroup details criticism of Rochdale Lumo rejection

Changing open access analysis "would delay all ECML decisions"

Snap Analysis: It's the end of the open season for open access

WCML open access decisions explained - DfT letter "not relevant"

All three West Coast Main Line open access bid rejected

Next deadline in Temple Mills depot application process is put back

Conflict of interest fears raised in DfT's latest open access letter

Thoughts starting to turn towards long-term international depot for Channel Tunnel services

Rail fares enforcement: "Much more work to be done" ORR tells RAIL

Decision date for Eurostar rivals' depot requests set as ORR confirms next steps of process

Urgent reform needed in rail fare enforcement, ORR review finds

Trenitalia submits Section 17 application for Temple Mills Depot access

Grand Central announces Hitachi tri-mode order after securing 11-year track access extension

5 key takeaways from the Temple Mills capacity report as both sides claim it supports their view

"Some capacity can be found" at Eurostar's Temple Mills depot, report finds

Eurostar and rivals all claim Temple Mills capacity report supports their arguments

Network Rail issues ECML performance warning amid tense exchange over track access requests

Most read

Scottish main line will "end up with discontinuous electrification"

FirstGroup explains why Class 222s were "only option" for Lumo Euston-Stirling service

16 DB Cargo UK drivers switching to rival

Repeated bridge failures force TPE to consider diversionary route

DB Cargo sells three more Class 90s for reuse

Further MML electrification and York capacity projects paused

UK "fails to provide trains people want or like"

All three West Coast Main Line open access bid rejected

Drivers' jobs safe after refinery owners enter administration