Should the ORR continue to oversee the south Wales CVL?

[Tomos y Tanc]

The current UK Government plans for the railway include a decision that track not currently owned by Network Rail and not due to be passed on to GBR should continue to be regulated by the ORR. This clearly makes sense with something like HS1 but in terms of the south Wales Metro, core valley lines, it seems pretty bonkers.

I can't see new operators queing up to offer commuter services between Cardiff and Treherbert nd freight traffic on these lines is close to non-existant. Why involve the ORR unless it's a power move by the anti-devolution caucus amongst Welsh Labour MPs?

Surely an already nationalised part of the railway should be allowed to get on with the job?

 

[ShadowKnight]

Forgive my ignorance but who the regulates all the non network rail railways like the tube/DLR/trams/heritage railways?

 

[JLH4AC]

When GBR takes over the Office of Rail and Road will no longer regulate track access, its functions will be concentrated on regulating safety and efficiency.

Forgive my ignorance but who the regulates all the non network rail railways like the tube/DLR/trams/heritage railways?

ORR regulates all railways with a track gauge of at least 350mm or that cross a carriageway.

 

[HSTEd]

When GBR takes over the Office of Rail and Road will no longer regulate track access, its functions will be concentrated on regulating safety and efficiency.

Has that been officially confirmed?

Because the track access apparatus will have to be retained for the freight and open access operators.
If the ORR isn't going to be regulating that, who will?

GBR regulating its interactions with its functional competitors would cause no end of conflicts of interests and likely court actions.

Otherwise I agree that ORR will still be doing the safety regulation.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Mar 2025 ==

I can't see new operators queing up to offer commuter services between Cardiff and Treherbert nd freight traffic on these lines is close to non-existant. Why involve the ORR unless it's a power move by the anti-devolution caucus amongst Welsh Labour MPs?

Because a tram can kill people almost as easily as a heavy rail train?

Why would we create a duplicate rail safety apparatus?

 

[JLH4AC]

Has that been officially confirmed?

Because the track access apparatus will have to be retained for the freight and open access operators.
If the ORR isn't going to be regulating that, who will?

GBR regulating its interactions with its functional competitors would cause no end of conflicts of interests and likely court actions.

It's the sole proposal in relation to the regulation of track access in the Railway fit for Britain's future consultation from last month, so I would say it is safe to go with it being the government plan especially given we are about a year away from when GBR is planned to be operational.

The proposal is for GBR to take over full control of decision-making related to access to the GBR-managed network. in line with the regulations set out in legislation and a duty to ensure fair access to the GBR-managed network. ORR will act as an independent appeal body in cases where the GBR decision-making has been discriminatory and has not followed its own processes, but this is more of a relegation of business practices than the relegation of track access.