Office of Rail Regulation
Encyclopedia
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is a statutory board which is the combined economic and safety regulatory authority for Great Britain's railway network. It was established on 5 July 2004 by the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003
, replacing the Rail Regulator
. As a non-ministerial government department
it is operationally independent of central government.
ORR produces what is known as "the Blue Book", officially titled Railway Safety Principles and Guidance
, to ensure those operating the rail network, or designing products related to it, comply with health and safety law.
, and include the protection of the interests of users and the promotion of competition, efficiency and economy in the provision of railway services.
, so it must act lawfully, rationally, proportionately and in accordance with the relevant rules of procedure. Although operationally independent of central government as a non-ministerial government department
, it is still covered by legislation such as the Freedom of Information Act 2000
.
. Anna Walker
succeeded Chris Bolt
as chair of the Office of Rail Regulation on 5 July 2009 when Bolt's five-year term of office ended. The chief executive officer was Bill Emery
, who has now been succeeded by Richard Price.
The ORR employs approximately 320 people, with its headquarters located in London
.
Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003
The Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 is an Act of the United Kingdom Parliament-Purposes of the Act:The purposes of the Act include:-*the creation of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch...
, replacing the Rail Regulator
Rail Regulator
The Rail Regulator was a statutory office, created with effect from 1 December 1993 by section 1 of the Railways Act 1993, for the independent economic regulation of the British railway industry....
. As a non-ministerial government department
Non-ministerial government department
A non-ministerial government department is a department or ministry of a government that is not headed by a Government Minister or Government Secretary, and answers directly to a legislature ....
it is operationally independent of central government.
Primary functions
The ORR's main functions are:- Regulation of Network RailNetwork RailNetwork Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
's stewardship of Britain's rail infrastructure. - Reviewing and revising the financial framework for the railway industry through periodic access charges reviews in which the structure and level of the allowed revenues of Network Rail are set.
- Granting, modifying, compliance monitoring and enforcement of licences held by operators of railway assets.
- Controlling the fair and efficient allocation of capacity of railway assets through the approval or direction of contracts for the use of trackRail tracksThe track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
, stations, and light maintenance depots. - Acting as the appellate authority for certain classes of appeal of a regulatory or legal nature arising under the industry-wide network code.
- Enforcement of railway competition lawCompetition lawCompetition law, known in the United States as antitrust law, is law that promotes or maintains market competition by regulating anti-competitive conduct by companies....
. - Independent health and safety regulation for the railway industry as parent body (since 2006) of HM Railway InspectorateHM Railway InspectorateEstablished in 1840, HM Railway Inspectorate was the British organisation responsible for overseeing safety on Britain's railways and tramways...
and for Personal Track SafetyPersonal Track SafetyPersonal Track Safety is a system of safer working practices employed within the United Kingdom designed to ensure the safety of railway workers who have to work on the lineside....
. - Approval of changes made to the National Routeing GuideNational Routeing GuideThe National Routeing Guide is a document, the definitive resource on the validity of rail tickets for the purpose of rail travel in England, Wales, and Scotland . As stated by the Rail Regulator, "[it] sets out passengers' rights to use the network flexibly"...
and National Rail Conditions of Carriage.
ORR produces what is known as "the Blue Book", officially titled Railway Safety Principles and Guidance
UK railway technical manuals
The railway network of Great Britain is operated with the aid of a number of documents, which have been sometimes termed "technical manuals", because they are more detailed than the pocket-timetables which the public encounters every day...
, to ensure those operating the rail network, or designing products related to it, comply with health and safety law.
Statutory duties
In carrying out its functions, ORR must discharge its statutory duties, which are its formal objectives. These are laid down in section 4 of the Railways Act 1993Railways Act 1993
The Railways Act 1993 was introduced by John Major's Conservative government and passed on 5 November 1993. It provided for the restructuring of the British Railways Board , the public corporation that owned and operated the national railway system...
, and include the protection of the interests of users and the promotion of competition, efficiency and economy in the provision of railway services.
Public law obligations
Like other public authorities, ORR must comply with the rules of administrative law, and is amenable to judicial reviewJudicial review
Judicial review is the doctrine under which legislative and executive actions are subject to review by the judiciary. Specific courts with judicial review power must annul the acts of the state when it finds them incompatible with a higher authority...
, so it must act lawfully, rationally, proportionately and in accordance with the relevant rules of procedure. Although operationally independent of central government as a non-ministerial government department
Non-ministerial government department
A non-ministerial government department is a department or ministry of a government that is not headed by a Government Minister or Government Secretary, and answers directly to a legislature ....
, it is still covered by legislation such as the Freedom of Information Act 2000
Freedom of Information Act 2000
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that creates a public "right of access" to information held by public authorities. It is the implementation of freedom of information legislation in the United Kingdom on a national level...
.
Management
The ORR is managed by an eight-member board which is appointed by the Secretary of State for TransportSecretary of State for Transport
The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. The role has had a high turnover as new appointments are blamed for the failures of decades of their predecessors...
. Anna Walker
Anna Walker
Angela Walker is an English television presenter who has presented such programmes as, Wish You Were Here...?, Big Strong Boys, Holidaymaker, Garden Challenge, Garden Invaders and Tomorrow's World....
succeeded Chris Bolt
Chris Bolt
Christopher Bolt Born Oct 16 1982 in Monrovia CA. Interests are bmx,fmx, welding - Railways :In 1994, Bolt moved to the Office of the Rail Regulator to take up appointment as chief economist...
as chair of the Office of Rail Regulation on 5 July 2009 when Bolt's five-year term of office ended. The chief executive officer was Bill Emery
Bill Emery
Bill Emery is an engineer who has been the chief executive officer of the Office of Rail Regulation since 2005. From 1990 to 2005 he was the chief engineer of Ofwat.- External links :*...
, who has now been succeeded by Richard Price.
The ORR employs approximately 320 people, with its headquarters located in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.