The Railways (Access, Management and Licensing of Railway Undertakings) Regulations 2016

Scheduling and coordination

23.—(1) The infrastructure manager must, so far as possible—

(a) meet all requests for infrastructure capacity, including those requests for train paths which cross more than one network; and

(b) in so doing, take account of all constraints on applicants, including the economic effect on their business.

(2) The infrastructure manager may give priority to specific services within the scheduling and coordination process, but only in accordance with the provisions in regulations 25 and 26.

(3) The infrastructure manager must consult interested parties about the draft working timetable, and must allow such interested parties a period of at least one calendar month to submit their comments.

(4) In the event of conflict between different requests for infrastructure capacity, the infrastructure manager must attempt, in consultation with the appropriate applicants, and through coordination of the requests, to ensure the best possible matching of all requirements and, in so far as it is reasonable to do so, may propose alternative infrastructure capacity from that requested in order to resolve the conflict.

(5) Consultation under paragraph (4) must be based on the disclosure by the infrastructure manager of the following information within a reasonable time, free of charge and in written or electronic form—

(a) train paths requested by all other applicants on the same routes;

(b) train paths allocated on a preliminary basis to all other applicants on the same routes;

(c) alternative train paths proposed on the relevant routes in accordance with paragraph (4); and

(d) full details of the criteria being used in the capacity allocation process.

(6) Information disclosed by the infrastructure manager in accordance with paragraph (5) must not disclose the identity of other applicants, unless the applicants concerned have agreed to such disclosure.

(7) The infrastructure manager must facilitate the establishment and operation of a dispute resolution system, which must be set out in the network statement, to resolve disputes about the allocation of infrastructure capacity promptly and, where that system is applied, a decision on the matters in dispute must be reached no later than ten working days after the final submission of all relevant information in accordance with that system.

(8) The dispute resolution system provided for under paragraph (7) is without prejudice to the right of appeal to the Office of Rail and Road under regulation 32(1).

(9) The infrastructure manager must take such measures as are appropriate to deal with any concerns about the allocation process raised by interested parties.

(10) For the purposes of this regulation “interested parties” includes—

(a) all applicants for infrastructure capacity as part of the specific allocation process to which the draft working timetable relates; and

(b) other parties who have indicated to the Office of Rail and Road, in such form or manner as that Office may from time to time require, that they wish to have the opportunity to comment as to the effect that the working timetable might have on their ability to procure rail services during the working timetable period to which the draft working timetable relates.