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date 29 April 1998
source Office of the Rail Regulator
type Press release

note ORR/98/14

The Rail Regulator, John Swift QC,today published a short consultation document on a proposal by Railtrack to purchase 80 Piggyback Wagons - that is rail vehicles capable of conveying specially constructed road trailers on the UK rail network.

The Railtrack group is forbidden by its licence from owning or operating rail vehicles without the consent of the Regulator.

It believes nevertheless that there may be a latent UK market for piggyback movements but that uncertainties as to the suitability of the mode for UK use have prevented significant development. It wishes to stimulate the market by producing wagons sufficient to form two complete trains. Railtrack would not seek to operate the vehicles itself but proposes to offer them for hire, lease or sale to train operators or intermediaries.

The Regulator recognises that there may be good reasons why Railtrack might not generally be permitted to own or operate a rail vehicle. Nevertheless he has a duty to promote the development of the railway network in Great Britain for the carriage of goods. If there is indeed a market which can best be opened by Railtrack owning wagons, then he might regard that as being of sufficient importance to justify an exception to the general rule.

The purpose of the consultation document is to seek opinions from potentially interested parties on:

i) the basic premise that there is a latent UK piggyback market;

ii) Railtrack's view that the market can most effectively and in the shortest timescale be opened by its purchase of wagons;

iii) the safeguards that should be created to avoid or minimise any disbenefits that might result from permission being given to Railtrack.

Copies of the document - Proposed Piggback Wagon Purchase by Railtrack - and further information can be supplied by Edmund Cullen, Freight Network Regulation, Office of the Rail Regulator, 1 Waterhouse Square, 138 - 142 Holborn, LONDON, EC1N 2ST. Telephone 0171 282 2122, Fax 0171 282 2042.

Replies should be received by 15th May 1998.

Railhub Archive ::: 1998-04-29 ORR-002