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Government bills 2004/05 - enacted

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RAILWAYS ACT

KEY BENEFITS

  • Implements proposals set out in the White Paper 'The Future of Rail', published on 15 July 2004.
  • The Act will allow the Government to take charge of setting the strategy for the railway, and to streamline the structure of the rail industry at the national level.
  • Provides for greater local and devolved decision making.
  • Winds up the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), passing some of its functions to the Secretary of State and, in some cases, to the devolved administrations.
  • Establishes the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) as a combined safety and economic regulator.  Responsibilities for railway safety regulation will transfer to ORR from the Health and Safety Commission/Executive.
  • Rail Passengers Council (RPC) will be established as a single national body reporting to the Secretary of State and the formal federal structure of the regional committees will be dissolved.

IMPLEMENTATION

  • The Act will begin to be enacted two months after Royal Assent (from June 2005).  Provisions will be enacted progressively from then on, in line with the work underway to deliver organisational changes outside of legislation, to ensure a smooth transition to the new industry structure. The aim is that the majority of provisions will be enacted by the end of 2005.

TERRITORIAL EXTENT

  • The Act extends to England, Scotland and Wales

CONTACT

If you have any comments on the Railways Act you can email them to:  railwaysbill@dft.gsi.gov.uk

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