Access and Use Policy development
On November 5 2025, the Railways Bill was introduced to Parliament. The Bill will set the framework for Great British Railways (GBR) – a new, publicly owned company to oversee management of track and train. GBR will be the ‘directing mind’ for the network, able to take decisions with a whole-system view, optimising network use in a way that isn’t possible today.
As part of these reforms, Network Rail’s System Operator has been asked by the Department for Transport to develop a new Access and Use Policy (AUP). This will introduce a framework for how GBR allocates capacity, sets charges, and manages performance across all network users, in line with its statutory responsibilities.
Following this publication on 1 December 2025, Network Rail and DfT will continue to engage with industry partners and publish updates as the AUP evolves. A formal consultation on the draft AUP is planned for 2026 to ensure the final policy reflects broad industry input and delivers an accountable system that serves passengers, freight customers, and the public interest.
The Discussion Document was largely drafted before the Railways Bill, based on the approach in the Government’s consultation. Since Bill publication we’ve made minor updates to the Document, and now benefit from a clear legislative approach that will support the next phase of development and discussion.
GBR’s future AUP will be designed in the interests of the UK rail network as a whole. The aim is to bring greater transparency, consistency, and strategic alignment to decisions around capacity and pricing – ensuring the railway delivers maximum value for passengers, freight customers, and the wider economy.
This work is being delivered in close coordination with DfT to ensure policy alignment and a seamless approach to stakeholder engagement. This Discussion Document outlines the core principles of the AUP and how it could operate in practice.
Building on extensive collaboration with industry partners across passenger, freight, and open access sectors, this paper represents the next step in that dialogue by bringing together insight and feedback gathered to date. The discussion will continue as policy thinking evolves, ensuring shared understanding and co-ownership of the approach GBR will eventually adopt. Much of the content, and particularly the annexes, focus on the technical processes and conditions needed to provide clarity and confidence to industry partners. The paper is designed to support continued engagement and conversations with specialists across the industry as they explore how the new regime might work, recognising the need to balance certainty with flexibility.
In the meantime, you can get in touch with the team developing the policy via our dedicated inbox: accessandusepolicy@networkrail.co.uk. The inbox will remain open until we begin drafting the policy next year.