Access Reform Programme

The Railways Bill will establish Great British Railways (GBR) as the new directing mind for Britain’s rail network, bringing together responsibility for track and train and taking a whole-system approach to managing the railway.

As part of these reforms, GBR will be required to publish an Access and Use Policy (AUP), setting out how access to the rail network will be planned, allocated and managed, and the criteria that will be used when making access decisions.

To support this work, the Department for Transport (DfT) has commissioned Network Rail’s System Operator to develop the proposed AUP and associated materials ahead of GBR’s establishment.

The Access Reform Programme is developing the future framework for capacity allocation, access rights, charging arrangements, performance regimes and related industry processes. Working closely with government, regulators and industry stakeholders, the programme is helping create a more transparent, consistent and efficient approach to managing access to the rail network.

Find out more about the proposed AUP and the wider Access Reform Programme using the sections below.

For specific queries, you can get in touch with the team at AccessandUsePolicy@networkrail.co.uk

Public Consultation on GBR’s future Access and Use Policy

We’re consulting on Great British Railways’ (GBR) proposed Access and Use Policy (AUP) and associated contract, charging and performance frameworks. The AUP will provide the framework through which GBR makes decisions about how railway capacity is allocated and used across the network. It sets out the principles, processes and criteria that will support fair, transparent and consistent decision-making.

The consultation represents a significant milestone in access reform and builds on extensive engagement with industry stakeholders and the publication of the AUP Discussion Document in December 2025.

We are currently welcoming views on the proposals.

Access and Use Policy Discussion Document

In December 2025, Network Rail’s System Operator published an Access and Use Policy (AUP) Discussion Document to support early engagement on the future framework for railway access under Great British Railways (GBR).

The document and supplementary annexes explored the challenges presented by the current access regime and set out emerging thinking on how GBR could take a more coordinated approach to planning and allocating railway capacity to make the best use of the limited capacity available on the network.

Feedback from industry stakeholders, government and regulators has helped inform the development of the draft AUP and associated consultation materials.

Developing GBR’s charges and performance schemes

Alongside the development of the AUP, Network Rail’s Planning & Regulation Team is working with industry partners to inform the development of Great British Railways’ Charges and Performance Scheme for Funding Period 1 (2029 to 2034).

This work is considering how the charges and performance schemes should align with the objectives of rail reform, encourage strong operational performance, and promote effective collaboration.

The programme is being developed through industry engagement and will help ensure future arrangements provide incentives for efficient use of railway infrastructure, while delivering benefits for passengers, freight customers and taxpayers.

Further information on the charges and performance schemes is available below.