Railways Act 1993

20 Exemption of railway facilities from sections 17 [F1, 18 and 22A].E+W+S

(1)The Secretary of State may, after consultation with [F2the Office of Rail Regulation] , by order grant exemption from sections 17 and 18 above [F3and section 22A below]in respect of such railway facilities as may be specified in the order, but subject to compliance with such conditions (if any) as may be so specified.

(2)A facility exemption under subsection (1) above may be granted—

(a)to persons of a particular class or description or to a particular person; and

(b)in respect of railway facilities of a particular class or description or a particular railway facility, or in respect of part only of any such railway facilities or facility;

F4. . .

(3)If a facility owner makes an application under this subsection to [F2the Office of Rail Regulation] for the grant of an exemption from sections 17 and 18 above [F3and section 22A below] in respect of the whole or any part of his railway facility, [F2the Office of Rail Regulation] , after consultation with the Secretary of State—

(a)may either grant or refuse the exemption, whether wholly or to such extent as [F5it] may specify in the exemption; and

(b)if and to the extent that [F5it] grants [F6the exemption] , may do so subject to compliance with such conditions (if any) as [F5it] may so specify.

(4)Before granting a facility exemption under subsection (3) above, [F2the Office of Rail Regulation] shall give notice—

(a)stating that [F5it] proposes to grant the facility exemption,

(b)stating the reasons why [F5it] proposes to grant the facility exemption, and

(c)specifying the time (not being less than 28 days from the date of publication of the notice) within which representations or objections with respect to the proposed facility exemption may be made,

and shall consider any representations or objections which are duly made and not withdrawn.

(5)A notice under subsection (4) above shall be given by publishing the notice in such manner as [F2the Office of Rail Regulation] considers appropriate for bringing it to the attention of persons likely to be affected by the grant of the facility exemption.

(6)If any condition (the “broken condition") of a facility exemption is not complied with—

(a)the Secretary of State, in the case of a facility exemption under subsection (1) above, or

(b)[F2the Office of Rail Regulation], in the case of a facility exemption under subsection (3) above,

may give to any relevant person a direction declaring that the facility exemption is revoked, so far as relating to that person, to such extent and as from such date as may be specified in the direction.

(7)For the purposes of subsection (6) above—

• “condition”, in relation to a facility exemption, means any condition subject to compliance with which the facility exemption was granted;

• “relevant person”, in the case of any facility exemption, means a person who has the benefit of the facility exemption and who—

  (a)

  is a person who failed to comply with the broken condition or with respect to whom the broken condition is not complied with; or

  (b)

  is the facility owner in the case of the railway facility in relation to which the broken condition is not complied with.

(8)Subject to subsection (6) above, a facility exemption, unless previously revoked in accordance with any term contained in the facility exemption, shall continue in force for such period as may be specified in, or determined by or under, the facility exemption.

F7(9). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(10)Any application for a facility exemption under subsection (3) above must be made in writing; and where any such application is made, [F2the Office of Rail Regulation] may require the applicant to furnish [F5it] with such information as [F2the Office of Rail Regulation] may consider necessary to enable [F5it] to decide whether to grant or refuse the facility exemption.

(11)Facility exemptions may make different provision, or be granted subject to compliance with different conditions, for different cases.

F8(12). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(13)In this Part “facility exemption” means an exemption from sections 17 and 18 above [F3and section 22A below] granted under any provision of this section in respect of the whole or any part of a railway facility; and a railway facility is an “exempt facility” if and to the extent that it is the subject of such an exemption.