Go-op Co-operative Limited 15 November 2024
| Date | 15 November 2024 |
| Section | Decisions on new, disputed contracts (section 17) |
Head Office: 25 Cabot Square, London E14 4QZ T: 020 7282 2000 orr.gov.uk
Ste pha nie Tob yn
Director, Strategy, Policy & Reform
15 November 2024
Alex Lawrie
Business Development Director
Go-op Co-operative Limited
10 East Reach
Taunton
TA1 3EW
Anit Chandarana
Group Director, System Operator
Network Rail Infrastructure Limited
Waterloo General Office
London
SE1 8SW
Dear Mr Lawrie and Mr Chandarana,
Application for a new track access contract for services from Go-Op Co-operative
Limited
1. We have carefully considered Go-op Co-operative Limited’s (Go-op’s) application for
a track access contract with Network Rail Infrastructure Limited (Network Rail). This
application was first submitted to us under section 17 of the Railways Act 1993 (the Act) in
September 2022, with essential information for ORR’s decision being submitted over the
course of the next two years.
2. We have decided to approve access rights from December 2025 to December 2030.
In taking this decision, we placed particular weight on the benefits of new regional services
between Swindon, Taunton and Weston-super-Mare. Given the novel nature of Go-op’s
application, we considered it prudent to mitigate potential risks on ability to use the
capacity, so will require strict contractual conditions to be met for the rights to continue.
This letter sets out those conditions in more detail and explains the reasons for our
decision.
3. More specifically, we have decided to approve access rights for Go-op to operate
return weekday and weekend services between Taunton and Weston-super-Mare,
Taunton and Westbury, Taunton and Swindon, and Frome and Westbury. In addition, we
have approved contingent rights between Taunton and Weston-super-Mare, Weston-
super-Mare and Parson Street, Taunton and Westbury, Taunton and Swindon, and Norton
Fitzwarren Junction and Taunton.
4. We placed weight on the beneficial aspects of introducing new open access
competition on regional routes on the Western route. These include providing new rail
journey opportunities for passengers across Wiltshire and Somerset, and greater
interchange opportunities for commuters travelling on to London and Bristol.
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