UK Statutory Instrument 2011 United Kingdom

Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2011

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At a glance

Enforced by

ORR

What's here

25 compliance obligations, 1 practical guide

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Any Person 13
  • Operator 5
  • Manufacturer 1
  • Employer 1

Plus 5 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Supporting — topic alignment

1 guides

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Operators also bound by 730 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Manufacturers also bound by 472 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Employers also bound by 694 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Part 1 — Interpretation and Application

s.003

Appointment and obligations of an authorised representative

  • Appoint an authorised representative in the UK for rail interoperability tasks Manufacturer
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.001

Citation, commencement and extent

s.002

Interpretation

s.003

Application

Part 1A — National Technical Specification Notices and National Technical Rules

Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.003

Publication of National Technical Specification Notices

s.003

Publication of a list of National Technical Rules

Part 2 — Subsystems

s.013

Authorisation requirements for the renewal or upgrading of subsystems

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Competent Authority must decide on authorisation within 4 months Crown / Minister / Government department
s.019

Retention of documents

  • Retain and manage documents for railway project subsystems Any Person
s.020

Continuing duty on operator in relation to standards

  • Operate and maintain rail subsystem to authorised standards Operator
Browse 17 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.004

Requirement for authorisation

s.005

Application for authorisation

s.006

Authorisation for a vehicle already authorised for an EU Member State

s.007

Authorisation decision

s.008

Determination of type

s.009

Type authorisation

s.010

Type authorisation: changes to applicable standards

s.011

Revocation of authorisations

s.012

List of projects for the renewal or upgrading of subsystems

s.014

Exemption from need to conform with NTSNs (exemptions)

s.014

Application for exemptions

s.015

Essential requirements for project subsystems

s.016

Role of project entity

s.017

Project subsystems: UK verification assessment procedure

s.018

Project subsystems: UK declaration of verification

s.021

Fees payable to the Safety Authority

s.022

Fees payable to the Competent Authority

Part 3 — Interoperability Constituents

s.027

Duties on operators

  • Install, use and maintain rail interoperability constituents correctly Operator
Browse 6 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.023

Prohibition on placing interoperability constituents on the market

s.024

Assessment procedure for interoperability constituents

s.025

UK declaration of conformity or suitability for use

s.026

Effect of declarations of conformity or suitability for use

s.028

Recognition of assessments of other Member States

s.029

Notification to the European Commission of incorrect declaration

Part 4 — Approved and Designated Bodies

s.032

Approved bodies and designated bodies: certificates etc.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Approved bodies must follow a fair process before declining certificates Statutory regulator
Browse 6 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.030

Approved bodies

s.031

Appointment of approved bodies and designated bodies

s.033

Fees of approved bodies and designated bodies

s.034

Fees of the Secretary of State

s.034

Register of approved bodies

s.034

UK national accreditation body

Part 5 — Registers

Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.035

Register of infrastructure

s.036

National vehicle register

Part 6 — Appeals and Enforcement

s.041

Notices relating to interoperability constituents not meeting the essential requirements

  • Comply with ORR notice restricting or recalling interoperability constituents and notify suppliers Any Person
Browse 6 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.037

Appeals in Great Britain

s.038

Appeals in Northern Ireland

s.039

Enforcement in Great Britain

s.040

Enforcement in Northern Ireland

s.042

Notice of improper drawing up of the EC or UK declaration of conformity or suitability for use for an interoperability constituent

s.043

Defence of due diligence

Part 7 — Supplementary

s.047

Further savings and transitional arrangements

  • Keep records for pre-Brexit rail project subsystems Any Person
Browse 6 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.044

Deemed authorisation

s.045

Accessibility for people with reduced mobility

s.046

Dispensations

s.047

Revocation and savings

s.048

Amendments to legislation

s.049

Review

Schedules

s.sch002

Health (1.3.1) Materials likely, by virtue of the way they...

  • Prohibit hazardous materials and restrict harmful fumes in trains and infrastructure Any Person
s.sch002

Environmental protection (1.4.1) The environmental impact of establishment and operation...

  • Assess environmental impact and meet environmental protection standards for rail system Any Person
s.sch002

Accessibility (1.6.1) The ‘infrastructure’ and ‘rolling stock’ subsystems must be...

  • Ensure railway subsystems are accessible to persons with disabilities Any Person
s.sch002

Energy (2.2.1) Safety Operation of the energy-supply systems must not...

  • Ensure energy-supply systems do not compromise safety Operator
s.sch002

Rolling stock (2.4.1) Safety The rolling-stock structures and those of...

  • Ensure rolling stock meets safety, reliability, and accessibility requirements Operator
s.sch002

Maintenance (2.5.1) Health and safety The technical installations and the...

  • Ensure maintenance centres operate safely and protect the environment Operator
s.sch002

Telematics applications for freight and passengers (2.7.1) Technical compatibility The...

  • Ensure telematics applications meet essential quality and accessibility requirements Any Person
s.sch004

Intermediate statement of verification (ISV) (2.2.1) Principles At the request...

  • Ensure intermediate statements of verification reference relevant NTSNs and cover all required stages Any Person
s.sch004

UK certificate of verification (2.3.1) The approved bodies responsible for...

  • Ensure approved body issues UK certificate of verification for railway subsystems Any Person
s.sch004

Technical file accompanying the UK declaration of verification The technical...

  • Assemble technical file for UK declaration of verification Any Person
s.sch004

Surveillance by approved body (2.5.1) The approved body responsible for...

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Approved body must access sites, audit, and monitor railway subsystems Statutory regulator
s.sch004

Submission A copy of the technical file accompanying the UK...

  • Keep the technical file for the life of the subsystem Any Person
s.sch004

Publication Each approved body must periodically publish relevant information concerning:...

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Approved bodies must periodically publish information on certificates and verification requests Statutory regulator
s.sch005

UK declaration of verification of subsystems The UK declaration of...

  • Prepare and sign a UK declaration of verification for railway subsystems Any Person
s.sch008

The body, its Director and the staff responsible for carrying...

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Conformity assessment bodies must stay independent of design, manufacture and maintenance Statutory regulator
s.sch008

The independence of the staff responsible for inspections must be...

  • Guarantee independence of inspection staff and prohibit performance-based pay Employer
s.sch008

The body must take out civil liability insurance unless that...

  • Take out civil liability insurance for inspection activities Any Person
Browse 37 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.sch002

General requirements

s.sch002

Safety (1.1.1) The design, construction or assembly, maintenance and monitoring...

s.sch002

Reliability and availability The monitoring and maintenance of fixed or...

s.sch002

Technical compatibility The technical characteristics of the infrastructure and fixed...

s.sch002

Requirements specific to each subsystem

s.sch002

Infrastructure (2.1.1) Safety Appropriate steps must be taken to prevent...

s.sch002

Control-command and signalling (2.3.1) Safety The control-command and signalling installations...

s.sch002

Operation and traffic management (2.6.1) Safety Alignment of the network...

s.sch003

List of subsystems

s.sch003

Description of the subsystems

s.sch003

Infrastructure The track, points, engineering structures (bridges, tunnels etc.), associated...

s.sch003

Energy The electrification system, including overhead lines and the trackside...

s.sch003

Trackside control-command and signalling All the trackside equipment required to...

s.sch003

On-board control-command and signalling All the on-board equipment required to...

s.sch003

Operation and traffic management The procedures and related equipment enabling...

s.sch003

Telematics applications This subsystem comprises two elements—

s.sch003

Rolling stock Structure, command and control system for all train...

s.sch003

Maintenance The procedures, associated equipment, logistics centres for maintenance work...

s.sch004

General principles “UK verification” means a procedure carried out by...

s.sch004

UK certificate of verification issued by an approved body

s.sch004

Introduction For the purpose of these Regulations, the verification by...

s.sch004

UK certificate of verification issued by a designated body

s.sch004

Introduction In any case where UK specific rules apply, the...

s.sch004

Certificate of verification The designated body must draw up the...

s.sch004

Technical file The technical file compiled by the designated body...

s.sch004

Verification of parts of subsystems If a UK certificate of...

s.sch005

Modification of subsystems with EC or UK declaration of verification...

s.sch005

If the entity introducing the modifications demonstrates that the modification...

s.sch005

If the entity introducing the modification demonstrates that the modification...

s.sch005

UK declaration of verification in the case of additional verifications...

s.sch007

Interoperability constituents The UK declaration of conformity or suitability for...

s.sch007

Scope The UK declaration of conformity or suitability for use...

s.sch007

Contents of the UK declaration of conformity or suitability for...

s.sch008

The body and the staff responsible for the checks must...

s.sch008

The body must employ staff and possess the means required...

s.sch008

The staff responsible for the checks must possess—

s.sch008

The staff of the body must be bound by professional...

Other sections — not classified into a Part

These sections sit outside the numbered Parts — usually provisions added or moved by later amendments.

Browse 3 other sections
Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

ORR

Office of Rail and Road

Independent safety and economic regulator for Britain's railways. Regulates health and safety for the mainline rail network, London Underground, light rail, trams, …

Connected legislation

parent Act

These instruments amend, apply, or refer to this Act. They may not all create direct business obligations.

Made under

European Communities Act 1972 1972 Primary Act

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