Network Rail TOC notice period for planned disruption

[kingqueen]

Does anybody know please, roughly how much notice TOCs generally get of planned possessions etc.? The notice they have for planning alternative diagrams / transport, staffing, warning passengers etc.

Thank you

 

[800002]

From the Network Code, Part D (a screengrab) - hopefully this will assist.

The possession 'timetable' starts 30 weeks prior to train run.
The Operator then has till 18 weeks prior to train run to submit it's amended trains slots bid, which NR offers back at 14 weeks prior to train run.

In theory (but not necessarily in practice) the operator needs to provide NR with amended diagrams alongside its 'Informed Traveller' bid at 18 weeks prior to train run.



There is ofcourse the the Engineering Access Statement published alongside the Train Planning Rules, which gives the the general possession plan for the entire timetable period for each of the three classes of possession (section 4; 5; or 7).

Possessions are only 'confirmed' with precise details (which can be amended up until quite close to the actual day) with the 'Confirmed Period Possession Plan' published 26 weeks prior to the start of the 4 week railway Period.

 

[swt_passenger]

The engineering access statement (EAS) gives over two years notice of NR’s plans for disruptive possessions. There’s a significant number of iterations before it gets set in stone.

 

[800002]

The engineering access statement (EAS) gives over two years notice of NR’s plans for disruptive possessions.

Forgot to mention about the EAS covering two (annual) timetables.

Currently I cansee possessions listed uptil Feb 2021

 

[kingqueen]

Thank you!

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

In practice however engineering access can (and is) agreed at much less notice than this. It's common during major projects when unforeseen problems or delays occur which require 'catching up' asap to avoid massive knock on effects through successive weeks or months of preagreed access.

 

[kingqueen]

In practice however engineering access can (and is) agreed at much less notice than this. It's common during major projects when unforeseen problems or delays occur which require 'catching up' asap to avoid massive knock on effects through successive weeks or months of preagreed access.

Thank you for the info.
Is there any form of recommended or prescribed minimum for this situation, do you know?
Or is this like "overrunning engineering works" where it is necessarily no notice, "ad hoc"?

 

[The Planner]

The Engineering Access Statement is the document to use, the 2021 version will be out in autumn and will cover everything for that timetable year. V2 is the decision document for the Dec timetable, V4 for the May. However, as said already, possessions can be added or pulled up to the day before depending on the decision of senior management. Doing it after CPPP gets expensive as the Schedule 4 compensation to the TOC/FOC will rise. NR will be talking to operators about disruption in 2022 already, it just won't be published anywhere.

 

[800002]

Thank you for the info.
Is there any form of recommended or prescribed minimum for this situation, do you know?

If something arrises and NR need a possession to fix it, then they cantake a posession with no notice. That's the extreme situation.
As much notice as possible is generally supplied, and again, NR communicates with the TOCs concerned right from the begining.

So, there is no minimum reqirement.
Once an issue has been 'made safe for the passage of trains' but requires further work to return the line to full operational use - than this can be planned out by NR with TOC submitting a revised timetable in under four weeks. An operators timtable can be effectively re-written in as little a five days (or less, if required).

 

[kingqueen]

Thank you for the background, I appreciate it.

 

[LAX54]

and then there are the times the possession is late being taken, or cancelled, because the TOC has made no changes to its timetable !

 

[800002]

and then there are the times the possession is late being taken, or cancelled, because the TOC has made no changes to its timetable !

Ahh, the enevitable 'Trains thru Possessions'. V's 'Possessions put onto Trains' mystery.
I will flat out agree with you - there have been times (and will again) where trains remain un-amended / un-cancelled.
For this to happen though, so many people need to havemissed it.

Often though, possessions are put ontop of trains (sometimes within two weeks of the day) leading to the inevitable 'Trains thru Possessions' sinario.

 

[The Planner]

For this to happen though, so many people need to havemissed it.