Railways: Franchises
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mechanisms her Department will establish to safeguard commercially sensitive route proposals made by open access rail operators.
Answered by Simon Lightwood
The Railways Bill will reform the existing rules for access and use of the railway by enabling GBR to take decisions on best use of the network. GBR will make these decisions against duties clearly defined in the bill, public law principles including to act fair and transparently, its own policies (which legislation requires GBR must consult on and publish), and wider legal obligations, including competition law.
GBR's processes and behaviours will need to ensure that any third party commercial sensitive information provided to GBR as part of this assessment is appropriately handled, in manner that enables all parties to comply with their legal obligations.
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