Office of Rail and Road

Office of Rail and Road

Agency overview
Formed	5 July 2004; 19 years ago (5 July 2004)
Preceding agency	Office of the Rail Regulator
Type	Non-ministerial government department
Jurisdiction	United Kingdom
Headquarters	25 Cabot Square London E14 4QZ[1]
Employees	330 (2019/20)[2]
Annual budget	£30 million[3]
Agency executives	Declan Collier, Chair John Larkinson, Chief Executive
Key document	Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003
Website	orr.gov.uk

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is a non-ministerial government department responsible for the economic and safety regulation of Britain's railways, and the economic monitoring of National Highways.

ORR regulates Network Rail by setting its activities and funding requirements for each Control Period, ensuring train operators have fair access to the railway network, and enforcing compliance with its network licence. ORR also regulates High Speed 1, the Channel Tunnel, and also acts as the appeal body, controls the network statement and monitors the competitive situation of rail services in Northern Ireland. It is the competition authority for the railways and enforces consumer protection law in relation to the railways.^[4]

From April 2015, ORR assumed responsibility for monitoring National Highways' management of the strategic road network – the motorways and main 'A' roads in England – and advising the Secretary of State for Transport on the levels of funding and performance requirements for each Road Period.^[5]