Please note that the Committee’s contact details have changed. Please see the bottom of the page for details.

The Access Disputes Committee is responsible for the operation of the mandatory dispute resolution procedures that form part of all regulated Access Agreements on the national rail network of Great Britain. These include Track, Station, Depot and Connection Agreements, as well as disputes that arise from responsibilities under the Network Code (such as timetabling, Network Change, delay attribution).

The Committee runs on a not-for-profit basis on behalf of the industry, providing swift, efficient and low-cost legal resolution for issues arising from those Agreements. It has existed in some form since rail privatisation, enabling the industry to resolve differences amicably, and without needing to engage in costly commercial litigation or disrupt railway timetable delivery.

The dispute resolution processes are set out in the Access Dispute Resolution Rules, which are an Annex to the Network Code. They are designed to be accessible; any competent railway manager will be able to run their own case, in nearly all instances, without the need for legal support. This website gives ready access to a directory of practical precedents, together with full copies of the determinations of past hearings and appeals, as well as templates for Notices of Dispute and hearing submissions.

Separate sections of this website deal with Access dispute resolution matters on the High Speed 1 rail link and on the Heathrow Airport Ltd, Core Valley Lines, Crossrail Central Operating Section and Nexus Metro infrastructure. Links to the relevant Network Codes (and ADRR) can be found on the different Infrastructure Manager sections, save for Network Rail’s Network Code and ADRR, which can be found here.

The Committee’s response to the March 2023 Great British Railways Transition Team discussion papers can be found here.

Following abolition of the Rail Industry Disputes Resolution Committee, the Access Disputes Committee holds responsibility for oversight of the CAHA Registrar whilst the Secretary of the Access Disputes Committee is deemed to act also as RIDR Secretary in any circumstances where that may become necessary.

The RIDR Rules have been amended. For the avoidance of doubt, it should be noted that Parties to any dispute under the RIDR Rules should cooperate to make their own arrangements for progressing the matter to mediation or arbitration.

The Access Disputes Committee is administered by a small Secretariat based near Paddington Station, which is also the usual location for any hearings of Timetabling Panels or Access Dispute Adjudications.