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Railways Act 1993 (c. 43)

(The document as of February, 2008)

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(1) There are hereby transferred to the Franchising Director (so as to be exercisable concurrently with the Board) the functions of the Board under--

(a) section 4A of the [1962 c. 46.] Transport Act 1962 (provision of road passenger transport services), and

(b) sections 119 to 124 of the [1985 c. 67.] Transport Act 1985 (bus substitution services etc),

so far as relating to services which have been temporarily interrupted or discontinued.

(2) In their application to the Franchising Director by virtue of subsection (1) above, the sections there mentioned shall have effect--

(a) as if any reference to the Board were a reference to the Franchising Director;

(b) as if any reference to the imposition of a condition by the Secretary of State were a reference to the imposition of a closure condition under this Part by the Secretary of State or the Regulator;

(c) in the case of sections 119 to 122 of the Transport Act 1985, with the modifications set out in subsection (3) below; and

(d) in the case of section 123 of that Act, with the modifications set out in subsection (4) below.

(3) The modifications of sections 119 to 122 are that--

(a) any reference to the Secretary of State (other than a reference to the imposition of a condition by him) shall be taken as a reference to the Regulator;

(b) any reference to section 54(5) of the [1968 c. 73.] Transport Act 1968 shall be taken as a reference to section 43(9) or 44(2) above;

(c) in subsection (1)(a) of section 119, the words "by the Board" shall be treated as omitted; and

(d) subsections (4) and (5) of section 122 shall be disregarded.

(4) The modifications of section 123 are that--

(a) any reference to the Secretary of State shall be taken as a reference to the Regulator;

(b) in subsection (1), for paragraphs (a) and (c) there shall be substituted respectively--

" (a) "Area Committee" means a rail users' consultative committee established under subsection (2) of section 2 of the Railways Act 1993 or, in relation to the Greater London area, within the meaning of that section, the London Regional Passengers' Committee; " ; and

" (c) "the Central Committee" means the Central Rail Users' Consultative Committee; " ;

and the words following paragraph (c) shall be disregarded;

(c) subsection (3) shall be disregarded;

(d) in subsection (4)--

(i) the reference to section 56(4) of the [1962 c. 46.] Transport Act 1962 shall be taken as a reference to section 76 or, as the case may be, section 77 below; and

(ii) the reference to the services and facilities provided by the Railways Board shall be taken as a reference to services for the carriage of passengers by railway;

(e) in subsection (10), the reference to section 119 of that Act shall be taken to include a reference to section 37 or 38 above.

(5) In sections 23 to 31 above, any reference to services for the carriage of passengers by railway includes a reference to bus substitution services required to be provided in place of any such services.

(6) Where the Board is subject to a condition requiring the securing of the provision of a bus substitution service, the duty to comply with that condition shall, without prejudice to the generality of section 85 below, be regarded as a liability that may be transferred by a scheme under that section; and where there is such a transfer, any reference to the Board in sections 119 to 124 of the [1985 c. 67.] Transport Act 1985 shall accordingly be taken to include a reference to the transferee.

(7) In this section "bus substitution service" has the same meaning as it has in sections 120 to 124 of the Transport Act 1985.

48 Experimental railway passenger services

(1) Sections 37, 38, 43 and 44 above shall not apply in relation to any proposal to discontinue an experimental passenger service on any line or from any station.

(2) In any case where--

(a) an experimental passenger service on any line or from any station is provided in satisfaction of requirements imposed by a franchise agreement,

(b) the requirement so to provide that service comes to an end, and

(c) the operator intends to discontinue that service,

the Franchising Director shall give due notice if he proposes not to secure its continued provision.

(3) In any case where--

(a) an experimental passenger service on any line or from any station is provided otherwise than as mentioned in subsection (2)(a) above, and

(b) the operator proposes to discontinue that service,

he shall give due notice of that proposal and shall not discontinue that service before the expiry of the notice period.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (2) above, the Franchising Director shall be taken to have given due notice of a proposal if, and only if, after consultation with every consultative committee whose area consists of or includes the whole or any part of the area affected, he has, not less than six weeks before giving effect to the proposal,--

(a) published a notice giving details of the proposal in two successive weeks in a local newspaper circulating in the area affected and in two national newspapers and in such other manner as may appear to him appropriate; and

(b) sent a copy of that notice to every such consultative committee.

(5) For the purposes of subsection (3) above, the operator shall be taken to have given due notice of a proposal if, and only if, not less than six weeks before giving effect to the proposal, he has published in two successive weeks in a local newspaper circulating in the area affected and in two national newspapers, and in such other manner as may appear to him appropriate, a notice giving details of the proposal.

(6) In this Part "experimental passenger service", in relation to any line or station, means a railway passenger service on that line or from that station which is designated by the Franchising Director as experimental and which either--

(a) was so designated before its introduction; or

(b) before being designated under this section as experimental, was at some time provided on an experimental basis, within the meaning of section 56A of the [1962 c. 46.] Transport Act 1962.

(7) Where the Franchising Director decides to designate a service as experimental, he shall--

(a) if the service is to be provided otherwise than in satisfaction of requirements imposed by a franchise agreement, give notice of the designation to the person who is to be the operator of the service;

(b) send a copy of that notice to the Regulator and to every consultative committee whose area consists of or includes the whole or any part of the area affected; and

(c) publish notice of the designation in two successive weeks in a local newspaper circulating in the area affected and in two national newspapers.

(8) No service may be designated as experimental for a period exceeding 5 years.

(9) Where a service is designated as experimental for a period of less than 5 years, the designation may subsequently be extended, but the aggregate of the periods for which a service is designated as experimental shall not exceed 5 years.

(10) In determining for the purposes of subsection (8) or (9) above the period or periods for which a service is designated as experimental--

(a) there shall be left out of account so much of any period when the service was designated as experimental as falls before the day on which the service was introduced; but

(b) if the service is one which has been provided on an experimental basis, within the meaning of section 56A of the [1962 c. 46.] Transport Act 1962, every period during which it was so provided, or during which the provisions of that section had effect in relation to it by virtue of subsection (11)(b) below, shall be counted as a period during which the service was designated as experimental.

(11) Where, immediately before the coming into force of section 49(1) below so far as relating to section 56A of the [1962 c. 46.] Transport Act 1962 (proposals to discontinue services provided on an experimental basis), a railway passenger service is being provided on an experimental basis within the meaning of the said section 56A--

(a) none of the following provisions, that is to say, sections 37 and 38 above, section 49(2) and (3) below and Schedule 5 to this Act, shall have effect in relation to that service until such time as a franchise agreement is entered into in respect of that service or in respect of some or all of the other railway passenger services provided in the area in which, or on the line on which, that service is provided; and

(b) the provisions of the said section 56A shall continue to have effect with respect to that service--

(i) until the time mentioned in paragraph (a) above, or

(ii) until the service becomes an experimental passenger service under this section,

whichever first occurs.

(12) In this section--

  • "the area affected", in relation to an experimental service on any line or from any station, means the area in which is situated the line or, as the case may be, the station in question;

  • "operator", in relation to any service, means--

    (a)

    in the case of a service provided in satisfaction of requirements imposed by a franchise agreement, the franchisee; or

    (b)

    in the case of a service provided otherwise than in satisfaction of requirements imposed by a franchise agreement, the person who provides the service.

(13) In this Part, "notice period", in relation to the duty of an operator to give due notice of a proposed discontinuance of an experimental passenger service, means the period of six weeks immediately following the fulfilment by the operator of that duty.

49 Abolition of former closure procedures, exemptions from new procedures and imposition of alternative procedure

(1) The former closure provisions, that is to say--

(a) section 56(7) to (10) and (13) of the [1962 c. 46.] Transport Act 1962,

(b) section 56A of that Act,

(c) section 54 of the [1968 c. 73.] Transport Act 1968, and

(d) any other enactment (including an enactment comprised in local legislation) to the extent that it applies the enactments specified in paragraphs (a) to (c) above, with or without modification,

shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, cease to have effect.

(2) Section 37 above shall not have effect in relation to any railway passenger services, or any railway passenger services of a class or description, which the Secretary of State may by order designate as services in relation to which that section is not to have effect.

(3) Schedule 5 to this Act (which makes similar provision to that made by section 56(7) to (10) and (13) of the [1962 c. 46.] Transport Act 1962) shall have effect in relation to such of the railway passenger services, or railway passenger services of a class or description, in relation to which section 37 above does not have effect as the Secretary of State may by order designate as railway passenger services in relation to which that Schedule is to have effect.

(4) Section 39 above shall not have effect with respect to any networks, or any networks of a class or description, which the Secretary of State may by order designate as networks in relation to which that section is not to have effect.

(5) Section 41 above shall not have effect in relation to any stations or light maintenance depots, or stations or light maintenance depots of a class or description, which the Secretary of State may by order designate as stations, or (as the case may be) light maintenance depots, in relation to which that section is not to have effect.

(6) Where any enactment or instrument passed or made before the relevant date contains provision to the effect that section 56 of the [1962 c. 46.] Transport Act 1962 is not to apply in respect of the discontinuance of specified railway passenger services or railway passenger services of a specified class or description, that provision shall (notwithstanding anything in subsection (1) above) have effect in relation to any such discontinuance after the relevant date as if references in that provision to that section were references--

(a) to section 37 above; and

(b) to Schedule 5 to this Act;

and in this subsection "the relevant date" means the date on which the provisions mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b) above come into force.

(7) Any reference in this section to railway passenger services, networks, stations or light maintenance depots includes a reference to part of a railway passenger service, network, station or light maintenance depot, as the case may be.

(8) For the purposes of this section, "railway" has its wider meaning.

50 Exclusion of liability for breach of statutory duty

(1) The obligations of the Franchising Director, imposed by or under any provision of this Part--

(a) to comply with any closure conditions,

(b) to secure compliance with any closure conditions,

(c) to secure the provision of any services, or

(d) to secure the operation of any additional railway asset,

shall not give rise to any form of duty or liability enforceable by civil proceedings for breach of statutory duty.

(2) Subject to section 57 below, the obligations of--

(a) any service operator (within the meaning of section 37 above), imposed by or under section 37(1) above, not to discontinue any railway passenger services,

(b) any operator (within the meaning of section 48 above), imposed by or under section 48(3) above, not to discontinue any experimental passenger services, or

(c) any operator of an additional railway asset, imposed by or under section 39(1) or 41(1) above, not to discontinue the operation of any additional railway asset,

shall not give rise to any form of duty or liability enforceable by civil proceedings for breach of statutory duty.



Supplementary powers of the Franchising Director etc.

51 Performance of the Franchising Director's duties to secure the provision of services etc

(1) Where the Franchising Director is under a duty to secure the provision of any services or the operation of any additional railway assets, or is empowered by section 30 above to secure the operation of any additional railway assets, he may perform that duty or exercise that power by entering into agreements or arrangements under which other persons (in this section referred to as "sub-contractors") are to provide the services or, as the case may be, operate the additional railway assets in question.

(2) The Franchising Director may enter into an agreement or arrangement such as is mentioned in subsection (1) above notwithstanding that the sub-contractor in question is a company which is wholly owned by the Franchising Director.

(3) Any agreement or arrangement such as is mentioned in subsection (1) above may include such provisions, including provision with respect to the fares or other charges that may be imposed by the sub-contractor in question, as the Franchising Director may think fit.

(4) Any sums required by the Franchising Director for the purpose of performing any such duty, or exercising any such power, as is mentioned in subsection (1) above shall be paid by the Secretary of State out of money provided by Parliament.

(5) Any sums received by the Franchising Director in consequence of the performance of any such duty, or the exercise of any such power, as is mentioned in subsection (1) above shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

52 Contracts between the Franchising Director and the Board etc. for the provision of non-franchised railway passenger services

(1) The Franchising Director may enter into agreements with the Board or any wholly owned subsidiary of the Board for the provision by the Board or subsidiary of any railway passenger services which are not provided under a franchise agreement.

(2) Any sums required by the Franchising Director for the making of payments under any agreement entered into by virtue of this section shall be paid by the Secretary of State out of money provided by Parliament.

(3) Any sums received by the Franchising Director under any such agreement shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

53 Powers of the Franchising Director to form and finance companies and to acquire and dispose of assets

(1) The Franchising Director may form companies for the purpose of facilitating the performance of any functions assigned or transferred to him under or by virtue of this Act.

(2) The Franchising Director may--

(a) hold interests in any company which he forms as mentioned in subsection (1) above;

(b) exercise rights conferred by the holding of interests in any such company; and

(c) provide financial or other assistance to or in respect of any such company, including assistance by way of guarantee of its obligations.

(3) The Franchising Director may (whether by exercising his powers to make a transfer scheme or otherwise and whether or not for any consideration) acquire or dispose of any property, rights or liabilities which have been, or which are intended to be,--

(a) designated as franchise assets by or under any franchise agreement,

(b) used for the purpose of providing franchised services,

(c) used for the purpose of operating any additional railway asset under a franchise agreement, or

(d) used for the purpose of providing any services, or operating any additional railway asset, in pursuance of a duty or power to secure the provision of such services or the operation of such an additional railway asset.

(4) Any sums required by the Franchising Director for making payments in consequence of the exercise of any such powers as are mentioned in this section shall be paid by the Secretary of State out of money provided by Parliament.

(5) Any sums received by the Franchising Director in consequence of the exercise of any such powers as are mentioned in this section shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

54 Exercise of functions for purpose of encouraging investment in the railways

(1) The Franchising Director or a Passenger Transport Authority or Passenger Transport Executive--

(a) in exercising or deciding whether or not to exercise any of his, or (as the case may be) their, franchising functions, may take into account the desirability of encouraging railway investment; and

(b) may exercise any such functions for the purpose of encouraging railway investment or for purposes which include that purpose.

(2) The Franchising Director may, for the purpose of encouraging railway investment, enter into agreements with any person under which the Franchising Director undertakes to exercise franchising functions of his, to refrain from exercising such functions, or to exercise such functions in a particular manner.

(3) In this section--

  • "franchising functions", in relation to the Franchising Director, means--

    (a)

    any functions of his under sections 17 to 19, 23, 24, 26 to 35, 52 and 53(3) above;

    (b)

    any power conferred on him under or by virtue of Part II below with respect to the effecting by transfer scheme of any transfer contemplated by any provision of those sections; and

    (c)

    any other functions of his which relate to the provision of railway passenger services, or the operation of additional railway assets, under or by virtue of franchise agreements;

  • "franchising functions", in relation to a Passenger Transport Authority or Passenger Transport Executive, means any functions conferred or imposed on the Authority or, as the case may be, the Executive under or by virtue of section 34 above;

  • "railway investment" means investment in assets for use in the provision of railway services.



Enforcement by the Regulator and the Franchising Director

55 Orders for securing compliance

(1) Subject to subsections (2) to (5) and section 56 below, where the appropriate officer is satisfied that a relevant operator is contravening, or is likely to contravene, any relevant condition or requirement, he shall by a final order make such provision as is requisite for the purpose of securing compliance with that condition or requirement.

(2) Subject to subsection (5) below, where it appears to the appropriate officer--

(a) that a relevant operator is contravening, or is likely to contravene, any relevant condition or requirement, and

(b) that it is requisite that a provisional order be made,

he shall (instead of taking steps towards the making of a final order) by a provisional order make such provision as appears to him requisite for the purpose of securing compliance with that condition or requirement.

(3) In determining for the purposes of subsection (2)(b) above whether it is requisite that a provisional order be made, the appropriate officer shall have regard, in particular, to the extent to which any person is likely to sustain loss or damage in consequence of anything which, in contravention of the relevant condition or requirement, is likely to be done, or omitted to be done, before a final order may be made.

(4) Subject to subsection (5) and section 56 below, the appropriate officer shall confirm a provisional order, with or without modifications, if--

(a) he is satisfied that the relevant operator to whom the order relates is contravening, or is likely to contravene, any relevant condition or requirement; and

(b) the provision made by the order (with any modifications) is requisite for the purpose of securing compliance with that condition or requirement.

(5) The appropriate officer shall not make a final order, or make or confirm a provisional order, in relation to a relevant operator if he is satisfied--

(a) that the duties imposed on him by section 4 or, as the case may be, section 5 above preclude the making or, as the case may be, the confirmation of the order;

(b) that the relevant operator has agreed to take, and is taking, all such steps as it appears to the appropriate officer for the time being to be appropriate for the relevant operator to take for the purpose of securing or facilitating compliance with the condition or requirement in question; or

(c) that the contraventions were, or the apprehended contraventions are, of a trivial nature.

(6) Where the appropriate officer is satisfied as mentioned in subsection (5) above, he shall--

(a) serve notice that he is so satisfied on the relevant operator; and

(b) publish the notice in such manner as he considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing the matters to which the notice relates to the attention of persons likely to be affected by them.

(7) A final or provisional order--

(a) shall require the relevant operator to whom it relates (according to the circumstances of the case) to do, or not to do, such things as are specified in the order or are of a description so specified;

(b) shall take effect at such time, being the earliest practicable time, as is determined by or under the order; and

(c) may be revoked at any time by the appropriate officer.

(8) Without prejudice to the generality of the power conferred by subsection (1) above, the provision that may be made in a final order includes, in particular, the imposition by the appropriate officer on the relevant operator to whom the order relates of a requirement to pay to the appropriate officer a monetary penalty of such amount as may be appropriate, in all the circumstances of the case, in respect of the contravention in question.

(9) Without prejudice to section 50 above, nothing in this section or in sections 56 to 58 below shall exclude the availability of any remedy in respect of any contravention or apprehended contravention of a relevant condition or requirement.

(10) In this Part--

  • "the appropriate officer" means--

    (a)

    in relation to any relevant condition or requirement in the case of a licence holder or a person under closure restrictions, the Regulator;

    (b)

    in relation to any relevant condition or requirement in the case of a franchisee or a franchise operator, the Franchising Director;

  • "final order" means an order under this section, other than a provisional order;

  • "provisional order" means an order under this section which, if not previously confirmed in accordance with subsection (4) above, will cease to have effect at the end of such period (not exceeding three months) as is determined by or under the order;

  • "relevant condition or requirement" means--

    (a)

    in the case of a licence holder, any condition of his licence;

    (b)

    in the case of a franchisee, or any franchise operator who is a party to the franchise agreement, any term of the franchise agreement;

    (c)

    in the case of a person under closure restrictions--

    (d)

    the duty under section 37(1), 39(1) or 41(1) above not to discontinue a railway passenger service, or the operation of the whole or any part of a network, station or light maintenance depot, before the date stated by him in accordance with section 37(3), 39(4) or 41(3) above; and

    (ii)

    the duty under section 48(3) above not to discontinue an experimental passenger service before the expiry of the notice period;

  • "relevant operator" means any licence holder, franchisee, franchise operator who is a party to the franchise agreement or person under closure restrictions.

(11) In subsection (10) above, "person under closure restrictions" means a person--

(a) who proposes a closure in circumstances such that he is required by any provision of this Part to give notice of the proposal to the Franchising Director; or

(b) who proposes to discontinue an experimental passenger service in circumstances such that he is required by section 48 above to give due notice of the proposal.

(12) Any sums received by the appropriate officer by way of monetary penalty under this section shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

56 Procedural requirements

(1) Before he makes a final order or confirms a provisional order, the appropriate officer shall give notice--

(a) stating that he proposes to make or confirm the order and setting out its effect,

(b) setting out--

(i) the relevant condition or requirement for the purpose of securing compliance with which the order is to be made or confirmed,

(ii) the acts or omissions which, in his opinion, constitute or would constitute contraventions of that condition or requirement, and

(iii) the other facts which, in his opinion, justify the making or confirmation of the order, and

(c) specifying the period (not being less than 28 days from the date of publication of the notice) within which representations or objections with respect to the proposed order or proposed confirmation may be made,

and shall consider any representations or objections which are duly made and not withdrawn.

(2) A notice under subsection (1) above shall be given--

(a) by publishing the notice in such manner as the appropriate officer considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing the matters to which the notice relates to the attention of persons likely to be affected by them; and

(b) by serving a copy of the notice, and a copy of the proposed order or of the order proposed to be confirmed, on the relevant operator to whom the order relates.

(3) The appropriate officer shall not make a final order with modifications, or confirm a provisional order with modifications, except--

(a) with the consent to the modifications of the relevant operator to whom the order relates; or

(b) after complying with the requirements of subsection (4) below.

(4) The requirements mentioned in subsection (3) above are that the appropriate officer shall--

(a) serve on the relevant operator to whom the order relates such notice as appears to him requisite of his proposal to make or confirm the order with modifications;

(b) in that notice specify the period (not being less than 28 days from the date of service of the notice) within which representations or objections with respect to the proposed modifications may be made; and

(c) consider any representations or objections which are duly made and not withdrawn.

(5) As soon as practicable after making a final order or making or confirming a provisional order, the appropriate officer shall--

(a) serve a copy of the order on the relevant operator to whom the order relates; and

(b) publish the order in such manner as he considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing it to the attention of persons likely to be affected by it.

(6) Before revoking a final order or a provisional order which has been confirmed, the appropriate officer shall give notice--

(a) stating that he proposes to revoke the order and setting out the effect of its revocation, and

(b) specifying the period (not being less than 28 days from the date of publication of the notice) within which representations or objections with respect to the proposed revocation may be made,

and shall consider any representations or objections which are duly made and not withdrawn.

(7) If, after giving notice under subsection (6) above, the appropriate officer decides not to revoke the order to which the notice relates, he shall give notice of his decision.

(8) A notice under subsection (6) or (7) above shall be given--

(a) by publishing the notice in such manner as the appropriate officer considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing the matters to which the notice relates to the attention of persons likely to be affected by them; and

(b) by serving a copy of the notice on the relevant operator to whom the order relates.

57 Validity and effect of orders

(1) If the relevant operator to whom a final or provisional order relates is aggrieved by the order and desires to question its validity on the ground--

(a) that its making or confirmation was not within the powers of section 55 above, or

(b) that any of the requirements of section 56 above have not been complied with in relation to it,

he may, within 42 days from the date of service on him of a copy of the order, make an application to the court under this section.

(2) On any such application the court, if satisfied that the making or confirmation of the order was not within those powers or that the interests of the relevant operator have been substantially prejudiced by a failure to comply with those requirements--

(a) may quash the order or any provision of the order; or

(b) if and to the extent that the application related to so much of an order as imposes a monetary penalty, may substitute a monetary penalty of such lesser amount as the court considers appropriate in all the circumstances of the case.

(3) Except as provided by this section, the validity of a final or provisional order shall not be questioned by any legal proceedings whatever.

(4) The obligation to comply with a final or provisional order shall be a duty owed to any person who may be affected by a contravention of the order.

(5) Where a duty is owed by virtue of subsection (4) above to any person, any breach of the duty which causes that person to sustain loss or damage shall be actionable at the suit or instance of that person.

(6) In any proceedings brought against a relevant operator in pursuance of subsection (5) above, it shall be a defence for him to prove that he took all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence to avoid contravening the order.

(7) Without prejudice to any right which any person may have by virtue of subsection (5) above to bring civil proceedings in respect of any contravention or apprehended contravention of a final or provisional order, compliance with any such order shall be enforceable by civil proceedings by the appropriate officer for an injunction or for interdict or for any other appropriate relief or remedy.

(8) Where a relevant operator to whom a final or provisional order relates has made an application pursuant to subsection (1) above questioning the validity of that order, the making of that application shall not affect--

(a) his obligation to comply with the order, or

(b) the right which any person may have to bring civil proceedings against him in pursuance of subsection (5) or (7) above.

(9) In this section and section 58 below "the court" means the High Court in relation to England and Wales and the Court of Session in relation to Scotland.

58 Power to require information etc

(1) Where it appears to the appropriate officer that a relevant operator may be contravening, or may have contravened, any relevant condition or requirement, the appropriate officer may, for any purpose connected with such of his functions under section 55 above as are exercisable in relation to that matter, serve a notice under subsection (2) below on any person.

(2) A notice under this subsection is a notice signed by the appropriate officer and--

(a) requiring the person on whom it is served to produce, at a time and place specified in the notice, to the appropriate officer or to any person appointed by the appropriate officer for the purpose, any documents which are specified or described in the notice and are in that person's custody or under his control; or

(b) requiring that person, if he is carrying on a business, to furnish, at a time and place and in the form and manner specified in the notice, to the appropriate officer such information as may be specified or described in the notice.

(3) No person shall be required under this section to produce any documents which he could not be compelled to produce in civil proceedings in the court or, in complying with any requirement for the furnishing of information, to give any information which he could not be compelled to give in evidence in any such proceedings.

(4) A person who without reasonable excuse fails to do anything required of him by notice under subsection (2) above is guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

(5) A person who intentionally alters, suppresses or destroys any document which he has been required by any notice under subsection (2) above to produce is guilty of an offence and shall be liable--

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine.

(6) If a person makes default in complying with a notice under subsection (2) above, the court may, on the application of the appropriate officer, make such order as the court thinks fit for requiring the default to be made good; and any such order may provide that all the costs or expenses of and incidental to the application shall be borne by the person in default or by any officers of a company or other association who are responsible for its default.

(7) Any reference in this section to the production of a document includes a reference to the production of a legible and intelligible copy of information recorded otherwise than in legible form; and the reference to suppressing a document includes a reference to destroying the means of reproducing information recorded otherwise than in legible form.



Railway administration orders, winding up and insolvency

59 Meaning and effect of railway administration order

(1) A "railway administration order" is an order of the court made in accordance with section 60, 61 or 62 below in relation to a protected railway company and directing that, during the period for which the order is in force, the affairs, business and property of the company shall be managed, by a person appointed by the court,--

(a) for the achievement of the purposes of such an order; and

(b) in a manner which protects the respective interests of the members and creditors of the company.

(2) The purposes of a railway administration order made in relation to any company shall be--

(a) the transfer to another company, or (as respects different parts of its undertaking) to two or more different companies, as a going concern, of so much of the company's undertaking as it is necessary to transfer in order to ensure that the relevant activities may be properly carried on; and

(b) the carrying on of those relevant activities pending the making of the transfer.

(3) Schedule 6 to this Act shall have effect for applying provisions of the [1986 c. 45.] Insolvency Act 1986 where a railway administration order is made.

(4) Schedule 7 to this Act shall have effect for enabling provision to be made with respect to cases in which, in pursuance of a railway administration order, another company is to carry on all or any of the relevant activities of a protected railway company in place of that company.

(5) Without prejudice to paragraph 20 of Schedule 6 to this Act, the power conferred by section 411 of the [1986 c. 45.] Insolvency Act 1986 to make rules shall apply for the purpose of giving effect to the railway administration order provisions of this Act as it applies for the purpose of giving effect to Parts I to VII of that Act, but taking any reference in that section to those Parts as a reference to those provisions.

(6) For the purposes of this Part--

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