Rail and maritime Red Tape Challenge

The maritime and rail transportation systems are a key part of the UK’s transport network. Effective regulation is required to allow maritime and rail transport to operate to their full potential.

This Red Tape Challenge theme will look at over 400 regulations in the maritime and rail sector, and covers a broad range of rules - from those concerning fares and licensing in the rail industry, through to those aimed at protecting the marine environment.

See what the sector champions are saying about the Red Tape Challenge.

Maritime

The Maritime Red Tape Challenge includes over 200 international and domestic regulations relating to the maritime sector to ensure that the UK’s shipping, ports and waterways are operated in an efficient, safe, secure and sustainable manner.

• Maritime Red Tape Challenge

Maritime outcome

• Maritime theme outcome announcement

In November 2011, the Department for Transport launched the Maritime theme of the government’s Red Tape Challenge programme to reduce burdens for industry and taxpayers. Following a rigorous process of challenge, stakeholder engagement and public consultation, the results were announced today in the Budget - 63% of the regulations in scope have been identified to be scrapped or improved.

Rail

Earlier this year, 198 secondary regulations relating to our railways were put forward for discussion.

• Red Tape Challenge rail transportation theme

Rail outcome

• Rail theme outcome report
• Rail theme regulations and actions

Following a rigorous process of challenge within Whitehall, and following suggestions from the public, business and other stakeholders, the department is proposing to scrap, simplify, amend and improve over forty per cent of these. Amongst the measures being pursued are:

• streamlining the process for amending penalty fares
• harmonising and simplifying the process for obtaining an operating licence
• holding a review of the railway closure process
• reducing regulatory burdens and costs on historic cableways
• merging a number of regulations to make them easier to understand
• removing a significant number of lapsed or redundant regulations

Background Information

• Rail Red Tape Challenge press notice
• Rail Red Tape Challenge outcome written statement

Next steps

The department will now seek to implement the proposed actions as soon as possible. Many will require further development and consultation and we will come forward with specific proposals in due course.

Related documents

• Your chance to cut red tape - press release

Red Tape Challenge

• Regulatory enforcement
• Road transport