Commentary on provisions of the Act Railway matters Section 39: Objectives of Office of Rail and Road
The Railways Act 1993 imposes on the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) a duty to address certain objectives in the execution of its non-safety functions. These objectives do not currently contain any explicit requirement for the ORR to facilitate the construction of Phase One of High Speed 2. Subsection (1) adds such a requirement and thereby clarifies the ORR’s role for the benefit of the ORR and rail operators. Subsection (2) instructs the ORR to consult the Secretary of State about how it should carry out this duty. The duty will sit alongside the ORR’s existing duties and is not intended to override its existing duties.
	Subsection (3) enables the Secretary of State to make an order repealing this section. This power enables the objective to be removed from the remit of the ORR when it is no longer relevant.