Les Waters Senior Manager, Licensing Railway Markets and Economics Telephone 020 7282 2106 E-mail:
[email protected] Company Secretary Network Rail Infrastructure Limited 1 Eversholt Street London NW1 2DN 17 January 2020 Network licence Condition 17 (land disposal): Andover station yard, Hampshire Decision 1. On 3 October 2019, Network Rail gave notice of its intention to dispose of land at Andover station yard, Hampshire (“the land”), in accordance with Condition 17 of its network licence. The land is described in more detail in the notice (copy attached) and at Annex B. 2. We have considered the information supplied by Network Rail including the responses received from third parties consulted. For the purposes of Condition 17 of Network Rail’s network licence, ORR consents to the disposal of the land in accordance with the particulars set out in its notice. Reasons for decision 3. In considering this case, and with Network Rail’s agreement, we considered it appropriate, under Condition 17.5 of Network Rail’s network licence, to extend the deadline to 20 January 2020, to allow Network Rail sufficient time to address the points we raised below. i. We considered that the disposal was inconsistent with Network Rail’s freight site enhancements plan for Andover, as it would remove the area designated as a “Bufferstop Overrun Risk Zone” (shown in Annex B). Further, the proposed disposal could also reduce operational flexibility for passenger train through-running towards Basingstoke and beyond, and it was not clear whether this had been considered sufficiently. ii. We noted that Andover Town Council wished to see redevelopment north of Andover station, which would include the provision of direct pedestrian access to the station.