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What is ATOC and what does it do?

The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) is an unincorporated association owned by its members. It was set up by the train operators formed during privatisation of the railways under the Railways Act 1993.

As well as being the official voice of the passenger rail industry, it also provides its members with a range of services that enable them to comply with conditions laid on them in their franchise agreements and operating licences. These include:

  • Revenue allocation and settlement
  • National Rail Enquiries
  • Railcard marketing
  • Staff travel arrangements
  • International products
  • The Relationship with London Regional Transport
  • Travel Agent licensing

ATOC's principal activities are:

  • Facilitation, to help members work together to meet their obligations and to promote the use of passenger services.
  • Assisting members to co-operate on developing products and managing projects that benefit passengers, to promote the advantages of the rail network, and to share best practice.
  • Communicating with government, public bodies, European institutions and other authorities, the media also to and from third parties, including other transport operators.
  • Providing information through printed and electronic materials, conferences, meetings and seminars on passenger rail industry issues and to collect, analyse and circulate relevant data.

Its work is administered through four companies: ATOC Limited, through which it provides most of its services, employs the staff and acts as agent for many of the schemes; Rail Settlement Plan Limited, which manages the revenue; Rail Staff Travel Limited, managing staff travel, and National Rail Enquiries, the public information provider.

ATOC STRUCTURE

ATOC Council

Each full (not associates) member of the Association nominates a representative, usually its Managing Director, to attend Council meetings. The Council sets the annual budget and meets four times a year to discuss general issues falling within the remit of the organisation.

ATOC Board

The ATOC Council elects a Board, Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Treasurer to manage the Association's business.

Scheme Councils

The Association has formed schemes to manage particular items of business (such as through ticketing) where the train operating companies are required to work together. Each scheme is governed by its own independent council, which elect management groups to handle the day-to-day operations of the scheme. Association of Train Operating Companies.

ATOC Executive

Headed by the Director General, the Executive is comprised of permanent staff who manage, on behalf of Scheme bodies, all the activities of the Association.

FULL MEMBERS
FRANCHISED OPERATORS OWNERS
Arriva Trains Wales/Trenau Arriva Cymru ARRIVA plc
c2c Rail Limited National Express Group
Central Trains Limited National Express Group
Gatwick Express Limited National Express Group
Midland Main Line Limited National Express Group
London Eastern Railway Limited National Express Group
Silverlink Train Services Limited National Express Group
First Capital Connect Limited FirstGroup Plc
First Great Western Limited FirstGroup Plc
First ScotRail Limited FirstGroup Plc
First/Keolis TransPernnine Limited FirstGroup Plc / Keolis
Merseyrail Electrics 2002 Limited Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) and Serco Rail
Northern Rail Limited Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) and Serco Rail
Stagecoach South Western Trains Limited Stagecoach Holdings Plc
West Coast Trains Limited Virgin Rail Group Ltd.
CrossCountry Trains Limited Virgin Rail Group Ltd.
London and South Eastern Railway Limited Govia Ltd.
New Southern Railway Limited Govia Ltd.
The Chiltern Railway Company Limited M40 Trains Ltd.
Great North Eastern Railway Limited GNER Holdings. (Sea Containers)
NON-FRANCHISED OPERATORSOWNERS
Eurostar (UK) Limited London & Continental Railways Ltd.
Rail express systems Limited English Welsh & Scottish Railway
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
OPERATORS
Hull Trains Company Ltd
Grand Central Limited
Heathrow Express
NON- OPERATORS
DSB
EURAILCO
Keolis (UK) Limited
MTR Corporation Limited

For more information on an individual train operating company please visit the Train Operating Company page on the National Rail website.