Railways Act 1993

91 Transfer schemes: general

(1) A transfer scheme may—

(a) define the property, rights and liabilities to be transferred to the transferee—

(i) by specifying or describing the property, rights and liabilities in question;

(ii) by referring to all (or all but so much as may be excepted) of the property, rights and liabilities comprised in a specified part of the transferor’s undertaking; or

(iii) partly in the one way and partly in the other;

(b) provide that any rights or liabilities specified or described in the scheme shall be enforceable either by or against the transferor or transferee (or both of them);

(c) impose on the transferor or transferee an obligation to enter into such written agreements with, or execute such other instruments in favour of, the transferor or transferee or such other person as may be specified in the scheme;

(d) make such supplemental, incidental, consequential or transitional provision as the maker of the scheme considers appropriate.

(2) An obligation imposed by a provision included in a transfer scheme by virtue of paragraph (c) of subsection (1) above shall be enforceable by civil proceedings by the transferor or transferee or other person mentioned in that paragraph for an injunction or for interdict or for any other appropriate relief or remedy.

(3) A transaction of any description which is effected in pursuance of such a provision as is mentioned in subsection (2) above—

(a) shall have effect subject to the provisions of any enactment which provides for transactions of that description to be registered in any statutory register; but

(b) subject to that, shall be binding on all other persons, notwithstanding that it would, apart from this subsection, have required the consent or concurrence of any other person.

(4) No right of reverter (or corresponding right in Scotland), right of pre-emption, right of forfeiture, right of re-entry, right of irritancy, option or similar right affecting land shall operate or become exercisable as a result of any transfer of land—

(a) by virtue of a transfer scheme;

(b) by or under an agreement or instrument made or executed pursuant to any provision of Schedule 8 to this Act or pursuant to any directions given, or requirement imposed, under that Schedule; or

(c) pursuant to an obligation imposed by a provision included in a transfer scheme by virtue of paragraph (c) of subsection (1) above;

and, without prejudice to paragraph 8 of Schedule 8 to this Act, any such right or option shall accordingly have effect in the case of any such transfer as if the transferee in relation to that transfer were the same person in law as the transferor and as if no transfer of the land had taken place.

(5) Subsection (4) above shall have effect in relation to—

(a) the grant or creation of an estate or interest in, or right over, land, or

(b) the doing of any other thing in relation to land,

as it has effect in relation to a transfer of land; and any reference in that subsection or in the following provisions of this section to the transferor or the transferee shall be construed accordingly.

(6) In any case where—

(a) any such right or option as is mentioned in subsection (4) above would, apart from that subsection, have operated in favour of, or become exercisable by, a person, but

(b) the circumstances are such that, in consequence of the operation of that subsection, the right or option cannot subsequently operate in favour of that person or, as the case may be, become exercisable by him,

such compensation as may be just shall be paid to him by the transferor or the transferee (or by both) in respect of the extinguishment of the right or option.

(7) Any dispute as to whether any, and (if so) how much, compensation is payable under subsection (6) above, or as to the person to or by whom it shall be paid, shall be referred to and determined by—

(a) an arbitrator appointed by the President for the time being of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors; or

(b) where the proceedings are to be held in Scotland, an arbiter appointed by the Lord President of the Court of Session; or

(c) where the proceedings are to be held in Northern Ireland, an arbitrator appointed by the Lord Chancellor.

(8) If it appears to the transferor that a person is or may be entitled to compensation under subsection (6) above, he shall—

(a) notify that person that he is or may be so entitled, and

(b) invite him to make such representations as he wishes to the transferor not later than fourteen days after the date of issue of the document containing the notification required by paragraph (a) above,

or, if the transferor is not aware of the name and address of the person concerned, shall publish, in such manner as he considers appropriate, a notice containing information about the interest affected and inviting any person who thinks that he is or may be entitled to compensation to make such representations to the transferor within such period (being not less than 28 days from the date of publication of the notice) as may be specified in the notice.