Railways Act 1921

16 Power to make orders as to working of railway companies.

(1) With a view to securing and promoting the public safety, or the interests of the public, or of trade, or of any particular locality, the Railway and Canal Commission may, on the application of any body of persons representing any such interests, by order require any railway company or companies, or the Minister may, on the application of any such company or companies, by order authorise the company or companies, to afford such reasonable railway services, facilities, and conveniences upon and in connection with its undertaking or their undertakings (including the provision of such minor alterations and extensions and improvements of existing works as will not involve in any one case an expenditure exceeding one hundred thousand pounds) as" may be specified in the order:

Provided that, if on any such application a company satisfies the Railway and Canal Commission that under all the circumstances the capital required for the purpose cannot be provided or expended as proposed without prejudicially affecting the interests of the then existing stockholders, the order shall not be made :

Provided further that the powers under this subsection shall be in addition to and not in derogation of any other existing powers of requiring measures for securing the safety of the public or the provision of reasonable facilities.

(2) The Minister may, after such reference as is hereinafter mentioned, by order require or authorise any railway company or any two or more railway companies on such terms and subject to such conditions as may be specified in the order—

(a) to Conform gradually to measures of general standardisation of ways, plant and equipment (including methods of electrical operation, type, frequency, and pressure of current) ;

(b) to adopt schemes for the co-operative working or common user of rolling stock, workshops, manufactories, plant and other facilities :

Provided that—

(i) it shall not be necessary to make such a reference as aforesaid if the company or all the companies affected by the order consent thereto; and

(ii) if on any such application to enforce the order as is hereinafter mentioned any company satisfies the Railway and Canal Commission that the order is such that the capital expenditure involved cannot be provided or expended without prejudicially affecting the interests of the then existing stockholders, the order shall not be enforceable as against that company.

(3) Before making any order under the last foregoing subsection the Minister shall (except as hereinbefore provided) refer the draft order to a committee consisting of a representative of each of the amalgamated companies (each of which companies shall, on being so required by the Minister, nominate a representative), and three persons of experience in the subject-matter of the proposed order selected by the Minister from the panel set up under section twenty-three of the Ministry of Transport Act, 1919, as extended by this Act, and the committee before reporting or advising shall, if they see fit, give public notice and permit any persons affected or likely to be affected and any authority or body of persons authorised to make applications under this Act to place their views before them, either in writing or orally.

(4) Any order of the Minister under this section shall be complied with by any railway company to which the order relates, and in the event of non-compliance shall (subject as hereinbefore provided) be enforceable by order of the Railway and Canal Commission on the application of the Minister in any of the ways referred to in section three of the [17 & 18 Vict. c. 31.] Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1854, or section six of the [36 & 37 Vict. c. 48.] Regulation of Railways Act, 1873.