Railways Act 1993

60 Railway administration orders made on special petitions

(1) If, on an application made to the court by petition presented—

(a) by the Secretary of State, or

(b) if the petition relates to a protected railway company which is the holder of a passenger licence, by the Franchising Director with the consent of the Secretary of State,

the court is satisfied that either or both of the grounds specified in subsection (2) below is satisfied in relation to that protected railway company, the court may make a railway administration order in relation to that company.

(2) The grounds mentioned in subsection (1) above are, in relation to any company,—

(a) that the company is or is likely to be unable to pay its debts;

(b) that, in a case in which the Secretary of State has certified that it would be appropriate for him to petition for the winding up of the company under section 124A of the 1986 Act (petition by the Secretary of State following inspectors' report etc), it would be just and equitable, as mentioned in that section, for the company to be wound up.

(3) Notice of any petition under this section for a railway administration order shall be given forthwith to such persons and in such manner as may be prescribed by rules made under section 411 of the 1986 Act; and no such petition shall be withdrawn except with the leave of the court.

(4) Subsections (4) and (5) of section 9 of the 1986 Act (powers on application for administration order) shall apply on the hearing of the petition for a railway administration order in relation to any company as they apply on the hearing of a petition for an administration order.

(5) Subsections (1), (2), (4) and (5) of section 10 of the 1986 Act (effect of petition) shall apply in the case of a petition for a railway administration order in relation to any company as if—

(a) the reference in subsection (1) to an administration order were a reference to a railway administration order;

(b) paragraph (b) of that subsection did require the leave of the court for the taking of any of the steps mentioned in paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (2) (appointment of, and exercise of functions by, administrative receiver); and

(c) the reference in paragraph (c) of subsection (1) to proceedings included a reference to any proceedings under or for the purposes of section 55 above.

(6) For the purposes of this section a company is unable to pay its debts if—

(a) it is a company which is deemed to be so unable under section 123 of the 1986 Act (definition of inability to pay debts); or

(b) it is an unregistered company, within the meaning of Part V of the 1986 Act, which is deemed, by virtue of any of sections 222 to 224 of that Act, to be so unable for the purposes of section 221 of that Act (winding up of unregistered companies).

(7) In this section—

• “the 1986 Act” means the [1986 c. 45.] Insolvency Act 1986;

• “the court” has the same meaning as in section 59 above.