Any services which, immediately before the coming into force of section 212, are being provided under a franchise agreement shall be treated as having been designated under subsection (1) of section 23 of the M1Railways Act 1993 (as amended by subsection (1) of section 212) on the coming into force of section 212.

The designation treated as made by sub-paragraph (1) may be varied or revoked as provided by subsection (2A) of section 23 (as inserted by subsection (2) of section 212) but is not required to be published by subsection (2B) of section 23 (as so inserted).