Description
Rail Delivery Group (RDG) is the British rail industry membership body that brings together passenger and freight rail companies, Network Rail and High Speed 2.
History
From 24 October 2017, RDG replaced:
- The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), comprising the passenger train operating companies. ATOC was set up by the train operators to ensure nationwide services – such as ticket acceptance and railcards – continued after the privatisation of the railways under the Railways Act 1993. ATOC also lobbied on the operators' behalf.
- The former Rail Delivery Group, formed in 2011 to formulate policy and undertake communications on behalf of the entire rail industry. At first the group's members were the major passenger and freight train operator groups, together with Network Rail; membership was widened to all passenger and freight operators in 2013.
The new RDG is owned by its members, which are:
- Network Rail, the nationalised owner of the rail infrastructure
- The train operating companies that provide passenger services
- The freight operating companies
- The Rail Supply Group (RSG), representing the rail supply industry
- HS2 Ltd, the company building a high-speed line
The current RDG owns both the National Rail and 'Britain Runs on Rail' brands. The company's legal name continues to be ATOC Limited.
