Association of Train Operating Companies

The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) is a body which represents 26 train operating companies that provide passenger railway services on the privatised British railway system. It owns the National Rail brand. The Association is an unincorporated association owned by its members. It was set up by the train operators formed during privatisation of the railways under the Railways Act 1993.

Services provided by ATOC include National Rail Enquiries, sponsorship of the PlusBus Schemes, the management of rail discount cards and the licensing of railway travel agents. It also produces the definitive National Routeing Guide, available on their website, defining the validity of tickets, and has some input in the content of the National Fares Manual. This is, however, distributed by the more neutral National Rail website.

Main operations

 * Revenue allocation and settlement through ORCATS systems
 * National Rail Enquiries
 * Railcard marketing
 * Staff travel arrangements
 * International products
 * The Relationship with Transport for London
 * Travel agent licensing

In December 2009 ATOC outsourced call centre operations for National Rail Enquiries to India with the loss of 200 jobs in the UK. The House of Commons Transport Select Committee had considered the move in 2004.

Senior personnel

 * Tom Smith, Chairman replacing Mike Alexander 2008-2009
 * Michael Roberts, Chief Executive since 2008 replacing George Muir, Director General 1999 - 2008
 * Edward Welsh, Director of Corporate Affairs
 * Alec McTavish, Policy & Operations Director
 * Chris Scoggins, Chief Executive, National Rail Enquiries
 * Steve Howes, Managing Director of RSP since September 2008 replacing Antony Lain as CEO
 * David Mapp, Commercial Director
 * Chris Wade, Finance Director

Connecting Communities: Expanding Access to the Rail Network
On 15 June 2009 ATOC published the report Connecting Communities: Expanding Access to the Rail Network, an analysis for short term localised development of the passenger services network, detailing schemes taking from between 2 years 9 months to 6 years to complete, that it believed would be commercially viable (i.e. with a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of over 1.0). These would complement the already existing long term national projects. The report detailed up to 40 communities with a population of over 15,000 where passenger stations could be built or re-opened, including 14 schemes involving using new or re-opened lines, and seven new Parkway stations on existing passenger lines.