The Railway Byelaws Amendment Order 2025

The Railway Byelaws Amendment Order 2025

Skip to main content
Skip to navigation
legislation.gov.uk
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Cymraeg
Home
Explore our collections
Research tools
Help and guidance
What's new
About us
Search Legislation
The Railway Byelaws Amendment Order 2025
You are here:
UK Statutory Instruments
2025 No. 1258
Whole
Instrument
Table of Contents
Content
More Resources
Previous
Next
Plain View
Print Options
What Version
Latest available (Revised)
Original (As made)
Opening Options
Open whole Instrument
More Resources
Original: King's Printer Version
View more
Status:
This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
Statutory Instruments
2025 No. 1258
Transport
The Railway Byelaws Amendment Order 2025
Made
27th November 2025
Coming into force
26th December 2025
The Secretary of State for Transport, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 46(5) of the Railways Act 2005(
1
), makes the following Order.
Citation and commencement
1.
  This Order may be cited as the Railway Byelaws Amendment Order 2025 and comes into force 29 days after the day on which it is made.
Amendment of the Railway Byelaws
2.
  The Railway Byelaws made under section 219 of the Transport Act 2000(
2
) by the Strategic Rail Authority(
3
), as amended by the Railway Byelaws Amendment Order 2011(
4
) and the Railway Byelaws Amendment Order 2013(
5
), are amended in accordance with articles 3 to 20.
Amendment of Byelaw 2
3.
  In Byelaw 2(1), for “him” substitute
“them”
.
Amendment of Byelaw 3
4.
—(1) Byelaw 3 is amended as follows.
(2) The existing text becomes Byelaw 3(1).
(3) After new Byelaw 3(1), insert—
“
(2)

No person shall smoke an electronic cigarette or other like device on any part of the railway on or near which there is a notice indicating that smoking is not allowed.
”
.

Amendment of Byelaw 4
5.
—(1) Byelaw 4 is amended as follows.
(2) In Byelaw 4(2), for “with him”, in each place it occurs, substitute
“in their possession”
.
(3) In Byelaw 4(3)—
(a)
omit “with him” in the first place it appears,

(b)
after “liquor” in the first place it appears, insert
“in their possession”
,

(c)
in sub-paragraph (i), for “him” substitute
“them”
,

(d)
in sub-paragraph (ii)—

(i)
for “him”, in the first place it occurs, substitute
“that person”
,

(ii)
for “he has” substitute
“they have”
,

(iii)
for “with him” substitute
“in their possession”
.

Amendment of Byelaw 5
6.
—(1) Byelaw 5 is amended as follows.
(2) For “he is” substitute
“they are”
.
(3) For “his” substitute
“their”
.
Amendment of Byelaw 7
7.
  In Byelaw 7(3), for “with him” substitute
“in their possession”
.
Amendment of Byelaw 9
8.
  In Byelaw 9(3), for “him” substitute
“that person”
.
Amendment of Byelaw 12
9.
  In Byelaw 12(2), for “he believes he” substitute
“that authorised person believes they”
.
Amendment of Byelaw 13
10.
  In Byelaw 13(1)(ii), for “he” substitute
“that person”
.
Amendment of Byelaw 14
11.
—(1) Byelaw 14 is amended as follows.
(2) Omit Byelaw 14.
(3) Before Byelaw 15 insert—
“
14A.

Traffic signs, causing obstructions and parking in England and Wales

(1)

This Byelaw applies only in England and Wales.

(2)

No person in charge of any motor vehicle, bicycle or other conveyance shall use it on any part of the railway in contravention of any traffic sign.

(3)

No person in charge of any motor vehicle, bicycle or other conveyance shall leave or place it on any part of the railway:

(i)
in any manner or place where it may cause an obstruction or hinderance to an Operator or any person using the railway; or

(ii)
otherwise than in accordance with any instructions issued by or on behalf of an Operator or an authorised person.

(4)

Any motor vehicle, bicycle or other conveyance used, left or placed in breach of Byelaw 14A(2) or (3) may be removed and stored, by or under the direction of an Operator or authorised person.

(5)

A motor vehicle, bicycle or other conveyance may also be removed and stored, by or under the direction of an Operator or authorised person if such Operator or authorised person reasonably believes doing so is necessary:

(i)
to deal with an emergency;

(ii)
to allow access to persons or vehicles to enable maintenance of the railway to be carried out; or

(iii)
to enable the safe and efficient operation of the railway.

(6)

In this Byelaw:

(i)
a traffic sign does not include an object or device for conveying the rules of a contractual parking scheme; and

(ii)
an instruction does not include any instruction conveying the rules of a contractual parking scheme.

14B.

Traffic signs, causing obstructions and parking in Scotland

(1)

This Byelaw applies only in Scotland.

(2)

No person in charge of any motor vehicle, bicycle or other conveyance shall use it on any part of the railway in contravention of any traffic sign.

(3)

No person in charge of any motor vehicle, bicycle or other conveyance shall leave or place it on any part of the railway:

(i)
in any manner or place where it may cause an obstruction or hinderance to an Operator or any person using the railway; or

(ii)
otherwise than in accordance with any instructions issued by or on behalf of an Operator or an authorised person.

(4)

No person in charge of any motor vehicle, bicycle or other conveyance shall park it on any part of the railway where charges are made for parking by an Operator or an authorised person without paying the appropriate charge at the appropriate time in accordance with instructions given by an Operator or an authorised person at that place.

(5)

Any motor vehicle, bicycle or conveyance used, left or placed in breach of this Byelaw may be removed by or under the direction of a constable.
”
.

Amendment of Byelaw 15
12.
  In Byelaw 15(1), for “he” substitute
“that person”
.
Amendment of Byelaw 16
13.
  In Byelaw 16(2), for “him” substitute
“that person”
.
Amendment of Byelaw 17
14.
—(1) Byelaw 17 is amended as follows.
(2) In Byelaw 17(1), for “he” substitute
“that person”
and for “him” substitute
“them”
.
(3) In Byelaw 17(2), for “his” substitute
“their”
.
(4) In Byelaw 17(3)—
(a)
in sub-paragraphs (i) and (ii), for “he began his” substitute
“that person began their”
,

(b)
in sub-paragraph (iii), for “him” substitute
“that person”
.

Amendment of Byelaw 18
15.
—(1) Byelaw 18 is amended as follows.
(2) In Byelaw 18(1), for “he has with him a valid ticket entitling him” substitute
“that person is carrying a valid ticket entitling them”
.
(3) In Byelaw 18(2), for “his” substitute
“their”
.
(4) In Byelaw 18(3)—
(a)
in sub-paragraphs (i) and (ii), for “he began his” substitute
“that person began their”
,

(b)
in sub-paragraph (iii), for “him” substitute
“that person”
.

Amendment of Byelaw 19
16.
  In Byelaw 19, for “him” substitute
“them”
.
Amendment of Byelaw 21
17.
  In Byelaw 21(4), for “his” substitute
“their”
.
Amendment of Byelaw 23
18.
  In Byelaw 23(1), for “his” substitute
“their”
.
Amendment of Byelaw 24
19.
—(1) Byelaw 24 is amended as follows.
(2) In Byelaw 24(1), for “penalty” substitute
“fine”
.
(3) In Byelaw 24(2)(iv), for “him” substitute
“them”
.
(4) In Byelaw 24(3)—
(a)
for “him” substitute
“them”
,

(b)
for “his” substitute
“their”
.

(5) In Byelaw 24(6)—
(a)
for “his” substitute
“that person’s”
,

(b)
for “14” substitute
“14A, 14B”
.

Amendment of Byelaw 25
20.
—(1) Byelaw 25 is amended as follows.
(2) In the definition of “authorised person”, for “his”, in each place it occurs, substitute
“their”
.
(3) In the definition of “Operator”—
(a)
for “him” substitute
“that person”
,

(b)
for “and” substitute
“or”
,

(c)
for “those persons listed in Schedule One” substitute
“any person listed in Schedule One and any person succeeding that person in the management or operation of a railway asset”
.

(4) In the definition of “valid ticket”, for “he is” substitute
“they are”
.
(5) Omit Byelaw 25(4).
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport
Hendy of Richmond Hill
Minister of State
Department for Transport
27th November 2025
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Railway Byelaws which were made by the Strategic Rail Authority in 2005 under section 219 of and Schedule 20 to the Transport Act 2000.

Article 4 amends Byelaw 3, to make it an offence to use ‘electronic cigarettes’ as well as lit cigarettes and other lit items on railway premises.

Article 11 amends Byelaw 14, separating the provisions applying in England and Wales from those applying in Scotland. Bylaw 14A, which applies in England and Wales, clarifies that that these Byelaws do not impose liability for station car parking which are subject to a contractual arrangement.

Byelaw 14A(5) adds to the circumstances when a vehicle can be removed and stored in England and Wales by including circumstances in which the vehicle owner may not be at fault but the vehicle nevertheless needs to be moved. Byelaw 14B maintains the current regime in relation to Scotland.

Article 19 replaces “penalty” with “fine” to make it clear that this refers to a criminal, not a contractual penalty.

Article 20 amends the definition of “Operator” to make it clear that it includes successor organisations of the operators listed in Schedule One.

Articles 3, 5 to 10, and 12 to 20 amend the Byelaws to replace any gendered language with gender neutral terms. As a consequence, Byelaw 25(4), which provided that words importing one gender shall include the other gender, has been removed.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no significant impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen. An explanatory memorandum has not been produced for this instrument as this instrument is not subject to Parliamentary Procedure.

(
1
)
2005 c. 14
.
(
2
)
2000 c. 38
. Section 219 of, and Schedule 20 to, the Transport Act 2000 were repealed by section 59 of, and Schedule 13, Part 1 to, the Railways Act 2005.
(
3
)
The Strategic Rail Authority was established by section 201 of the Transport Act 2000 and was abolished under section 1 of the Railways Act 2005.
(
4
)
S.I. 2011/2213
.
(
5
)
S.I. 2013/3269
.
Previous
Next
Back to top
Options/Help
Print Options
Official printed copies
Order a copy of this legislation
buy now
Print
The Whole
Instrument
PDF
The Whole
Instrument
Web page
The Whole
Instrument
Legislation is available in different versions:
Latest Available (revised):
The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.
Original (As Enacted or Made):
The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.
Opening Options
Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once
More Resources
Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
confers power and blanket amendment details
all formats of all associated documents
correction slips
links to related legislation and further information resources
More Resources
Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
the original print PDF of the as made version that was used for the print copy
correction slips
Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:
lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
confers power and blanket amendment details
all formats of all associated documents
links to related legislation and further information resources
The data on this page is available in the
alternative data formats
listed:
HTML5
alternative version
HTML snippet
alternative version
PDF
alternative version
XML
alternative version
Akoma Ntoso
alternative version
HTML RDFa
alternative version
RDF/XML
alternative version
New site design
Help
About us
Site map
Accessibility
Contact us
Privacy notice
Cookies
All content is available under the
Open Government Licence v3.0
except where
otherwise stated
. This site additionally contains content derived from EUR-Lex, reused under the terms of the
Commission Decision 2011/833/EU
on the reuse of documents from the EU institutions. For more information see the
EUR-Lex public statement on re-use
.
©
Crown and database right