Where railway infrastructure comprises a network of the kind referred to in regulation 4(7)(a) or (b) of the Railways (Access, Management and Licensing of Railway Undertakings) Regulations 201610, a competent authority may award a public service contract for public passenger transport services by rail directly where it concerns only the operation of passenger rail services by an operator which manages the entire or the major part of the railway infrastructure on which the services are provided.

The competent authority must publish on its website a contract awarded pursuant to this regulation, taking into consideration the protection of commercially sensitive information and commercial interests.