ATOC adopts Rail Delivery Group name

The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) adopted the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) name yesterday.

ATOC was founded following privatisation in 1993, but has worked closely with the RDG since it was established in 2011 to fulfil the McNulty report’s recommendation for a cross-industry leadership and policy body.

ATOC was responsible for delivering services to train operators such as the Rail Settlement Plan, National Rail Enquiries, Rail Staff Travel and schemes covering passenger train operations, engineering and major projects.

Paul Plummer, chief executive of both organisations, said: “This is an important development for our organisation. The RDG has a key role to play in bringing the industry together to address the tough challenges it faces and ultimately, in enabling rail companies to succeed in delivering the great railway we all want.

“To best fulfil that role it’s important that our stakeholders and members have a better understanding of the broad range of services we provide and that means having a single name.”

The RDG said the name change would not affect how activities previously carried out by ATOC are funded.

It has also introduced a new logo (pictured) showing the logos of the organisation’s customer-facing brands: National Rail and the Britain Runs on Rail campaign.

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