Guns go by rail….. for now

Train authorities, including the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC)and the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), have played down fears that a ban on transporting firearms by rail is being considered.

A recent report in the sporting press, headlined No more guns on rail?, said that not only was the ORR considering a complete ban on transporting unloaded firearms by rail, but there were also no plans for a public consultation. The report encouraged shooters to contact the independent watchdog Passenger Focus to make their views on the matter heard.

However, a spokesman for ORR told Shooting Times: ?We?re not sure where this story came from, but it wasn?t proposed by the Office of Rail Regulation.? He agreed that there had been a recent review of the conditions of carriage, but said that this had been undertaken by the Department for Transport.

ATOC was equally mystified when presented with the alleged prospect. A spokesman said: ?It is something that has come up, but it?s not an issue that is being looked at seriously at the moment. It?s really not something we?re giving an awful lot of consideration to.?

The rest of this article appears in 5th January issue of Shooting Times.

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