▁describe ▁companies ▁operating ▁passenger ▁or ▁fre ight ▁rail ▁services ▁over ▁tracks ▁that ▁are ▁owned ▁by ▁another ▁company ▁or ▁a ▁national ▁network ▁owner . ▁ ▁Management ▁Fran ch ises ▁were ▁initially ▁let ▁by ▁the ▁Office ▁of ▁Pass enger ▁Rail ▁Fran ch ising ▁( OP RA F ). ▁This ▁was ▁in ▁turn ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁Str ateg ic ▁Rail ▁Author ity , ▁which ▁has ▁since ▁been ▁abol ished . ▁For ▁England ▁and ▁Wales , ▁franch ising ▁is ▁now ▁the ▁responsibility ▁of ▁the ▁Department ▁for ▁Transport ▁in ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁cases . ▁In ▁Scotland , ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁responsibility ▁of ▁Transport ▁Scotland . ▁In ▁two ▁parts ▁of ▁England , ▁local ▁government ▁ag encies ▁are ▁responsible : ▁in ▁Mer se ys ide , ▁the ▁Mer se ys ide ▁Pass enger ▁Transport ▁Executive ▁lets ▁the ▁Mer sey ra il ▁franch ise , ▁while ▁in ▁London , ▁Transport ▁for ▁London ▁over se es ▁the ▁new ▁London ▁Over ground ▁and ▁Cross ra il ▁con cess ions . ▁ ▁The ▁Rail ▁D elivery ▁Group ▁( R D G ) ▁( former ly ▁the ▁Association ▁of ▁Train ▁Oper ating ▁Comp an ies ) ▁provides ▁a ▁common ality ▁for ▁the ▁TO C s ▁and ▁provides ▁some ▁central ised ▁co - ord ination . ▁Its ▁activities ▁include ▁the ▁provision ▁of ▁a ▁national ▁tim et able ▁and ▁online ▁journey ▁pl anner ▁facility , ▁and ▁the ▁operation ▁of ▁the ▁various ▁Rail card ▁disc ount ▁schemes . ▁Euro star ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁R D G , ▁though ▁it ▁is ▁not ▁itself ▁a ▁TO C