Regulator acts on recommendations of the Rail Safety Policy Review

30 June 2000
ORR/00/20

Tom Winsor, the Rail Regulator, has today published a consultation document on proposed modifications to condition 3 of Railtrack's network licence. The modifications proposed follow recommendations from the Rail Safety Policy Review (RSPR), known as the Rowlands report, which was setup by the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions following thetragic accident at Ladbroke Grove on 5 October 1999. The Reviews task was to consider improvements in rail safety which could be delivered quickly, but which would not restrict or pre-empt the recommendations of Lord Cullens inquiry into the Ladbroke Grove accident, which will not report until 2001. The Report recommended the transfer of Railtrack's Safety and Standards Directorate (SSD) to a new Railtrack subsidiary company in order to increase its independence and separation from the commercial interests of Railtrack.

Today's document sets out proposed modifications to Railtrack's network licence to incorporate those aspects of the Reports conclusions which need to be implemented by means of a licence modification. This follows publication on 19 May 2000 by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) of its consultation document on changes to the Railways (Safety Case) Regulations 1994. This can be found on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/condocs/cd160.htm

A copy of the consultation document Proposed Modifications to Condition 3 of Railtrack's Network Licence and to other Operator Licences : A Consultative Document is available on this site and from the ORR Librarian, Sue MacSwan, 1 Waterhouse Square, 138-142 Holborn, London EC1N 2TQ. Tel: 020 7282 2001, fax: 020 7282 2045, e-mail: rail.library@orr.gsi.gov.uk