Skip to main content

Skip to main content

ORR launches new guidance for the heritage railway and tramway sectors

1 October 2008                                                                                              
ORR/30/08 

The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) today launches guidance to help the tramway and heritage sectors with the Safety verification (SV) requirements of the Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006 (ROGS). These requirements came into force on 1 October 2008 and bring both sectors into line with all other sectors of the rail industry who have been applying SV since October 2006.

The guides are primarily aimed at operators of heritage railways and operators/promoters of tramways. They concentrate on the requirements in ROGS for controlling the risks arising from introducing new or altered vehicles or infrastructure.

Where there is potential for this to significantly increase the risk, rail / tramway operators apply a system of safety verification.  The guides explain when SV is required, the role and appointment of an independent competent person, the duty holders’ responsibilities, and ORR’s role.

ORR estimate the safety verification process will only be applied around five times a year in the tramway sector, and around 20 times a year in the heritage railway sector.

Notes to editors

  1. ROGS were introduced in 2006 as a new safety regulatory framework applicable to all rail-based transport systems.
  2. These guides form part of the support that ORR is providing to the sectors. The guides for the heritage sector and tramways are available in related links.
  3. When ROGS were introduced, the application of the new SV arrangements to tramways and heritage rail was postponed until 1 October 2008, to allow further time for the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) to work with the tramway and heritage rail sectors to resolve their concerns surrounding the SV process.
  4. The guides build on ORR’s Crystal Marked guidance on ROGS which can be found at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/342-ROGS_gdnce_nov07.pdf.

Press enquiries

ORR Press Office – 020 7282 2007/2141

Related documents

Glossary