Railway Safety

Rail Safety goes on line
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date 26 May 2000
source Railway Safety
type Press release

New web site for Railtrack Safety & Standards Directorate

Railtrack’s Safety & Standards Directorate is today launching a new web site, www.railwaysafety.org.uk, aimed at providing information for the general public and members of the railway industry on railway safety in the UK.

The site will provide information on the role of the Safety & Standards Directorate which has a central role in assuring safety within the Railway Group. It will also contain downloadable copies of the Railway Group Safety Plan and Safety Performance Report which give detailed statistics on performance in railway safety against agreed objectives from the rail industry’s ten year safety plan.

Plans are already in progress to add other elements to the site later in the summer. These will include details of the Directorate’s various safety campaigns and research projects, as well as on-line discussion forums allowing railway professionals and interested members of the public to contribute to open discussions on rail safety.

Rod Muttram, Director of the Safety & Standards Directorate, explains; “The Safety & Standards Directorate has both a statutory responsibility and a broader role in co-ordinating the Railway Group’s safety management arrangements. We are committed to providing strong leadership across the industry. An essential part of this process is open communication with the public and the industry about all railway safety issues and this new web site is will be central to that open dialogue.”

Ends

For more information please phone Alison Flynn on 0207 557 8107

Email: enquiries@railwaysafety.org.uk

Concerns about operational safety on the Railway should be reported to Railtrack's 24-hour helpline on 0845 711 4141.

Editors Notes

Railway Safety operates as an independent centre of excellence for matters related to railway safety. It plays a central role in assuring safety within the Railway Group. As well as being responsible for developing and maintaining Railway Group Standards, and assessing Railway Safety Cases submitted by railway operators, including Railtrack, it also undertakes independent compliance audits of rail industry parties.

Railway Safety is a not-for-profit, wholly owned subsidiary of Railtrack Group PLC. The company is limited by guarantee and is separate from its operational sister company, Railtrack PLC. Railway Safety was established as a result of the DETR review, following Ladbroke Grove. This review recommended that Railtrack Safety and Standards Directorate (S&SD) be established as a separate organisation to increase demonstrable independence of its activities and separation from Railtrack's commercial interests.

While the company has taken over many of the functions of S&SD, it has a bigger role in promoting safety within the rail industry and to the travelling public.

Please note that any media releases or publications written and published before 31 December 2000 will remain attributed to S&SD.

Contact the Railway Safety press office on 020 7904 7524 for further information.

Email: enquiries@railwaysafety.org.uk

Railhub Archive ::: 2000-05-26 RSA-001