Cross-industry standards for the mainline railway in Great Britain: Advice to Infrastructure UK

The Government’s National Infrastructure Plan 2010 sets out the challenges and a work programme of deliverables to improve the approach to infrastructure planning, prioritisation and delivery in the UK, with the aim of achieving greater value for money.  Infrastructure UK, a part of HM Treasury, is leading this programme across Government and in March 2010 published the Infrastructure Cost Review Implementation Plan.  One of the actions in the plan is ‘to identify and reduce duplication, redundancy and inconsistency of standards, based on a cost benefit analysis of existing standards’. 

RSSB met Infrastructure UK in October, following meetings they had had with Network Rail, LUL, and others.  It became clear that in those meetings they have reached a positive view of standards in the rail sector, which was confirmed through their discussions with RSSB.  At the request of Infrastructure UK, RSSB produced a paper which describes how the rail industry tackles the issues that they have identified: ‘Cross-industry standards for the mainline railway in Great Britain: Advice to Infrastructure UK’.

Single duty holder measures withdrawn from Railway Group Standards (February 2008 to June 2010)

This spreadsheet lists single duty holder measures withdrawn from Railway Group Standards (RGS) because they were outside the scope of RGS as set out in the current Railway Group Standards Code.

Note: When opening this excel spreadsheet a login window will appear, simply close the window and the spreadsheet will open.

System Data for Mechanical and Electriclal Coupling of Rail Vehicles

This section has been established by RSSB to present mechanical and electrical coupling system data declared to RSSB to satisfy the requirements of Railway Group Standard GM/RT2190.

Responsibilities at stations

This section contains guidance on responsibilities at stations. It summarises and brings together all the requirements from Railway Group Standards relevant to stations.

'Route acceptance' replaced by GE/RT8270 Issue 2: Assessment of compatibility of rolling stock and infrastructure

GE/RT8270 Issue 2 introduces requirements for assessment of compatibility of rolling stock and infrastructure.  These requirements replace the 'route acceptance' process set out in Issue 1 of the standard.  RSSB have produced a short explanatory note setting out how GE/RT8270 provides a process for railway undertakings and infrastructure managers to co-operate in establishing the compatibility of infrastructure and rolling stock that will facilitate their compliance with their regulatory responsibilities.

Vehicle interior signage

This section provides a link to two RSSB research reports on improvements to safety signage on passenger trains: 'graphics guidelines for safety signs' and 'guidelines for symbol design and testing'.

For further guidance and advice on standards please contact the enquiry desk on 020 3142 5400.