Professor Clive Roberts appointed as Independent Chair of RSSB's Industry Leadership Group

Following an independent review of standards decision making, the Industry Leadership Group has been created to provide strategic oversight and decisive leadership in the development and interpretation of rail standards. ILG makes binding decisions by majority vote. It provides an escalation route for consensus-based standards committees, enabling the faster resolution of complex issues and driving change for the benefit of the industry.

Rail standards are not just about safety—they are a cornerstone of efficiency, cost-effectiveness and enable the adoption of new technologies by setting clear, consistent requirements, standards help to:

• avoid duplication and waste across projects and suppliers
• reduce costly delays by providing certainty in design and delivery
• enable innovation without compromising safety, ensuring investments deliver maximum value
• promote the compatibility of different assets
• take a long-term view of asset performance to help optimise whole life cost

ILG’s streamlined governance will drive these benefits, ensuring that standards keep pace with industry needs while safeguarding taxpayer and passenger interests.

Professor Clive Roberts, Independent Chair of ILG said:

“I am honoured to take on this role at such a pivotal time for the rail industry. The ILG will bring clarity and pace to standards decision-making, ensuring that we balance innovation with safety and efficiency. By reducing delays and avoiding unnecessary complexity, we can save money while delivering improvements that benefit passengers, freight customers, and taxpayers alike.”

Mark Phillips, Chief Executive of RSSB said:

“I’m delighted Professor Roberts has agreed to become he first chair of ILG. His world-renowned railway systems expertise will ensure the success of ILG. A clear escalation route and decisive leadership on rail standards will avoid costly delays and ensure standards enable greater efficiency and better reliability."

The ILG will convene for its first meeting in January 2026, marking the start of a new era in rail standards governance, and RSSB’s commitment to transparency, efficiency, and collaboration across the rail sector.

Editors’ Notes

1. Clive Roberts is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science at Durham University, leading eight departments across engineering, physical sciences and life sciences. He has nearly 30 years’ experience improving the performance of engineering systems, with a particular focus on the railway sector. His interdisciplinary expertise spans complex systems simulation, control systems, energy and sustainability, risk and safety, AI and machine learning, cybersecurity, and systemic analysis. A Fellow of both the IRSE and the IET, Clive is widely recognised for his knowledge of global rail systems.

   Previously, Clive was Director of the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Railway Research and Education and the founding academic lead for UKRRIN, a national academia–industry partnership. He has advised international rail organisations, contributed to multiple UK Rail Technical Strategies, and led senior-level education programmes on digital transformation and engineering leadership. In 2022, he received the Technology Supply Chain’s Innovation Thought Leader Award.

   Clive began his career as a safety‑critical systems engineer with Lucas Aerospace before joining the University of Birmingham, where he progressed from Research Assistant to Professor of Railway Systems and later Head of the School of Engineering. He joined Durham University in 2024 as Executive Dean and a member of the University Executive Committee.

2. Learn more about our changes to standards approval: https://www.rssb.co.uk/expert-edit/november-2025/rail-standards-control-costs-and-stimulate-growth