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  • Train Operations

Train Operations

Ensuring a safe and reliable service

Operations is one of the five key risk areas that the Rail Health and Safety Strategy (the Strategy), it includes train operations and passenger operations.

Introduction

While the rates and risks of signal passed at danger (SPAD) have decreased, investigating and sharing their causes is still difficult. Additionally, human performance has reached its limit in reducing SPAD risk.

By working together, leveraging high-quality data, and implementing a robust train protection strategy, we can significantly reduce risks associated with train operations.

The Strategy aims for industry to keep ‘ensuring a safe and reliable service’. The strategic initiatives to address this critical risk area are listed below.

  • Strategic initiatives
    • Industry Speeding Data Strategy.
    • Train Protection Strategy agreed with defined ownership.
    • Strategy to improve SPAD investigations and reporting.
    • Delivery of Red Aspect Approach to Signals toolkit 2 (RAATS2) functionality.
    • Overspeed risk understanding consistent with SPAD risk understanding.
    • Pilot the speed risk ranking tool. 
    • Train protection strategy implementation in flight.

Train Operations Topics

Late Notices
Late notices give train drivers important information about speed restrictions. Our report explored their use and how they can be improved. 
Rail Health and Safety Strategy
The five-year strategy for the rail industry, aiming to deliver the healthiest, safest affordable railway in the world.
Annual Health and Safety Report
The latest information on health and safety performance, operational learning, and risk reduction initiatives.
SPAD Good Practice Guide
Resources which bring together the latest industry know-how on managing SPAD risk. This includes information on good practice and supporting tools, techniques, videos and resources.
Signals Passed at Danger Reports and Data
Here we provide a variety of SPAD related data for you to use and better understand the context within which SPAD events are occurring.
Rail Risk Toolkit
Information and tools to enable industry benchmark performance and provide support in formulating safety policies, plans and measures.
SPAD Data Insights
At the end of March 2020, the annual number of SPADs was the highest it had been for 15 years. RSSB analysed data to understand the possible causes of this rise and to inform SPAD risk management going forward.
Signals Passed at Danger – RSSB Graphic Insights
SPAD data presented graphically for a better understanding of their trends, risk profile and underlying causes.

Latest data

  • Data and Performance documents
    • Train Accident Risk Group data pack Q1 P1 - P4 2024/25
    • Train Operations safety performance overview Q3 2023-24
    • Train Operations safety performance overview Q2 2024-25
    • Train Operations safety performance overview Q1 2023-24
    • Annual Health and Safety Report 2022/23 Data - Train Operations
  • Other Operations Topics
    • Passenger operations
  • Related content
    • RED Videos: Operational Risk
    • RED Videos: Signals Passed at Danger (SPADs)
    • RED Videos: Safety Critical Communications
    • Train Overspeed BowTie Analysis report
  • Relevant Risk Groups
    • Train Accident Risk Group
    • SPAD Risk Subgroup  
    • Heritage Trains Risk Group
    • Train Protection Strategy Group
See also
  • Key Messages from Risk Groups
  • Non-technical skills
  • Red Aspect Approaches to Signals (RAATS) Toolkit
  • SPAD good practise guide
  • Taking Safe Decisions
Haven’t found what you’re looking for?
Get in touch with our Strategy Implementation Manager for more information.
Joe Wilson
Joe Wilson
Email: joe.wilson@rssb.co.uk
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