RIS-3772-TOM sets a new standard in overspeeding risk management and delivers a projected financial benefit of almost £1m over five years.
Project number:
2023-STN-013
New standard gives rail an effective way to manage overspeeding
'The new RIS provides a strong framework to manage the risk of trains overspeeding and improve railway safety.'
The challenge
Since 2016, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has investigated overspeeding incidents at temporary, emergency, and blanket speed restrictions. These investigations revealed that the existing processes for setting and managing speed restrictions were often unclear and inconsistent. In 2020 and 2022, further overspeeding incidents occurred, leading to calls for a better approach to managing speed restrictions.
RSSB received two formal requests for help and found no standard method for managing speed restrictions. The absence of a standardised method increased safety risks and made it challenging for rail organisations to meet legal obligations for railway safety.
What we did
RSSB created RIS-3772-TOM. The rail industry standard (RIS) sets requirements and gives guidance for managing speed restrictions in the rail industry. This includes aiming for effective design, implementation, and communication, while ensuring legal compliance and consistency with existing rules.
The RIS recommends using Global System for Mobile Communications – Railway (GSM-R) in addition to other methods to advise drivers of speed restrictions.
The creation of this standard involved a review of RAIB reports, Rule Book modules, and research projects. A technical specialist led the work, supported by control, command and signalling, safety, and human factors experts.
A drafting group, comprising representatives from train and freight operators and Network Rail, helped ensure the standard reflects industry needs.
Benefits delivered
RIS-3772-TOM gives the rail industry a clear, consistent way to design, implement, and communicate speed restrictions and manage overspeed events. It includes good practice for informing drivers.
Better speed restriction management lowers the chance of overspeeding, which can be a precursor to safety risks including signals passed at danger.
Investigations into non-compliance with speed restrictions are expensive, typically costing around £17,500 each. If there are three such investigations per year, eliminating these incidents could save £262,500 over five years. Additionally, the total projected benefit of this standard amounts to £909,269 over the same period.