A consistent process for confirming railways as safe after extreme weather can save industry £6m
Recommendation eleven in the RAIB report into the Carmont accident said there was no national process for operating route-proving trains on the GB mainline railway.
Route proving is a procedure that ensures the railway is safe for trains to operate. It is not a new concept. However, it was done in different ways in different parts of the country. The same was true for line-proving trains. These are run to make sure signalling equipment is working correctly after long closures.
Network Rail had written an operating procedure for its route controllers. However, there was no requirement for transport operators to do the same.
So requirements were needed to ensure industry collaboration and to reopen routes and confirm the signalling system is working correctly more quickly after closure.
RSSB engaged with industry to gather information on how route proving was done in different parts of the country. This gave a better understanding of good practices.
This engagement included trade unions and transport operator staff. This made sure that the needs of those supplying trains and staff were covered in the industry standard.
A hazard identification workshop was also held with the industry. This informed the standard and its associated impact assessment.
Finally, human factors specialists supplied guidance for training drivers to observe and examine the route while the train is in operation.
All this work led to publication of a brand-new industry standard as well as several Rule Book updates.
Using the route-proving standard will aid decision-making. It will help the industry make sure routes are safe following extreme weather.
Running route-proving trains can also reduce delays by making sure lines are safe before services restart. Bad weather caused 453,250 minutes of delays in 2020/21, which cost about £1.1m. Also, 56,877 minutes were lost due to possessions over-running.
Use of this new standard can minimise delays and allow staff to address issues during closures.
The project is estimated to have a £6.383m benefit for the industry over five years. More importantly, the provision of clear instructions for staff will reduce misunderstandings and potential injuries.