Rail safety watchdog "must be independent"

Rail safety must be independent, according to Bill Callaghan, chair of the HSE, after the government announced a fundamental review of rail regulation in January.

Callaghan said there are two fundamental principles that should be maintained, for whoever carries out the role as regulator. He said: "First, health and safety should be truly independent - free from industry and economic pressures, and able to hold the industry to account. This was, after all, the reason why Lord Cullen recommended that the HSE retain its rail safety role. And second, the regulator must have teeth to be able to enforce health and safety measures where necessary."

Rail union TSSA also welcomed the review. General secretary Richard Rosser said: "This review must not repeat the mistakes of privatisation, which fragmented the railway beyond all sense." He added: "This review is Labour's chance to change things for the better and sort the structure of the industry out once and for all."