Rail inspection must be independent, says TUC

Government proposals to take railway inspection away from the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) would reduce safety standards in the industry, according to the TUC.

The secretary of state for transport is currently undertaking a rail review covering various aspects of regulation, including safety. One proposal being discussed is to remove the regulation of rail safety from the HSC and transfer it to the Department of Transport or the Office of the Rail Regulator (ORR).

The TUC says: "This would represent a major victory for those who want to reduce safety standards in the industry." It argues that there is no evidence to suggest that such a move would maintain or improve safety - rather, it would stall much-needed reform and entirely miss the underlying causes of the industry's problems.

The TUC is also fundamentally opposed to any moves meaning that the regulation of railway safety was the direct responsibility of those who are responsible for the financial regulation of the industry.

It says: "If safety regulation formed part of any body that made decisions about funding and/or economic regulation, there would be a real risk that safety would be compromised when economic decisions are made that have a safety dimension."

The TUC wants safety reps to write to their MPs and their local newspapers, expressing concern that rail safety may be compromised. The TUC is holding a conference on rail safety on 25 June in London.

A fact sheet explaining the issues in available at: www.tuc.org.uk/h_and_s/tuc-7997-f0.cfm