TSSA union raises safety concerns with regulator


Plans to change the monitoring and management of many ageing rail structures across Wales will seriously jeopardise the safety of the travelling public and rail staff, says the TSSA rail union. 


It has raised concerns about the plans of rail infrastructure company Network Rail to break up contracts relating to managing structures with the regulator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), as well as the First Minister of Wales and Network Rail’s chief executive officer. It says the changes will also affect reliability. 


In the rest of Britain, according to the TSSA, Civil Engineering Framework Agreement (CEFA) contracts have been extended for two years, to 31 March 2021, but in Wales they are going back out to tender. Changes to the current arrangements are due to begin in March 2020.


The principal CEFA contract in Wales is currently held by Amey, which provides examiners and surveyors to carry out planned and emergency inspections of various rail structures. 


However, the union understands the existing contract has been broken up into eight “lots”, with contractors only allowed to cover a maximum of three. It believes fragmenting the inspection regime “is likely to result in much higher costs” or “inspections will be much more infrequent”.

https://www.tssa.org.uk/en/whats-new/news/index.cfm/tssa-raises-concerns-over-rail-safety-reliability-in-wales