A ground-breaking initiative which brings together key stakeholders to build on rail freight’s strong safety performance, and further reduce risks on the UK’s rail network, has been launched.
The Freight Safe Programme (FSP) will lead on key safety projects and give wider expertise to the industry on any potential challenges and risks, in order to protect and promote the reputation of rail freight in the UK.
It is led by a steering group of senior and experienced professionals from across rail freight and is governed by the Rail Partners Freight Council. The programme is a collaborative rail freight industry undertaking, which is partly funded by Network Rail’s Freight Safety Improvement Portfolio (FSIP) as well as funding coming from freight operating companies and other key stakeholders.
Geoff Spencer, Chairman of the Freight Safe Programme Steering Group, said: “I am delighted that we have brought together senior leaders across rail freight to collaborate on driving safety and innovations across the industry. I have worked in rail for my entire career, and so I can say that it is ground-breaking and exciting that we have so many key companies and organisations around the table to work as one team to influence and steer advances in safety across the rail freight sector to further reduce risks on the network.
“The Freight Safe Programme will be delivering and overseeing a number of important projects and working with experts from across rail freight and wider industry to ensure successful and timely delivery.”
Alongside supporting wider industry health and safety strategies, the Freight Safe Programme has priority projects which were identified following an independent study in 2023, ‘The Major Risk Review’, led by Professor George Bearfield, which was supported by freight operating companies, Network Rail, RSSB and other key stakeholders.
As a result of that review, the Freight Safe Programme’s four priority workstreams are designed to advance that already very strong safety record but seek the following outcomes:
· Wagon Condition Programme – to collaboratively build on existing maintenance and train preparation practices on a programme of continuous improvement in wagon safety
· Freight Pre-cursor Indicator Model – that through a common strategy for sharing safety data and information, and that by use of a Precursor Indicator Model, there is insight into existing and emerging safety risks
· Horizon Scanning – that through the use of a rail freight sector horizon scanning process, there is a consolidated, pervasive understanding of all existing and emerging safety risks and opportunities
· Climate Change – that the rail freight sector has a shared understanding of the practical, operational impacts of climate change on its safety risk, and has recommended the mitigative actions to address those risks
The Freight Safe Programme Steering Group members are: Geoff Spencer (Chair); Philip Hassall (Project Management Officer); Dougie Hill (Principal Strategy Implementation Manager, National Freight Steering Group, RSSB); Tim Shakerley (Wagon Condition Programme Lead); David Golding (Asset Director, GB Railfreight); Louise Ward (Safety and Sustainability Director UK and Europe, Genesee & Wyoming Inc); Neil Hutchinson (Head of Safety, DB Cargo UK); Penny Hattam (Assistant Strategic Implementation Manager, RSSB); Steve Rhymes (Head of Network Management, Network Rail); Robert Williamson (Programme Manager, Network Rail); Melanie Hill and Rob Smith (PR and communications leads to the FSP Steering Group). Matt Farrell, Head of Inspection Team (South) at the Railway Safety Directorate, attends meetings as an observer.
