Railways: Safety
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of British railways safety standards.
Answered by Simon Lightwood
Britain’s railways consistently rank among the safest in the world, partly due to the robust safety requirements established in legislation. These requirements include the Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems Safety Regulations 2006 and a range of mandatory standards, including National Technical Specification Notices, rail group standards and rail industry standards, which are enforced by the independent railway safety regulator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). The effectiveness of the regulatory regime for Great Britain’s railways was reflected in the ORR’s latest annual health and safety report published on 17 July 2025, which found that safety levels on the network remain high. The Government keeps rail safety regulations under regular review, including by undertaking post-implementation reviews with industry, to ensure they remain fit for purpose and up to date.
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