As the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions ease, the railway is gearing up to welcome back more passengers travelling by train for work and leisure. We are helping the rail industry to get ready.
Warmer weather and the ongoing vaccine rollout mean more people are likely to be using the railway. As freedoms to travel return, the railway will be looking forward to enabling people to meet loved ones, travel for shopping, business, sight-seeing and more.
Changes to the timetable will enable more trains to run, and rail companies have been working hard to ensure passengers can travel safely, and with confidence.
More trains and more people travelling can re-introduce risks that the railway is familiar with, but may not have experienced for some time. It can also introduce new risks along with the challenge of managing the increase in passengers with the government requirements for social distancing, face coverings and the potential of future virus outbreaks.
RSSB is part of the Joint Executive Oversight Team (JEOT), which has been coordinating the railway’s approach to Covid-19 since the pandemic began. JEOT asked RSSB to run a risk workshop to explore:
- staff and passenger risks that may arise from the increase in passengers
- controls in place to mitigate risk
- areas of concern and improvement
- industry recommendations for current and future planning.
The report provides recommendations so industry can enhance the safe management of increased patronage on the railway.
If you are a duty holder – in particular, an infrastructure manager or train operating company – and have responsibility for passenger and staff safety, you should read this report.
Photo credit: RSSB
