Pragmatic Management of Railway Risk in UK Societal Interest: Are we heading the right way?

摘要

Rail transport is in general safer than road transport, and therefore modal shift from road to rail generally results in a net reduction in risk across the overall transport system. The economic case for a railway project can be made on the basis of socioeconomic benefits external to the railway system, and new risks are accepted on the railway in return for commercial and/or socioeconomic benefits. Yet the nature of risk acceptance criteria in the United Kingdom (UK), and the legislative and regulatory environment that results, does not allow individual duty holders to justify an increase in the risk they impose on the basis of a net reduction in overall transport system risk. Hence overall transport system risk is not minimised. The political will to change this does not currently exist, as it is perceived to conflict with societal concerns regarding risks imposed on individuals.