The Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) has announced the appointment of Professor Clive Roberts, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science at Durham University, as the independent chair of its newly established Industry Leadership Group (ILG).
Roberts has been appointed as the Industry Leadership Group’s first Independent Chair
© Rail Safety and Standards Board
Professor Clive Roberts, Independent Chair of ILG, said:
I am honoured to take on this role at such a pivotal time for the rail industry. The ILG will bring clarity and pace to standards decision-making, ensuring that we balance innovation with safety and efficiency.
By reducing delays and avoiding unnecessary complexity, we can save money while delivering improvements that benefit passengers, freight customers, and taxpayers alike.
The ILG was created following an independent review of standards decision making and aims to provide both strategic oversight and decisive leadership during the development and interpretation of rail standards.
All decisions made by the ILG are decided via majority vote, and the Group intends to offer an escalation route for consensus-based standards committees, allowing for swift resolution in the case of complex issues.
Mark Phillips, Chief Executive of RSSB, said:
I’m delighted Professor Roberts has agreed to become he first chair of ILG. His world-renowned railway systems expertise will ensure the success of ILG. A clear escalation route and decisive leadership on rail standards will avoid costly delays and ensure standards enable greater efficiency and better reliability.