Itsrr Releases Fifteenth Quarterly Waterfall Report

NSW Rail Safety Regulator Releases Fifteenth Report on Progress of Waterfall Implementation

The Independent Transport Safety and Reliability Regulator (ITSRR) today released its fifteenth quarterly report on the implementation of the NSW Government's response to the Special Commission of Inquiry (SCOI) into the Waterfall Accident.

The total number of recommendations currently closed or claimed by agencies to be closed was 171 or 97% of all recommendations at the close of the reporting period (1 July - 30 September 2008).

During the quarter, one recommendation was verified and closed by ITSRR subject to implementation of an approved program or plan:

* Creating an appropriate position within RailCorp that has responsibility for ensuring each train driver's training needs are being met and any safety concerns are properly addressed (Recommendation 71).

Other major areas of activity during the quarter included:

* ITSRR attended a presentation on RailCorp's Competence Management System (CMS). The CMS provides assurance of the maintenance and further development of the skills of existing staff and curriculum design and assessment strategies for the initial training of new staff.

ITSRR also met with RailCorp to discuss planned verification activities for the next quarter (Recommendations 1 & 20).

* RailCorp prepared a business case outlining the high-level costs and benefits of introducing automatic train protection (ATP) based on its successful trial earlier in 2008.

Its Board approved funding for RailCorp to commence further development work on specific ATP options and configurations which will be necessary should the Government decide to proceed with the introduction of ATP on RailCorp's network (Recommendation 32).

At the end of the reporting period, the cumulative implementation progress to date for all 177 recommendations (including 127 recommendations and 50 sub-elements) was as follows:

* 169 (96%) recommendations verified and closed

* 2 (1%) recommendations were claimed for closure (Recommendations 1 & 20)

* 1 (0.5%) recommendation open acceptable response (Recommendation 32)

* 1 (0.5%) recommendation open acceptable alternative response (Recommendation 43)

* 1 (0.5%) recommendation is scheduled to be implemented by 2010 (Recommendation 38)

* 3 (1.5%) recommendations referred to the NTC have interim target dates (Recommendations 30, 36 & 37).


Copies of the Executive Summary and full report are available on
ITSRR's website at: www.transportregulator.nsw.gov.au


BACKGROUND ABOUT ITSRR

The Independent Transport Safety and Reliability Regulator (ITSRR) is a stand-alone statutory authority with a principal objective of facilitating the safe operation of transport services in NSW, including rail passenger and freight services and bus and ferry services.

The role of ITSRR

ITSRR has three key roles:

* administering rail safety regulation
* reporting on the reliability and sustainability of publicly funded transport services
* strategic coordination of safety regulation across transport modes of rail, bus and ferry.

ITSRR does not fund transport services or set service standards.

Independence

ITSRR reports to the Minister for Transport, however, in order to preserve its independence there are a number of statutory limitations on the Minister's control over the Regulator.

To ensure ITSRR remains independent, the Minister has no control or power of direction in relation to decisions regarding accreditation, decisions to prosecute, decisions to investigate or audit, the conduct of any investigation or audit, or the contents of any report or recommendation. The Minister however is able to direct that an investigation be conducted.

For more information on ITSRR visit www.transportregulator.nsw.gov.au


FURTHER INFORMATION:
Susan Everingham
(02) 8263 7161

SOURCE: Independent Transport Safety and Reliability Regulator (ITSRR)