The creation of Great British Railways is the opportunity to simplify the organisations called into existence by fragmentation, not least in the safety industry
Welcome to the most dangerous subject. Partly because of what might happen between now and publication, partly because of those in the business who really don’t like being criticised. It is time to evaluate objectively the legions of people wearing safety badges, but secure behind a firewall from sharp-end responsibility.
GUILTY
I know people enjoy it when I put aside natural arrogance and plead guilty to something, so here is possibly my most incorrect prediction. Back in 1993, I was in the Regional Railways Engineering section at Derby Technical Centre as Pacer engineer. I still remember our crystal-clear briefing on privatisation: ‘The ball is moving, the goalposts are moving, there’s light at the end of the tunnel, but we don’t know where the tunnel is yet’.
Strangely, this wasn’t particularly reassuring, and my prediction was that when the likes of Stagecoach and Virgin took over they would employ Engineering Directors who would be expected to stand by their own decisions rather than stuffing consultants’ reports down their trousers to cus…
