Britain’s Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has published its annual report, showing a year of significant operational activity, despite mounting internal and industry-wide pressures. The report covers the calendar year 2024, during which RAIB received 431 notifications of rail incidents. Of these, 56 led to preliminary examinations, from which 11 progressed into full investigations and 12 prompted formal Safety Digests. Another eight resulted in industry reviews.
The report reflects a year of change within RAIB itself, with staffing reductions and new team members bedding in. “2024 was a year of uncertainty and change for the British mainline rail industry,” said the Chief Inspector in his opening remarks. “However, while the structure of the industry is changing, RAIB’s purpose remains unchanged—that is, to investigate accidents to improve railway safety, and inform the industry and the public.”
Fewer staff, but an undiminished mission
Five new inspectors completed training in 2024 and began leading investigations. However, the RAIB has not been immune to government-wide efficiency demands. The report confirms the organisation has had to reduce its headcount by eight per cent. The cuts, it says, present “challenges, mainly relating to the resilience of our operational support functions.” Nevertheless, RAIB insists it remains committed to maintaining both the quantity and quality of its investigations.
The year was also marked by tragedy. A head-on collision between two passenger trains at Talerddig in Wales resulted in one fatality and four serious injuries. An investigation into the incident is ongoing. “Rail and tram travel in the UK is very safe,” noted Andrew Hall, the Chief Inspector. “However, accidents such as Carmont [in Scotland in 2020 as reported by RailTech.com] and Talerddig are stark reminders that risks involved in railway operation are ever-present.”
Digging deep into safety themes
RAIB’s investigations have continued to focus on six main themes: track worker safety, platform safety, asset integrity, line safety post-engineering works, the operation of plant in possessions, and the management of trees near railway lines. These themes, says the Branch, emerged consistently across multiple cases and have implications for every part of the rail industry, including freight operations, noting, for example, the Manchester aggregates train derailment in Audenshaw last year.
In total, RAIB published 13 full investigations and 10 Safety Digests during the year. One Urgent Safety Advice was issued to industry, along with three letters to coroners. “The purpose of RAIB investigations is to prevent future accidents and incidents and improve railway safety,” the report reminds readers. “RAIB does not establish blame, liability or carry out prosecutions.”
Progress on serious issues, but not yet closure
Freight derailments only tend to make the headlines when they impact passenger services. They are more frequent issues that only affect the industry. They are recorded by the RAIB with equal diligence. However, more serious issues make the headlines, sometimes in tragic circumstances. A special section of the report reviews the status of the 20 safety recommendations issued following the 2020 Carmont derailment, which remains the most serious fatal accident on the UK network in recent times. As of the end of 2024, eight of those recommendations remain open. Progress has been made, but full implementation remains some way off, warns the Branch.
Despite the enormity of Carmont and the fresh impact of Talerddig, RAIB’s stance remains clear. “We operate, as far as possible, in an open and transparent manner,” the Chief Executive’s statement stresses. The report underlines that even as the industry faces structural upheaval, the need for independent, fearless investigation remains critical. “Constant learning and vigilance,” says the report, “are the cornerstones of rail safety.”