| 20 years of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch - 17.10.2025 Posted by grahame at 17:14, 17th October 2025 |     |
Press release from gov.uk
Two decades of improving railway safety
Today, 17 October 2025, RAIB marks 20 years of independently investigating accidents and incidents on the UK railway.
Railway and tramway passengers and workers have benefited from safer journeys and working environments following two decades of independent safety investigations by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).
Since becoming operational on 17th October 2005, RAIB has deployed investigators 777 times across Britain’s railway network. The organisation’s 427 published reports have generated 1,891 safety recommendations and 447 learning points that have directly contributed to improved safety standards across the industry.
The organisation has issued 52 urgent safety advice notifications when immediate action was needed to protect lives. Its 138 safety bulletins and digests have highlighted 278 critical safety messages to the industry.
Andrew Hall, Chief Inspector of Rail Accidents said:
Learning from accidents is a fundamental way of improving safety and the railway has a long history of doing so, going back to the 19th century. Today our anniversary feels poignant, as it is also 25 years since the tragic accident at Hatfield, which took the lives of four people and injured 70 more.
Thankfully over the last 20 years, the railway has become statistically safer. Technological advancements, organisational change and a better understanding of risk have all contributed. Such improvements are no small part due to the structural changes brought about by the Cullen Inquiry and the consequent establishment of the tripartite railway safety structure: RAIB; ORR; and the railway industry, including RSSB.
RAIB’s role today is the same as it was on day one, to independently investigate accidents to improve railway and tramway safety and inform the industry and the public. After a significant accident or incident, the travelling public must be assured that a thorough and independent investigation will be conducted and that the causes will be published so that everyone can understand what happened and learn the lessons.
Today, 17 October 2025, RAIB marks 20 years of independently investigating accidents and incidents on the UK railway.
Railway and tramway passengers and workers have benefited from safer journeys and working environments following two decades of independent safety investigations by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).
Since becoming operational on 17th October 2005, RAIB has deployed investigators 777 times across Britain’s railway network. The organisation’s 427 published reports have generated 1,891 safety recommendations and 447 learning points that have directly contributed to improved safety standards across the industry.
The organisation has issued 52 urgent safety advice notifications when immediate action was needed to protect lives. Its 138 safety bulletins and digests have highlighted 278 critical safety messages to the industry.
Andrew Hall, Chief Inspector of Rail Accidents said:
Learning from accidents is a fundamental way of improving safety and the railway has a long history of doing so, going back to the 19th century. Today our anniversary feels poignant, as it is also 25 years since the tragic accident at Hatfield, which took the lives of four people and injured 70 more.
Thankfully over the last 20 years, the railway has become statistically safer. Technological advancements, organisational change and a better understanding of risk have all contributed. Such improvements are no small part due to the structural changes brought about by the Cullen Inquiry and the consequent establishment of the tripartite railway safety structure: RAIB; ORR; and the railway industry, including RSSB.
RAIB’s role today is the same as it was on day one, to independently investigate accidents to improve railway and tramway safety and inform the industry and the public. After a significant accident or incident, the travelling public must be assured that a thorough and independent investigation will be conducted and that the causes will be published so that everyone can understand what happened and learn the lessons.
