First National Rail Safety Regulator appointed

Following the passage of the Rail Safety National Law through South Australian Parliament last month, the first National Rail Safety Regulator has been appointed.

Rob Andrews has worked as a rail safety regulator in the United Kingdom including at the Strategic Rail Authority, the Office of Rail Regulation, the Health and Safety Executive, and most recently as Program Director for Crossrail and Thameslink at the London Underground. He has also been a member of the UK Rail Safety and Standards Board.

The law establishes the new national regulator that will replace seven separate regulatory authorities and 46 pieces of legislation. Mr Andrews’ role will be to will “oversee Australia’s urban passenger rail networks and interstate freight operation” working to make them “operate more seamlessly and safely by reducing unnecessary red tape and duplication.”

Mr Andrews will be based in Adelaide with the Project Office until the new premises for the ONRSR are complete.