Australia’s first national safety regulator appointed

Andrews is a highly experienced rail safety regulator from the United Kingdom, having worked for the Strategic Rail Authority, the Office of Rail Regulation, the Health and Safety Executive, and most recently held positions 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.

Andrew’s appointment follows the passage of the Rail Safety National Law by the South Australian Parliament last month. That law establishes the new national regulator that will replace seven separate regulatory authorities and 46 pieces of legislation.

Other states and territories are expected to deliver the legislation through their parliaments over the coming months, so that the NRSR will be operational from January 2013.

ARA chief executive Bryan Nye welcomed Andrews’ appointment and said the ARA is keen to meet with him to ensure he is supportive of the co-regulatory approach to rail regulation in Australia.

“No doubt Mr Andrews will use his strong regulatory experience to bring a fresh view to the very important role of regulating rail in Australia in a uniform and consistent co-regulatory manner,” Nye said.

The Federal Government’s historic transport reforms mean that for the first time in Australia’s history, all railways will come under a single safety regulator with one set of national regulations – a demonstration of what can be achieved through cooperation between federal, state and territory governments.

The new NRSR, to be based in Adelaide, will boost national income by up to $30bn over the next 20 years by ending the need for mountains of paperwork and multiple fees on the industry.