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    NOTES

  • Railways & Transport Safety Act 2003 received Royal Assent and became law on 10th July 2003.

    The main part of the Act is concerned with safety on the railways (it will set up a Rail Accident Investigation Branch on similar lines to the accident investigation services which already exists in the marine and aviation sectors. The establishment of the new body is in response to recommendations made in September 2001 by Part 2 of Lord Cullen's Report into the Ladbroke Grove rail crash).

    However the Railways & Transport Safety Act2003 also contains some ancillary provisions which relating to employment.

    Section 29 is designed to ensure that the British Transport Police Authority constables will be employees of the Authority and that their existing terms and conditions of employment will be protected on transfer from the Strategic Rail Authority. The section will enable the Secretary of State to ensure that the Authority maintains pay parity for BTP constables with their Home Office colleagues.

    The Act introduces alcohol limits and related measures for crews on water-borne vessels, and for crew members and others with safety-critical functions in aviation. These limits are to be enforced similarly to drink-drive limits on the roads, with the police given powers to test individuals if a reasonable suspicion exists that an offence is or has been committed. Parts 4 and 5 of the Act make provision for specific limits on alcohol and drugs in the shipping and aviation industries respectively (see notes at Specific employments/merchant seamen/a general note and/or Specific employments/aircrew ).

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    updated July2003