Consultation Railways (Safety Management) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022The proposed regulations are being introduced to amend an earlier set of Regulations – the Railways (Safety Management) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006. The revised 2022 Regulations will introduce the necessary changes to make provision for single safety certification here in Northern Ireland.
At present, Railway Undertakings operating on the NI network must hold both a Part A certificate and Part B certificate. A Part A Certificate relates to the safety management system of a Railway Undertaking and is assessed to ensure the undertaking meets the requirements of the safety authority to operate rail services. A Part B certificate relates to how a railway undertaking meets the technical standards required to operate on a specific piece of infrastructure (i.e. routes or network). In applying for a Part A and Part B there is a considerable degree or duplication in the information required to be submitted to the safety authority. The introduction of a single safety certificate is intended to streamline the safety certification process and reduce or remove duplication.