Heritage Railway enthusiasts are feeling the heat over Health and Safety Regulations, which leaves enthusiasts having to pay thousands of pounds in order to keep the railway heritage alive.
Up until recently, the Railway Inspectorate provided the necessary safety checks required by Legislation for the Heritage Railway. However, EU Directive requirement means that Heritage Railway Societies throughout the U.K. will now have to take on the cost of providing such inspections.
The recently discarded rolling stock trains will soon be taken over by the Heritage Railways, which will also mean added costly inspections for railway enthusiasts.
The intention of the EU Directive is to free the inspectorate, thus effectively providing more time and advice to the industry.
David Morgan, Chairman of the Heritage Railway Association said:
"Many of us feel that nothing would make safety authorities happier than to see us all closed down.
"The safest railway must be one on which a train never moves.
"The executive had tried introducing new arrangements requiring the heritage societies to employ an inspector themselves.
"This work was done free by the inspectorate and now you are looking at £200 an hour for something that can take several days."All this has to be underwritten and we have yet to find an insurer who is willing to do so.
"Today's junk is tomorrow's antiques. Railway heritage societies preserve our industrial archaeology."
Paul Lewin, Ffestiniog Railway Manager said:
"We could face real problems. With the railway inspectorate stopping doing the work, there is a danger that the number of people with the relevant experience will dry up.
"We are lucky in the respect that we are one of the big heritage railways. We are a £3m railway but there are others which are much smaller who will suffer."
Ian Crowder, for the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway commented:
"Heritage railways are run by volunteers and any money we make is ploughed back. It would be difficult to have extra costs imposed on us."
A Health and Safety Executive spokesman said there were no plans to exempt Heritage Railways and said:
"This will allow more effective advice, support and assistance, focusing on greatest risk to passengers and workers."
Further information on the Railway Safety Directive can be accessed from the HSE Webpage by clicking the following:
HSE rail sector pages - Europe
A response letter from Geoffrey Podger, HSE's Chief Executive, on a published letter by David Morgan can be accessed from the HSE Webpage by clicking the following:
HSE Putting the Record Straight Webpage
Article by Alexandra Johnston
