E161:05 5 December 2005

New chief inspector of railways

Linda Williams starts work today as Chief Inspector of Railways at the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) replacing Dr Allan Sefton who retired last Friday.

Linda was appointed by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) and became Chief Inspector of Railways Designate on 26 September 2005. She now takes over the position, initially as a secondment to HSE, until the transfer of rail safety regulation to ORR during the first quarter of 2006.

Linda said today: “Over the past month I have been promoting safety regulation at ORR. This will help ensure a seamless transfer of rail safety responsibilities early next year. In the meantime, it is very much a case of business as usual for HSE’s HM Railway Inspectorate.”

Notes to Editors

• On 15 July 2004 the Secretary of State for Transport (SoS) published a White Paper www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_railways/documents/page/dft_railways_031105.hcsp setting out the outcomes from the Rail Review he announced in January 2004. The SoS decided that the responsibility for rail safety regulation should be transferred from HSC/E to the new Office of Rail Regulation (ORR). The statutory responsibilities for health and safety on the railways remain with HSC/E during the transitional period to ORR.
• Linda Williams joined the Field Operations Directorate of HSE in 1976 becoming Regional Director for the West Midlands. Most recently, Linda was Head of Operations for HM Railway Inspectorate.

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