Route knowledge: knowing the line
RSSB’s Joe Wilson looks at developing and maintaining route knowledge to create a sustained safety culture.
Once they have passed out, all drivers must continue developing and maintaining their route knowledge. The onus is on them to stay up to date on their route.
Route knowledge retention helps prevent operational incidents and SPADs. There was a time when route knowledge did not take centre stage in a driver’s competence plan, unfortunately with tragic results. The Ladbroke Grove accident in 1999 highlighted this. The driver had not received adequate training in route knowledge. He started training on 1 February 1999.
His first solo shift was on 22 September, just 33 weeks later. His trainer had told him that the signals at Paddington were tricky, and that he should count the signals from left to right to work out which one was applicable to his line. The trainer told the public inquiry into the accident that it wasn’t his job to teach routes; his role was to teach how to drive a train.
Fortunately, driver training is now much more formalised and structured. It includes competency development plans, compulsory driver training hours, ride outs, downloads, simulators, and mentoring. But we can still do better at sharing route risks with all drivers, not just those who’ve recently qualified. This need to share was evident in the two overspeeding events at Spital Junction by two different operators on a route where many operators work.
So, what’s the best way for drivers to develop and maintain route knowledge? First, blended training, which includes both classroom and driving time, is crucial. When driving, focus should be put on multi-SPAD signals and hotspot routes where operational incidents or unfamiliar moves occur.
This can only be achieved by making sure drivers have the chance to drive frequently but are not reliant on fixed driving assessments in competency development plans. They should also have more informal meetings, assessments, and ride outs with the relevant managers. This will strengthen drivers’ relationships with management and could also increase the likelihood of divers reporting health and wellbeing issues. The result? A positive safety culture.
As we have seen, having a sustained safety culture is crucial. Safety is not a one-time exercise. It is a culture that must permeate every part of an organisation. This is especially important as we transition to an ETCS railway, where overlays and transitions between signalling systems will start to increase. Operators must support each other in communicating the lessons learnt. Otherwise, a disaster such as the one at Santiago de Compostela could occur, where 79 lives were lost and hundreds more injured in 2013.
The importance of corporate memory is still key. Technology may evolve but change can increase risk. We need to remain vigilant and work together as an industry to tackle issues to be in an even stronger position where safety is concerned.