The PACTS Rail Safety Working Party (RSWP) is one of PACTS four Working Parties. Its role is to advise PACTS on rail safety matters and to help formulate policy. The RSWP meets three times a year to hear from representatives from members on priority topics in areas that present challenges and opportunities to achieving the PACTS vision. Actions from the meetings include undertaking further research, or using PACTS’ tools of briefing papers, reports, events and engagement with Parliamentarians to push the RSWP priorities forward.
Members of the RSWP include the RSSB, RAIB, ORR, DfT, Network Rail, train operating companies and the UKRINN linked universities.
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Recent outputs
Meet the RSWP
Carolyn Griffiths OBE FREng FIMechE, Chair, RSWP
Carolyn Griffiths is a senior rail industry professional. She has worked in heavy rail, metro and light rail systems. Her roles have been in operations, manufacturing, and consultancy, establishing new rail systems, regulation and managing major projects both in the UK and overseas. She has worked in the private and public sectors. She founded UK’s Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) and was Chief Inspector during its first 10 years of operations. She actively promotes the engineering profession ; she is a Board member of Royal Academy of Engineering, a past President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and past Board member of the Engineering Council. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorates by Cranfield University and Hallam University in recognition of her contribution to the rail industry and engineering more generally.
She is a Board member of Scottish Rail Holdings Ltd, ScotRail Trains Ltd and Caledonian Sleeper Ltd.
David Packer FPWI, Vice-Chair, RSWP
David Packer is a railway professional with broad industry experience, covering heavy rail, light rail and metro. Most recently, David led the Permanent Way Institution as its first CEO, which he transformed into a sustainable business as a licensed professional engineering institution, widely supported by the industry. Currently, David is a Board member of the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway.
Latest news from the RSWP
The RSWP last met on 13th January 2026. The group continues horizon scanning and sharing updates on safety issues to keep members informed. They plan to regularly calibrate industry risk profiles, monitor emerging safety issues, and explore personal safety and violence legislation. They reviewed the Government’s response to the GBR consultation and confirmed the 2026 work plan, and they have launched a survey to assess the extent the rail industry operates to a ‘Safe System’.
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