Liz Parkes

With AARC, I’m currently leading a project on remodelling Network Rail’s overarching health and safety management system following a gap analysis of the existing system. Other AARC projects include a review of Strathspey Railway’s safety and competence management systems to assess compliance with the Railways & Other Guided Transport Systems Regulations,(ROGS), and BS ISO 45001:2018 and provide proposals to address any gaps and to develop systems further. I also wrote successful exemption and certification applications for East Lancashire Railway to run at higher speeds for testing vehicles and vehicle-borne equipment such as innovative laser and plasma rail treatment technologies. This was followed up by an internal audit of its traction and rolling stock activities. On a pro bono basis I developed Lancashire Mining Museum’s safety management system to meet the requirements of ROGS and BS ISO 45001:2018.

At NYMR, I developed and implemented an environmental and sustainability system, secured periodic safety re-certification under ROGS and an extension to the safety certificate to cover operations in North Norfolk. A major filming project was made possible by scoping, developing and delivering the processes necessary to run at higher line speeds, and by ensuring competence in testing, commissioning and operating unique traction and rolling stock. This involved training in bespoke instructions, route risk assessments defining optimum acceleration and deceleration points, and safety assurance of vehicles, track and interfaces. Key to the project’s success was obtaining ORR’s exemption from the ROGS requirements for certification and authorisation for operations above 25mph.

With Tyne & Wear Metro, as Head of Safety & Compliance, I was responsible for updating its safety and environmental management systems, ensuring ROGS compliance and ISO certification. I qualitatively and quantitively assessed, then mitigated, the platform train interface risk, leading to a dramatic reduction in precursor events. The Metro’s in-cab information displays were evaluated to assess their efficacy in, for example, timekeeping and poor rail adhesion reporting real-time, while not causing distraction. This work encompassed workshops to explore risks holistically and identify realistic safety mitigations and performance improvements. Group discussions with drivers and visualisation of scenarios leading to an incident proved particularly helpful, as did empirical, evidence based research and literature review.

As Safety & Standards Manager for Edinburgh Trams, I produced a risk profile, operational risk assessments, and wrote and implemented ROGS compliant management systems achieving ISO 9001 and 14001 certification. Research on cab ergonomics was carried out and applied, including effective driver safety devices, and alerts to mitigate the doors opening in the wrong place, or at the wrong-time, risk.

As Safety & Standards Manager Railtrack Scotland, I was its professional Head of Safety, with responsibility for monitoring client train operators’ safety cases and the activities of infrastructure contractors; production and dissemination of operational policies and procedures, emergency planning, incident investigation, risk assessment, claims handling and operation of the Zone’s Safety and Signalling Training Centre.

Earlier in my career, I held various safety management positions with Railtrack and operational supervisory roles with British Rail. I was Safety Officer for Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive, and Health, Safety & Training Officer at Jordanhill College. I’m a Chartered Member of the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health and have recently completed a Higher Certificate in the Environment.