The Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2011

SCHEDULE 8 — Minimum criteria which must be taken into account by the Secretary of State when approving bodies

(This Schedule substantially reproduces Annex VIII to the Directive with amendments to correct deficiencies arising from the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.)

1

The body, its Director and the staff responsible for carrying out the checking operations may not become involved either directly or as authorised representatives in the design, manufacture, construction, marketing or maintenance of the interoperability constituents or subsystems or in their use. This does not exclude the possibility of an exchange of technical information between the manufacturer and that body.

2

The body and the staff responsible for the checks must carry out the checks with the greatest possible professional integrity and the greatest possible technical competence and must be free of any pressure and incentive, in particular of a financial type, which could affect their judgement or the results of their inspection, in particular from persons or groups of persons affected by the results of the checks.

3

The body must employ staff and possess the means required to perform adequately the technical and administrative tasks linked with the checks; it should also have access to the equipment needed for exceptional checks.

4

The staff responsible for the checks must possess—

• (a) proper technical and vocational training,

• (b) a satisfactory knowledge of the requirements relating to the checks that they carry out and sufficient practice in those checks,

• (c) the ability to draw up certificates, records and reports which constitute the formal record of the inspections conducted.

5

The independence of the staff responsible for inspections must be guaranteed. No official must be remunerated either on the basis of the number of inspections performed or of the results of those inspections.

6

The body must take out civil liability insurance unless that liability is covered by the UK Government under the law of the UK or of any part of the UK or unless the checks are carried out directly by the UK Government.

7

The staff of the body must be bound by professional secrecy with regard to everything they learn in the performance of their duties (with the exception of the competent administrative authorities and accident investigation bodies in the UK as well as accident investigation bodies responsible for the investigation of accidents caused by the failure of the interoperability constituents or subsystems checked) in pursuance of these Regulations.