TyreSafe has announced a new partnership with the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), reinforcing a shared commitment to reducing occupational road risk and improving vehicle safety across the UK’s rail industry.
The partnership will see TyreSafe work alongside RSSB’s Road Risk Group (RRG), supporting the rail sector’s efforts to improve road safety for employees, contractors and those travelling on behalf of the industry. By promoting tyre safety education, awareness and best practice, the collaboration will contribute to reducing the risks associated with work-related driving.
While RSSB is dedicated to improving safety, sustainability and performance across Britain’s rail network, its Road Risk Group has become increasingly important as work-related road incidents remain a significant safety challenge. In the five years to 2024, road traffic collisions accounted for three of the rail industry’s ten workforce fatalities, highlighting the need for continued focus on occupational road risk.
The Road Risk Group is leading industry-wide efforts to strengthen the management of work-related driving by encouraging collaboration, sharing best practice, improving safety reporting and analysis, and supporting behavioural and cultural change. It also works closely with industry partners to refresh and promote the Occupational Road Risk Management Charter.
Lucy Powell, Strategy Manager at RSSB, who approved the partnership, said, “Road risk continues to be one of the most significant safety challenges facing the rail industry beyond the railway boundary. Partnering with TyreSafe enables us to strengthen awareness of one of the most critical elements of vehicle safety. Through education, collaboration and the sharing of best practice, we can help organisations better manage occupational road risk and support our industry’s commitment to protecting everyone who drives for work.”
Caitriona O’Brien, Workforce Health and Safety Manager at Network Rail and Chair of the RSSB Road Risk Group, added “The Road Risk Group is committed to championing a stronger focus on managing occupational road risk across the rail industry. Working with TyreSafe brings valuable expertise that complements our strategic objectives, helping organisations place greater emphasis on vehicle safety as part of a wider culture of safe driving. By working together, we can continue to reduce preventable incidents and improve outcomes for everyone travelling on work-related journeys.”
Stuart Lovatt, Chair of TyreSafe, welcomed the partnership, saying, “We are delighted to become an official partner of RSSB and to support the important work of the Road Risk Group. Tyres are the only point of contact between a vehicle and the road, yet they are often overlooked in fleet safety programmes. By working with RSSB, we can help embed tyre safety into occupational road risk management across the rail sector, ensuring that employees and contractors understand the vital role that properly maintained tyres play in preventing incidents and saving lives.”
The partnership reflects the growing recognition that effective occupational road risk management extends beyond driver behaviour to include vehicle condition, maintenance and safety culture. Through joint awareness initiatives, educational resources and collaborative engagement with the rail industry, TyreSafe and RSSB aim to encourage organisations to place tyre safety at the heart of their road risk strategies.
The collaboration also supports the objectives of the Rail Health and Safety Strategy, which identifies the management of occupational road risk as a priority area for improving workforce safety across the industry.
