Case study: driver incident support
12 September 2024
Team review and communications follow report about operational incident support.
Image: Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre © Network Rail
Operational incident manager (OIM) is a new role at Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre. A reporter said OIMs aren’t going on the rail network to offer drivers support in an operational incident. Instead, they provide support over the phone. This isn’t enough.
It isn’t clear how OIMs assess the support to give drivers, such as whether to attend incidents in person. Have there been changes to this?
GTR Southern said a 2023 reorganisation separated operational incident response from business-as-usual competence management. The competency development manager (CDM) was responsible for both. Incident response now sits with OIMs.
Expectations haven’t changed, and there’s the same amount of on-call cover. OIMs try to speak with drivers face-to-face after an incident, but it can be difficult in practice.
OIMs take risk-based decisions about whether to attend, call the driver, or mobilise other support, such as a local CDM or line manager. They consider the location or nature of the incident, the driver’s mental state and incident record, and whether there are other live incidents or operational factors.
If the OIM doesn’t attend, they must complete a form and justify this decision for review. GTR Southern encourages anyone concerned about a specific incident to raise it with their line manager.
GTR Southern reviewed the whole Southern Operational Training and Competency team after the CIRAS report. As a result, it’s communicating about the reorganisation—including the OIM role—through roadshows. It will also explore whether CDM teams can support reaction to incidents when they need a quick response.