Severn Valley Railway bans lineside passes and photo charters
THE SEVERN Valley Railway (SVR) has decided not to issue any more lineside photographic passes, or accommodate any photo charters, following two unrelated accidents. It says it expects other railways to follow suit, and ban these ‘high-risk’ activities. Due to COVID-19, existing SVR lineside passes were suspended (now reinstated) and no charters are planned for 2021. Those existing lineside passes can be used until expiry.
GM Helen Smith said: “The Office of Road and Rail has ceased its ‘light touch’ approach to heritage rail and is beginning to apply more rigorous standards. The SVR is of particular interest to the ORR because of two fall-from-height incidents in less than a year. The income is insignificant compared to the potential risk. If we continue to permit such activities we also hold liability for accidents or injuries. Put these factors together and you will see why it would not be in the SVR’s interests to allow these high-risk activities to continue. Only a handful of railways currently do so, and I expect that soon there will not be any.”