Railway safety 

There were 101 railway safety incidents and 22 accidents in 2024. The 22 accidents were as follows:

  • 13 level crossing accidents (in which 9 people died); 

  • 3 collisions involving a person, in which 2 people died (not including suicides); 

  • 2 derailments; 

  • 1 passenger fall during boarding and disembarking; 

  • 1 rupture in the overhead contact wires resulting in damage;

  • 1 collision of a train with glass panels that had ended up near the track after an act of vandalism. In this collision, a passenger on the platform was injured by the shattering glass;

  • 1 SPAD incident after which a train derailed, resulting in damage.

Signals passed at danger (SPAD) 

In 2024, a total of 31 SPAD (signal passed at danger) incidents within a Remote-Controlled Area (RCA) were registered. In 5 of these cases, the train reached a ‘danger point’: a point where the SPAD could actually have resulted in a collision, crash or derailment. In none of the incidents did this actually happen. NS aims to reduce the number of SPAD incidents where a danger point is reached to zero. NS monitors all SPAD incidents in order to learn from them and gain insight into measures we can take to potentially reduce the number.

Risk management

Railway safety is ensured by managing risks. We use indicators to predict and retrospectively measure performance. This involves using IT solutions to record and update risks and measures. In addition to continuously monitoring existing risks, our work in 2024 included: 

  • Organisation-wide improvement of the approach to risk management. We do a number of things to support the development of the so-called Rail System of the Future, such as providing unambiguous management guidelines and methods to achieve safety targets, and ensuring continuous improvement. 

  • Support for new and ongoing projects in establishing and implementing risk management. A strong focus is of course placed on major programmes such as ERTMS, the Technically Guided Departure progress (Airport Sprinter) and the introduction of the Eurocity Direct from Lelystad to Brussels. We also continued to work on risk management of many smaller changes, such as the introduction of a new procedure for responding to fires in tunnels. In addition, we developed new policies for handling electric vehicles containing lithium-ion batteries due to the risk of fire. 

Gaining experience with ERTMS

The EU has identified the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) as the new standard for train safety. Unlike the conventional rail safety systems NS'54 and Automatic Train Protection (ATP), ERTMS allows active braking curve monitoring of the train. The outdated systems will be replaced by ERTMS in the coming years. The Hanze Line and the Amsterdam-Utrecht track section will be equipped with a new version of ERTMS, in addition to the existing safety system (ATB). Trial runs took place on the Amsterdam-Utrecht route section in 2024. The conversion work on the Hanze Line has now been completed and NS will start trial runs on this line in early 2025. This will enable train drivers, train dispatchers, mechanics and other staff to gain experience with ERTMS.

Human and Organisational Factors

We continued to work on Human and Organisational Factors (HOF) policies within NS in 2024. The Human Factors perspective has also been part of the ERTMS driver training programme since 2023. The aim is for drivers to take conscious decisions and actions while driving. The simulators on which they practice their ERTMS skills therefore provided built-in feedback in 2024. Research into ERTMS knowledge and skills also continued through the ‘routine building’ research into ERTMS trial runs. Human Factors requirements have been added to suppliers’ list of essentials for retrofit projects (where rolling stock is redesigned to incorporate ERTMS) for both VIRM and FLIRT train types. The HOF team is also part of a European Rail Association task force: a European cooperative expert group involving several carriers. The aim of this group is to improve the ERTMS Driver Machine Interface (DMI).
In addition, HOF was part of the implementation of the Technically Guided Departure Process on the Airport Sprinter in December 2024. For example, a plan has been drawn up to monitor factors such as the driver's attention span and manage the risks identified as a result.

Safety culture 

NS promotes a proactive safety culture in which colleagues make a collective effort to create a safe working environment. We do so by listening to each other, being open about safety levels and being aware of the risks involved in our work and our working environment. We made progress in promoting safety awareness in 2024, focussing on operations. The number of interventions (workshops, talks, toolbox) during the year increased. The activities mostly took place at our working locations, allowing us to reach more colleagues. Our work in 2024 included:

  • Introducing a company-wide safety film. 

  • Organising an NS-wide Safety Week. The aim: to raise safety awareness through open dialogue and to carry out safety and risk vigilance interventions.

  • Organisation-wide communication by sharing safety tips, safety dilemmas and topical safety issues.

  • The digital safety portal, which provides colleagues with information on the ten safety domains within NS and news on safety. 

  • Further professionalising QHSE walks, through training and an adapted format. NS management perform these safety and quality rounds, facilitating open discussion with employees on the safety and quality of work and work processes in an approachable manner.

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