Rail firm told to improve after nuclear failures
ONRA specialist rail freight company that carries nuclear material has been told to improve after its subcontractor was not registered to work with radioactive material.
Direct Rail Services Limited (DRS) transports material including flasks of irradiated fuel between EDF's advanced gas-cooled nuclear reactors and Sellafield in Cumbria.
The company temporarily suspended movements in November 2024 after it was found its subcontractor was not complying with regulations, including around risk assessments and staff training.
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has served an improvement notice on DRS. The firm said steps were being taken to strengthen processes.
The ONR said the subcontractor was not registered for certain practices involving radioactive material, lacked key advisor positions and had not carried out sufficient risk assessments or staff training.
DRS, which is part of Nuclear Transport Solutions, said they notified the ONR after learning this and stopped transport movement for five days.
The ONR said no harm was caused to the public or the environment as a result of the regulatory shortfalls.
'Management failings'
It was also determined that various pieces of legislation had been, and continued to be, contravened by DRS and its subcontractor for the duration of the contract award.
DRS lodged an appeal against the notice, which was issued in February 2025, but that was later withdrawn, the ONR said.
Russell Bowden, an ONR Transport Competent Authority inspector, said inquiries revealed "wider shortcomings" in DRS's management system and "failings" with supply chain management and incident management and reporting.
Mr Bowden said the ONR would continue to work with the company during the improvement notice to ensure progress was made.
A Nuclear Transport Solutions spokesperson said: "Whilst there were no consequences to public safety or the environment as a result of these shortfalls, we take our regulatory obligations seriously and are fully committed to meeting the highest standards expected by our regulators, customers, and stakeholders.
"We have already taken steps to strengthen our internal processes, and we will continue to work with ONR to ensure we comply with the improvement notice."
DRS must comply with the notice by 31 August.