Andy Lewis has been appointed Chief Inspector of Rail Accidents and will take up the role in November 2026, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has announced.
He will succeed Andrew Hall, who is retiring after almost five years as the organisation’s Chief Inspector.
Extensive rail safety experience
Lewis began his career with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, training as a marine engineer before serving as an engineering officer. He moved into the railway industry in the mid-1990s, working on projects to deliver new trains for the London Underground and the mainline railway.
He later worked as a consultant on rail vehicle safety and managed modification projects, including the installation of on-train data recorders on several train types.
Lewis joined RAIB as an inspector in 2007 and has carried out safety investigations across the rail and tramway sectors. He became a Principal Inspector in 2019, leading a team of investigators, and was appointed Deputy Chief Inspector in 2022 with responsibility for RAIB’s operational teams.
Lewis pledges to build on RAIB’s work
Lewis said: “It is a great privilege to take on the role of Chief Inspector. I would like to thank Andrew Hall for his outstanding leadership during a highly successful period for RAIB.
“I look forward to building on the Branch’s widely recognised reputation for delivering high-quality, independent safety investigations and to working with my exceptional colleagues as we continue to develop and strengthen RAIB for the future.”