General
The approval of the Swedish Transport Agency is required before
infrastructure, wehicles or technical systems can be put into
service. This also applies to upgrading or renewal of an already
approved subsystem, where safety is affected.
Station names and education plans also require an approval
before they are used.
The purpose of approval by the Swedish Transport Agency is
both to ensure that different subsystems can be used together in
practice without the risk of damage or accidents occurring, and
that relevant safety requirements in Sections 1-5 of the Railway
Act have been met. A decision to grant approval means that the
subsystem in question may be used for railway operations in Sweden.
An approval decision remains in force until a railway
infrastructure, a technical system or a vehicle is upgraded or
renewed.
What must be approved?
A vehicle for rail traffic must be approved by the
Swedish Transport Agency before it is allowed be used in
Sweden. This applies to new, imported and significantly modified
vehicles. Likewise, a new or significantly remodelled track
installation or technical system must be approved before it can be
taken into service. This is laid down in the Railway Act 2004:519.
Station names and training plans also require approval.
Approvals issued in the days of the Railway Inspectorate are
valid and need not be repeated as long as a subsystem has not been
modified. All equipment that was in use when the new Railway Act
came into force can also be regarded as approved.
Which approval process is applied?
The Swedish Transport Agency’s regulation on approval
describes two processes. One is harmonised within Europe and is
used for standardised subsystems (of the kind specified in TSIs).
The other process is national and is used for subsystems that are
based on national rules (eg metro and tramway systems and national
safety constituents and subsystems for which there are no TSI in
force).
Who should apply for approval?
Applicants may be the manufacturers or purchasers of a vehicle,
infrastructure or technical system, for instance a railway
undertaking, a manufacturer or an infrastructure manager.