Sch 8 para 2
The body and the staff responsible for the checks must carry out the checks with the greatest possible professional integrity and the greatest possible technical competence and must be free of any pressure and incentive, in particular of a financial type, which could affect their judgement or the results of their inspection, in particular from persons or groups of persons affected by the results of the checks. In particular, the body and staff responsible for the checks must be functionally independent of the authorities designated to issue authorisations for placing into service in the framework of these Regulations, operator licences in the framework of the Railways (Licensing of Railway Undertakings) Regulations 2005 or the Railways Infrastructure (Access, Management and Licensing of Railway Undertakings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016, safety certificates in the framework of the Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006 or the Railways (Safety Management) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 20006, and of bodies in charge of investigations in the event of accidents.