Network Rail plans to employ more women to boost diversity
NETWORK RAIL has announced it plans to employ 50 per cent more women over the next five years as part of its commitment to diversity as it unveiled its record £47bn business development plan.
Yesterday, the company pledged to recruit equal numbers of male and female graduates and apprentices, as well as to provide changing facilities “for all genders” on its sites.
The plan – which has seen a 25 per cent increase in base funding on the preceding period – prioritises staff mental health and wellbeing alongside big investment on improving Britain’s existing railways. The strategy would see the number of female staff jump from 6,400 currently to more than 9,000 in Network Rail’s 38,000-strong workforce.
It also aimed to give staff a more dignified working environment and reduce the number of staff absences caused by mental health problems by 30 per cent.
The report said: “By the end of 2019, we have committed to providing adequate toilet and changing facilities for all genders at all sites throughout the country. No trains will discharge toilets on to the track by this time too, which will significantly improve the working environment of our staff and help us to provide a workplace of dignity and respect.”
The company also listed a number of environmental commitments, including reducing energy consumption by 18 per cent, reducing carbon emissions by 25 per cent and increasing biodiversity on the railways.
It also promised to provide free toilets and drinking fountains at stations under its control.
Network Rail’s chief executive Mark Carne said in a statement: “Passengers’ journeys will be transformed in the next few years as thousands of new trains enter service.
“By 2021 there will be almost 350,000 more services per year than today – an average of an extra 1,000 services a day, better connecting communities and driving economic growth across the country. This plan builds on these improvements and sets out how we will make the railway more reliable and cost-efficient and how we accelerate the technological transformation of our railway into the digital age.”
The firm said at least 25 per cent of its budget had been earmarked to improve infrastructure after big development projects in the previous five-year plan.