Great Western Railway accredited for safety work

Great Western Railway has become the first train operator to be awarded Safeguarding on Rail Scheme Accreditation.

The initiative, run by the British Transport Police and the Department for Transport, became a committed obligation for all operators in 2019. It is designed to help operators make railway stations safer for vulnerable children, by training staff to help identify vulnerable people using the network.

With the support of the Railway

Children charity, GWR has trained more than 5,000 staff and created 100 ‘champions’, and it plans to undertake further training throughout 2022.

It estimates that interventions from staff in the past ten months have prevented more than 120 suicides. Meanwhile, protection was also given to a 14-year-old girl who was travelling to meet an older man having been groomed online, to an 11-year-old who had run away from home, and to a 12-year-old victim of upskirting.

“Trained and dedicated rail staff have a vital role in identifying and protecting those who are so often invisible and run the risk of falling through the cracks and facing further harm,” said Railway Children Chief Executive Terina Keene.

“GWR staff have already been instrumental in ensuring so many children and young people are protected from harm and get the help and support they need.”