British Transport Police has issued a report praising train operator Northern for the significant amount of work it takes to protect and safeguard vulnerable people travelling on its network.

During research to produce the report, interviews and evidence showed that the Senior Team at Northern was dedicated to Safeguarding.

They also exhibited a genuine desire to build on that foundation and make safeguarding part of the company’s usual business.

An increasing number of vulnerable people using the railway network has prompted the Department for Transport and British Transport Police to develop the Safeguarding on Rail Scheme (SRS).

After several incidents last year when Northern colleagues made potentially life-saving interventions to customers on its network, the company announced that its employees were being given special training to help vulnerable people using its network.

Among the incidents that prompted the action were:

• Last July a passenger’s condition deteriorated on-board a Northern train and the conductor ensured they received swift medical treatment.
• In August, a 13-year-old boy in distress on a service to Manchester Piccadilly was helped by the train’s conductor.
• In September, two employees at Blackburn station were praised for finding a missing eight-year-old girl.
• In February 2023, three vulnerable young girls, all aged 16 and under, who had been reported missing, were returned to their homes thanks to a Northern train conductor’s training and his intervention.

Every Northern service has a conductor on board who can give help and advice, or be advised about suspicious behaviour. Alternatively, passengers can contact British Transport Police via text on 61016.

Further information about the Safeguarding on Rail scheme is online at railwaychildren.org.uk/our-work/where-we-work-uk/safeguarding-on-rail.

“I’m really proud that the efforts of my team have been recognised by British Transport Police. Safeguarding vulnerable people on the railway is everyone’s responsibility and I’ll bet each and every one of my traincrew and station colleagues could give you an example of a situation that could have ended very different if someone hadn’t intervened. To achieve full accreditation in the Safeguarding on Rail Scheme is a testament to our staff and a good opportunity to remind everyone to look out for one another.”

Matt Rice, chief operating officer at Northern