A northern based train operating company is promoting safety on the railway and reminding customers how they can keep themselves safe whilst travelling.

First TransPennine Express (FTPE) which manages 30 stations across the north of England, has recently analysed the causes of passenger accidents on trains and at stations and has found that a large percentage were caused by individual behaviour and could have been avoided.

With contributing factors such as busy lifestyles and customers rushing for trains to get to and from work, FTPE noticed an increase in the numbers of passengers reporting slips, trips and falls and is embarking on an awareness campaign to promote safe practices.

The FTPE safety team have already visited Huddersfield station and will be visiting a number of its other managed stations over the coming months where there will be observing behaviours, offering assistance to customers and advising passengers on safe travel practices.

17th to 23rd Sept 2012 Manchester Airport

3rd to 9th December 2012 Cleethorpes (and South Humber)

5th to 10th February 2013 Barrow and Cumbria

Jill James, FTPE’s Safety Systems Manager said,

“We want to talk about all aspects of safe travel, from arriving in good time for your train to avoiding rushing, to holding handrails on stairs and taking extra care when boarding the train.

“By simply making our passengers aware of these issues we hope to enhance their travel experience and keep them safe.”

David Mulhall, FTPE’s Head of Safety said,

“Safety is FTPE’s number one priority and we are committed to making sure that when customers travel with us they are as safe as possible and they arrive at their destination injury free.

“There are many risks which are avoidable simply by taking care and being more aware of the hazards is the first step towards reducing that risk. The overwhelming majority of our customers travel with us without incident every day but our aim is to reach zero injuries.”

All FTPE employees are provided with training to give them the skills to assist passengers who may be more vulnerable and may represent a risk to their own health and wellbeing. This may involve assisting with large items of luggage, assistance on stairs or boarding and alighting trains.

A part of this training is a module called ‘Doing the Right Thing’ which helps colleagues to understand the importance of early intervention. This programme and FTPE’s training team were category winners at the recent Customer Service Training Awards.