Following concerns raised by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) regarding the reliability of assistance provided to disabled passengers, train operator Northern has submitted an action plan outlining improvements to its service.
Northern has identified key areas for improvement over the next year, including:
- Standardisation of processes: Ensuring consistent passenger assistance policies and procedures across the entire network.
- Staff training and capability: Equipping staff with the necessary skills to deliver high-quality assistance, even during disruptions.
- Technological advancements: Leveraging technology to enhance service delivery and consistency.
- Improved information access: Providing easier access to information for both customers and staff.
In the next three months, Northern will prioritize the following:
- Reviewing staffing models: Assessing staffing levels at major stations like Leeds to ensure adequate support.
- Enhancing communication: Providing additional training to staff on communication between boarding and alighting stations.
- Introducing remote assistance: Establishing a dedicated team to assist passengers remotely using tools like WhatsApp.
- Piloting a new process: Allowing passengers from unstaffed stations to alert conductors to their assistance needs.
ORR has been actively engaged with Northern, holding a senior roundtable in October to facilitate constructive discussions and support the development of the action plan. The roundtable included representatives from the Rail North Partnership, the Department for Transport, Transport for the North, and the Northern User Accessibility Group.
Northern will provide regular updates to ORR on its progress, with full reviews scheduled for the end of January 2025 and April 2025.
Stephanie Tobyn, ORR Director of Strategy, Policy and Reform, stated, “After recent constructive discussions with Northern, we welcome its plan which recognises where it can improve upon its assistance reliability.
“The onus is now on the operator to fulfil what it has set out to achieve. We will monitor its progress over the coming months.”
Northern will now report regularly to ORR about how it is progressing with its plan, starting from December 2024. ORR will carry out a full review of the progress made at the end of January 2025 and again at the end of April.
