Stations to get Passenger Assist Points to make travel easier for people with accessibility needs

Train operator Northern is installing eight Passenger Assist Points in the coming months that are designed to make travel easier and more accessible for people.

These new designated areas at key stations across the network will feature clear and accessible signage, as well as seating, to make it easier for passengers to get the assistance they need when travelling on Northern services.

Locations will include Barrow-in-Furness, Blackpool North, Bolton, Halifax, Harrogate, Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Victoria, and Meadowhall stations.

Passengers will be able to wait in these areas or ask for help when they book train travel through Passenger Assist, a national scheme for any passengers who require assistance to travel on the rail network.

It allows people to contact Northern and other train operators, so they get assistance on and off trains as well as reserve wheelchair spaces and seats.

The scheme is part of Northern’s ongoing commitment to improving accessibility and inclusivity on its services.

Mark Powles, Customer and Commercial Director at Northern, said: “We are delighted to be installing these new Passenger Assist Points across our network. We know that travelling by rail can be challenging for some passengers and we are committed to doing everything we can to make it easier and more accessible for everyone.”

Northern was recently recognised at the Rail Business Awards, winning the Customer Service Excellence category, for its development of ‘The Accessible Travel Simulation’. This app is designed to support people who are anxious or need to build confidence to travel by train.

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.

The operator also recently committed to improving the accessibility of customer information by installing display screens and speakers for passengers with visual and hearing impairments. The screens feature white LEDs, which can be seen from a further distance, and the higher colour contrast makes them easier to read for passengers with visual impairments.