Hull Trains Supports Hull Pride 2017

Hull Trains, one of the UK’s leading rail operators for equality and diversity, is sharing its love for UK Pride 2017 as it comes to its home town. Hull Trains is supporting the event through a celebration of colour on-board its trains and a special Hull Trains welcome for visitors at Paragon Interchange.

The company is also bringing many of Pride’s acts, entertainers and VIPs up from the capital across the week, including one of Pride’s headline acts which the rail operator is supporting.

Will Dunnett, Managing Director of Hull Trains says: “We’re one of the most innovative and diverse rail operators in the UK and are proud to champion equality and diversity in the workplace. We encourage other major businesses and employers to do the same and further cement equal rights for all in every environment.”

Hull Trains has one of the highest levels of colleague equality in the industry. In stark contrast to the rail industry norm, where only 16% of roles are filled by women, 53% of employees at Hull Trains are female and its Executive Team is 50% female.

The firm also boasts the UK’s youngest, female long-distance train driver. Nationally, only 5% of train drivers are female. At Hull Trains, that figure is 25%. Many of the drivers have risen through the ranks from on-board hosts to drivers, thanks to the company providing full training.

Will says: “Our goal is to be a great place to work and to live our values of being open and honest, friendly and caring and supportive of each other regardless of career level, status, age, gender or sexual background.

“We employ people based on their commitment to our values, behaviours and passion for customer service. As a result we have a diverse and skilled mix of people at Hull Trains, many of whom have been with us since the company first began in 2000.

“In June 2017, we gained Gold Investors in People status - one of the highest levels that can be achieved for people management, working environment and the way that colleagues are recognised and rewarded.

“We’re immensely proud of the Hull Trains’ business and the city of Hull and are delighted to showcase and celebrate Pride 2017 on our trains and platforms.”

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Editors’ notes

2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Britain. To celebrate this, the city of Hull is delivering a week-long festival of music and performance from July 22nd that is expected to bring in thousands of visitors.

Hull Trains has consistently received the highest scores for passenger satisfaction for four consecutive years in the National Rail Passenger Survey. In January 2017, it was rated 97% for passenger satisfaction – the highest score ever by a long-distance train operator and 12% higher than the average long-distance operator. The company has also been amongst the top of the Which? passenger league for reliability, availability of seating, cleanliness and the overall conditions of the train for two successive years.

Hull Trains was named the UK’s Rail Operator of the Year 2016 at the National Transport Awards as well as scooping further regional and local accolades for service and performance. The company won the ‘Customer Service Team of the Year’ award at the inaugural North of England Transport Awards in November. This was followed by a local win for ‘Customer Focus’ at the Mail Business Awards in Hull, which acknowledges the top performing firms across Hull and the East Riding.