Hull Trains Champion Accessibility with Support for Purple Tuesday

Pioneering open-access operator Hull Trains is proud to be showcasing its support for Purple Tuesday, the global movement dedicated to enhancing customer experiences for disabled people and their families.

Last year, the initiative inspired more than 6,500 organisations worldwide to make 7,000 commitments towards better accessibility. Hull Trains is thrilled to be supporting this year’s effort, underscoring its commitment to delivering a fully inclusive travel experience for all.

The operator sits on the independently chaired Rail Access and Inclusion Forum for the North - a collection of industry representatives and disability experts. The company is working extremely closely with different industry partners, including those which manage the various station facilities along the East Coast Mainline route, to create a fully joined up approach. This includes accessibility improvements such as the £1.2m investment at Howden and similar planning for Beverley where accessibility improvements are in the pipeline.

Onboard, Hull Trains provides specially trained hosts to support with the useful 'Passenger Assist” programme. The company also supports those with visual and hearing needs and is committed to continuing to further review how to improve those facilities.

Paul Jackson, Head of Customer and Stakeholder Engagement at Hull Trains commented: “Our colleagues were some of the first across the industry to fully adopt the staff Passenger Assist app and we’ve been working closely with our contract partners, who also deliver part of the journey through stations, to listen to and improve what is provided.

“The wider outputs from the Forum are helping to better inform rail companies’ policies, standards and procedures, with that all important cross collaboration allowing for a quicker, more consistent adoption of change.”

Recent important and ongoing website updates to the operators website have focused on make the site more accessible for older and disabled users and for users who use assistive technologies, such as screen readers. The operator also recently announced an extended food menu, which includes a greater range of dietary options.

Louise Mendham, Service Delivery Director at Hull Trains, said: “Supporting Purple Tuesday reinforces our commitment to accessibility and inclusion. At Hull Trains, we believe everyone should feel comfortable and supported on their journey, and we’re proud to support a movement that’s transforming customer experience.”

Purple Tuesday’s mission is to encourage organisations to embrace accessibility year-round, driving lasting improvements for millions worldwide.