Train firm admits ‘still work to be done’ to recruit more women

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

A train operator declared it is “proud” of how its female workforce has grown but admitted there is “still work to be done”.

TransPennine Express (TPE) said nearly a quarter (24%) of its employees are women, up from 18% in 2018.

Women made up one in four (25%) trainee drivers recruited this year, which is a position that has traditionally been male dominated.

TPE managing director Chris Jackson said: “We’re extremely proud of the work that we have done to raise the profile of women within our business, but we know that there is still work to be done.

“This International Women’s Day, we’re not only celebrating our incredible colleagues, but we’re also calling on more women to join our team and the rail industry in general.”

Transport company Go-Ahead announced an “ambitious” target for its bus operations of reaching 50% gender equality by 2035.

Just 11.5% of its bus driver roles are currently held by women.

The company is investing £8 million in upgrading bus depot facilities which includes work to create inclusive working environments to support female employees.

Matt Carney, chief executive of Go-Ahead’s bus division, said: “Gender equality isn’t just a goal – it’s a commitment to building a better future for all.

“By setting an ambitious target to achieve 50% gender parity by 2035 and investing £8 million to support women drivers in their work environment, we are taking decisive steps to create a more inclusive and equitable workplace.”

Meanwhile Network Rail announced that 11 of the 15 people signalling trains on the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Crewe on Friday are women, to celebrate International Women’s Day.

The Government-owned company said it is an “equal opportunities employer” that “recognises the importance of recruiting a diverse workforce and values an inclusive environment where everyone can play their part”.

Signaller Alice Marsh said: “I enjoyed taking part in some of the entry level signalling training as part of the graduate scheme, so made the decision to look for an opportunity to fully qualify.

“There is a lot of problem solving being a signaller, every day a different challenge, and seeing how decisions you make keeps passengers and freight moving is really rewarding.”