Train company launches low-alcohol beer to tackle spike in Christmas accidents

A new low-alcohol beer has been launched by a train operator in a bid to tackle the number of passengers having drunk accidents during the festive period.

The Safety Thirst beer, at 0.5% alcohol, will be stocked onboard Avanti West Coast services, which run on the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Scotland.

The company said the pale ale will create a “more enjoyable travel experience” and help passengers “drink responsibly”. The beer, created in partnership with Birmingham Brewing Company, is served in a can with a design inspired by heritage railway wayfinding signs, and features the slogan “Rail safety just got tasty”.

Figures from the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) show the rate of recorded accidents on Britain’s rail network where intoxication was a possible factor soared during the festive party season last year.

The number of daily incidents between November 24 and New Year’s Eve in 2023 was 45% higher than the rest of the period in the year to the end of March 2024.

A total of 115 incidents were reported during the festive period, but that actual figure is likely to be higher because of some accidents not being reported or staff failing to identify that intoxication was a possible cause of a mishap.

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Avanti West Coast director of safety, security and environment Dave Whitehouse said: “We want the railway to be the transport of choice when people are heading out to enjoy themselves during the festive season, and while our customers are out on the network we want them to be safe too.

“This time of year our network is busier throughout the day and our staff are on hand to help everyone get to their destination.

“The Safety Thirst campaign is a great reminder to drink responsibly to create a more enjoyable travel experience for everyone taking a journey with us as well as our colleagues.”

RSSB chief executive Mark Phillips said: “This is a fantastic initiative.

“Every year in the run-up to Christmas, our data shows an increase in passengers being injured after enjoying a little too much seasonal hospitality.

“Everyone should enjoy themselves, but by drinking responsibly they will stay safe and help reduce pressure on the railway at one of its busiest times.”

The charity Drinkaware described the launch as “a great move”, adding that around a third of people in the UK consume low and zero-alcohol products to “moderate their drinking”.

The Government’s road safety campaign Think! launched an initiative last month urging young drivers to stick to zero-alcohol drinks before getting behind the wheel this Christmas.

It involves pubs and bars displaying 0% branding on drip mats and staff T-shirts, and features an animation showing a driver and their licence disappearing into the bottom of a beer glass, with the message “Drink a little, risk a lot”.

it comes as no and low-alcohol beers soar in popularity as 86% of pubs offer the alternative to become “even more inclusive”.

Pubs are expected to sell a record 140 million pints of low and no-alcohol beer across the UK this year, up from more than 120 million last year, or 12% of all sales for that year alone and up by 14% on 2022.

Among the 86% of pubs now serving no and low-alcohol beer, 8% are serving it on draught, up from just 2% in 2019.

In the UK, the existing threshold for “alcohol free” is 0.05% ABV (alcohol by volume), when it can be 0.5% ABV in other nations.