Network Rail joins campaign to highlight abuse of staff

Network Rail has joined a campaign to highlight abuse suffered by customer-facing workers.

The rail infrastructure company said attacks on staff happen “all too often”.

The Together Against Hate project launches with a television advert featuring employees reflecting on why they love working for the public, overlaid with recordings and CCTV footage of severe abuse.

• Car lands on train tracks at station in Scotland

The advert will be broadcast during Gogglebox on Channel 4 on Friday night, in partnership with Nationwide Building Society and Co-op.

Some 70% of frontline rail staff have experienced workplace violence in the last 12 months, according to the Rail Safety and Standards Board.

Norrie Courts, director of stations at Network Rail, said: “Customer-facing station staff play a crucial role in helping our passengers travel safely and reliably by rail.

“There have been fewer passengers since March with many people working from home, but our station staff – whether working on a gate line, undertaking extra cleaning, offering travel advice or passenger mobility assistance – have continued to turn up for work throughout the pandemic to ensure key workers and others relying on rail can travel and use stations safely.

“The last thing these hard-working and dedicated staff should face is violence and abuse, yet it happens all too often.

“We urge all passengers and station users to treat rail staff with respect and consider the impact their harmful words or actions could have on the mental and physical health of others.”

Channel 4 sales director Matt Salmon said: “Partnering with the Together Against Hate campaign is an opportunity for Channel 4 to do what we do best – using the power of TV to encourage debate and inspire positive societal change.

“Customer-facing staff up and down the country are vital in helping us all, day in, day out and abuse of any kind should never be tolerated.”