Case Study:
TransPennine

Direct Access are the Access Consultants for TransPennine Express, the regional and intercity train operator for Northern England and Scotland. Action plans developed from audits of the 19 stations carried out in 2021 and 2022 are delivering improvement plans for the next 3-4 years.

Stations managed by TransPennie were audited by National Register of Access Consultants (NRAC) and International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) certificated Access Consultants using Persons with Reduced Mobility. National Technical Specification Notice. DFT 2021, Design Standards for Accessible Railway Stations, Railways for All – The Accessibility Strategy for Great Britain’s Railways, Technical specifications for interoperability relating to accessibility (Rail Systems). EU 2014, Part M Building Regulations and British Standards BS 8300:2018 Design of an accessible and inclusive built environment.

TransPennine Express services run over large areas of northern England and southern Scottish Lowlands. Trans Pennine serve major cities including Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Sheffield.

The stations managed by TransPennine also see passengers using LNER, Northern and Hull train services. At Hull Paragon interchange the audit of the station also included key aspects of the Hull bus station and East Yorkshire bus information centre contained within the station. In Northallerton, Network Rail has completed a £3m access improvement scheme including lifts to platforms.

Direct Access continues to work with TransPennine Express to introduce new ideas and innovation across the network.