Merseyrail is partnering with local schools in the Liverpool City Region alongside the Rail Ombudsman to educate a new generation of rail users on safety when using the network.
The Rail Ombudsman has launched the “Young Person’s Train Guide” – a rail byelaw campaign aimed at young people empowering them to use trains confidently.
Since the establishment of the Rail Ombudsman in 2018, young people’s lack of knowledge of rail travel, the laws and byelaws that govern it and passengers’ responsibilities has been evident.
The campaign seeks to target and address this problem by supplying interactive exercise packs to schools and youth groups that can either be completed by young adults independently, or as part of the PSHE curriculum through teacher-led worksheets, competitions and blog style content.
Merseyrail will be introducing this into the work it does with schools such as Maricourt High School in Maghull on travel confidence and rail safety – a positive addition to the work the rail operator already does with many schools across the Liverpool City Region.
The learnings gained from these lessons can directly be implemented onto young people’s next rail journey and includes content themes such as fares and ticketing, unacceptable behaviour, safety and rail cards.
Jane English, Deputy Managing Director at Merseyrail, said: “By working with the Rail Ombudsman and some of our local schools we want to ensure that young people know what is expected of them and what their rights are whilst using our services.
“We want to instil confidence and the love of rail travel among young people in our region by engaging with them through their regular PSHE sessions at school.
“We will be working with Maricourt High School in Maghull in the coming months and hope to replicate that in other high schools in and around our network.
“We are delighted to be involved in the rollout of these resources and we will continue to engage with the young people of the city region to help improve their travel experiences and ensure that they also have a voice in their rail network.”
Kevin Grix, CEO and Chief Ombudsman at the Rail Ombudsman, said: “This national initiative has been designed to educate and empower young people as train travel is returning to pre-pandemic levels and often relied upon as a key mode of transport for the next generation of rail passengers.
“We’ve witnessed first-hand the impact that lack of knowledge can cause when young people travel by train, often with devastating consequences which could have been avoided, and our aim is to educate and inform young people to travel as confidently and securely as possible.”