More Than 70 Rail Staff Learn Sign Language to Help Deaf Passengers

More than 70 TransPennine Express staff have learned British Sign Language to make journeys easier and more welcoming for deaf and hearing-impaired passengers.

Conductors and customer-facing employees took part in training covering everyday conversations as well as railway-specific terms like tickets, platforms and delays. The sessions also included deaf awareness training to help staff better understand the challenges some passengers face while travelling.

According to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, one in three adults in the UK are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus, with around 25,000 people using sign language as their main language.

The training, delivered by Deafero5, has proved so popular that more than 90 additional places are expected to be made available in the coming months.

Andrew McClements, Customer Experience and Transformation Director at TransPennine Express, said the company is proud of the enthusiasm colleagues have shown and hopes it will help break down barriers and make rail travel more inclusive for everyone.