Avanti West Coast has been presented with a gold disc in recognition of its efforts to help young people stay safe on the railways.

The operator has been educating young people as part of the Rail Safe Friendly Programme, which it joined last year.

Partnered up with Learn Live, Avanti has provided 181 schools along its route with the essential information on staying safe.

The gold disc was presented at Crewe and brought together numerous partners across the rail industry, and provided information on how they can get involved.

The Rail Safe Friendly Programme was launched in 2023 to highlight the hazards of the railway and the dangers of live wires.

Learn Live and Avant have extended their partnership for another year and aim to have every school in the UK enrolled on the programme by 2027.

“Every child should be aware of how to keep themselves safe on the railway and through our partnership with Learn Live we know how important it is for children to have access to vital rail safety knowledge. So, to join industry partners to discuss how we can provide further education around this topic as part of the Rail Safe Friendly Programme has been brilliant.

“We’re pleased to be supporting this great initiative for another year, so we can continue to make a positive impact on young people in the communities we serve.”

Andy Mellors, Managing Director at Avanti West Coast