Northern delivers disability training commitments after ORR intervention

8 Sep 2026 02:21 PM

Northern Trains has overhauled the way it manages the training of its staff to support disabled passengers following an investigation by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), earlier this year.

ORR found the train operator had failed to deliver the required disability awareness training for its passenger-facing staff, as it commits to do in its Accessible Travel Policy, and also did not have adequate oversight in place to make sure staff received the right training.

Northern subsequently provided an improvement plan with 23 actions, which it has delivered on, ORR announced yesterday.

Northern has now:

strengthened responsibility and accountability for staff training;
introduced better systems to track who needs training and whether they have completed it;
addressed gaps in the training records of existing staff; and
improved training for new starters and staff needing refresher training.

ORR will now return to its regular monitoring of Northern’s disability awareness training, including reviewing information submitted by the operator every quarter.

Stephanie Tobyn, ORR’s director of strategy, policy and reform, yesterday said:

"Disabled passengers should be able to trust that staff have the knowledge and confidence to provide the support they need.

“Our investigation found serious weaknesses in Northern's management and monitoring of disability awareness training. Northern has responded positively, completing all the actions we required and putting clearer accountability and stronger checks in place. We welcome these improvements and will continue to work with Northern to ensure they are sustained.”

Notes to Editors

Letter to Northern – post-investigation outcome
ORR’s investigation of Northern – report
Northern Trains breached Condition 5 (Accessible Travel Policy) of its Station Licence and GB Statement of National Regulatory Provisions: Passenger.
All operators must set out, and comply with, commitments to provide Disability Awareness training for staff in their Accessible Travel Policy (ATP) which is underpinned by Condition 5 of the Station Licence and GB Statement of National Regulatory Principles (SNRP): Passenger obligations.