A new purpose-built rail safety centre has opened in Huddersfield, as part of the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU).
The centre will provide interactive training for everyone working on the major rail upgrade between Manchester and York. The training uses actors to place participants at the heart of a hard-hitting narrative, witnessing the actions, decisions and events which could lead to a fatal incident on the rail tracks.
Attendees at the TRUST centre participate in a series of interactive, facilitated workshops and engage with the characters in real-world scenarios, including in their home, a police interview and work canteen. After those sessions and workshops, the participants are then encouraged to apply these as they are transported back into the story.
The new TRUST centre has a focus on all three sensory learning styles: visual, auditory and kinaesthetic. The immersive experience and industry-leading technology it is hoped, will strengthen learning and the users memory.
Rail Minister, Huw Merriman MP, said: "This is a major milestone for the Transpennine Route Upgrade. Not only is the programme creating greener and more reliable services across the North, but it's now taking vital steps to create a well-trained and highly skilled workforce.
"Safety remains at the heart of our railways and this centre will ensure it's in the mind of every member of staff working on the project too."
Neil Holm, Managing Director of Transpennine Route Upgrade, said: "The opening of the ground-breaking TRUST centre embodies the ethos that safety sits at the heart of the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade.
"We want to ensure that everybody gets home safe every day. As we work to bring cleaner, faster and better journeys between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York, the safety of our teams has never been more important.
"TRUST centre training will be undertaken by everyone working on our programme, both working in offices and on the frontline. It's important that colleagues from planning, design, delivery and all of our functions understand how the decisions we all make are crucial when it comes to safety. Taking an immersive approach allows workers to absorb and remember their training more clearly and for longer."
The TRUST centre is located at the University of Huddersfield and is open to all rail workers involved in the TRU project. It is hoped 40 people per day will be able to train at the TRUST Centre for three days a week and will be delivered by experienced safety professionals.
Photo Credit: Network Rail
