With the highest proportion of female drivers in the railway industry, Hull Trains has received national recognition for its commitment to diversity.

At this year’s Women in Rail awards, the train operator was shortlisted for the Top Employer of the Year award. That is the second time in a matter of months that Hull Trains has been recognised, as it was recently named the most reliable provider of train services.

Since they began six years ago in 2018, the Women in Rail Awards have become a staple in rail events. They have become the benchmark for the railway industry, as they highlight companies that are making significant steps to improve their gender balance, diversity, and inclusion.

Earlier this year Hull Trains took part in #EmbraceEquity for International Women’s Day

Today, 27% of Hull Trains drivers are female, which is the highest percentage in the UK rail industry where, according to 2021 statistics, the average is 6.5%. Throughout the company, 48% of its total workforce is female whilst its executive board also has a 50/50 gender split.

The finals of the Women in Rail Awards will take place on the 18th of May at the iconic Roundhouse in Camden, London. Among those attending the awards will be a cross-section of the UK rail sector, including operators, infrastructure providers, stakeholders, and key decision-makers.

At the Golden Spanner Awards held earlier this year, Hull Trains’ Paragon fleet was awarded a Gold award, which is the highest possible accolade. in the 2nd Generation new inter-city category for providing the most reliable services in the UK.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) recently issued a report that showed that Hull Trains is the only rail operator in the UK where journey levels now exceed pre-pandemic levels. For the last quarter of 2022, from 1st October to 31st December, more journeys were delivered by Hull Trains than during the same period three years ago, pre-pandemic.

This was despite the industrial action that caused large-scale disruption during the period and affected large parts of the rail network, with many operators introducing reduced timetables on both strike days and the days before and afterwards.

Louise Mendham, Service Delivery Director at Hull Trains, explained: “Since we first formed 23 years ago, we have always enjoyed seeing our colleagues progress from catering through to on-board manager roles onto becoming drivers and 100% of our female drivers have benefited from that approach.

“We have some of the most qualified and well-trained drivers, who have already gained a vast amount of experience having worked in operational roles beforehand. Our approach to flexible working has also helped us retain colleagues, which is equally as important.

“To be shortlisted for this award, and recognised as one of the most diverse employers, is a fantastic achievement. We have a strong commitment here at Hull Trains in line with the Women in Rail agenda and we all truly understand the benefits of a gender-balanced and diverse workforce.”