Marking the very first of its kind for the North of England, the ground-breaking immersive TRUST centre has now been opened by Minister for Rail, Huw Merriman MP. The £2.7m Huddersfield-based centre comes as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade and will provide increased safety for rail workers.

The vast Transpennine Route Upgrade will see the railway undergo a major upgrade between Manchester and York and will see those working on it undertake a one-day training programme at the centre. The training has been designed and delivered by Active Training Team, uses actors to create a hard-hitting narrative for those taking part providing them with the ability to witness actions, decisions and event which may lead to a fatal accident on the tracks.

The TRUST centre will see those taking part undertake an array of interactive, facilitated workshops with engagement with characters in realistic situations such as at their home, in police interview and in the work canteen.

This innovative training approach features the use of visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning in a bid to create the necessary communication skills for their daily practice, bringing increased safety to their working environment.

The bespoke learning experience uses industry-leading technology to create a powerful immersive experience for those taking part, which has been demonstrated to support improved learning and memory, positively affecting changes in behaviour.

The impressive centre will see approximately 40 people able to train at the facility over three days each week, which equates to roughly 2,000 employees learning about rail safety whilst working on the railway every year. The new centre will also support the local economy with Huddersfield, as it sees thousands of people visit the city centre each year.

Rail Minister, Huw Merriman 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 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.”

Councillor Cathy Scott, Acting Leader of Kirklees Council, says:

“One of the great assets for our economy here in Kirklees is our connectivity, and the Transpennine Route Upgrade will massively enhance this.  But as well as providing a boost to our economy in the future, this huge project is providing work and opportunities for local people right now – and that’s only set to increase as work on the TRU ramps up over the coming years. Investment like this is about the long-term benefit, but long before we reach the endpoint of the upgrade, we’ll see economic benefits and a skilled workforce for Kirklees.”

“It’s fantastic to see that those delivering the TRU are being trained and upskilled using the latest technologies and, frankly, great creativity – and that the Minister of State for Transport is showing such a keen interest in this work, how it will affect our local area and local people.”