TRUST safety centre celebrates milestone
A celebratory moment for immersive safety leadership in rail; Active Training Team’s partnership with the TransPennine Route Upgrade has reached a major milestone.
The TRUST Centre in Huddersfield has now welcomed over 10,000 participants since its opening in 2023.
The first purpose-built safety leadership facility of its kind in the North of England. TRUST offers TRU employees a one-day, actor-led immersive experience. The training is designed to shift behaviours, spark self-reflection and strengthen safety culture across the major project.
“You start with a story – something concrete and emotional. You then make the behaviours recognisable,” explains ATT Director Adam Christopher. “That emotional connection aids memory retention. The workshops that follow equip people with the confidence to challenge effectively and accept challenge graciously.”
As the milestone is reached, the impact of the programme is becoming increasingly visible. Not only through the number of participants, but in the quality of feedback from those who take part.
What participants are saying
The power of the experience comes through clearly in post-training feedback:
- “Hugely impactful & relevant. This has opened my eyes to the fact that SLT messaging about safety will be reinforced by the training. A very meaningful day’ – Participant, Truwest Holdings
- “Amazing event… I feel that anyone in the rail industry would benefit from this” – Participant, Network Rail
- “Great communication and helpful to learn how to best behave in a stressful situation” – Participant, Network Rail
These reflections highlight the difference between simply hearing a safety message and experiencing the human and operational consequences of unsafe decisions.
Evidence of behavioural change
Post-training surveys continue to demonstrate strong behavioural shifts:
- 91% of participants feel more confident challenging unsafe behaviour
- 91% of participants agree: “I will apply what I learned today at work”
- 90% of participants agree: “When it comes to safety, I see myself as a leader”
This confirms the purpose of ATT’s immersive approach: empowering rail teams to speak up, step in and lead on safety – no matter their role.
Shaping safer teams: voices at the forefront
Jo English, ATT TRUST Centre Manager, reflects on the milestone:
“Reaching 10,000 participants is a proud moment for everyone involved in the TRUST Centre. Every group brings their own experiences and challenges. What we do here gives them the space to pause, reflect and reset. It’s not just about following procedures – it’s about people, conversations we have and the choices we make and why. Seeing how those insights ripple back out into teams across the TransPennine Route is what makes this work so powerful.”
Craig Perry, TRU Head of Health, Safety and Wellbeing, comments:
“With the programme now firmly in the delivery phase and a multitude of engineering work being undertaken across the entire 70-mile route, safety is embedded in everything we do. This is a great milestone for the programme, with over 10,000 people now more aware of the dangers our work may carry thanks to this approach.
The TRUST centre is a remarkable facility that has provided our teams with an interactive experience in safety training, with TRU ‘Safety First’ principles at the forefront. Thank you to everyone who has made such an important facet of the programme so successful and to all participants who engage in the day.”
A facility built to raise standards
Backed by the TransPennine Route Upgrade, the TRUST Centre was launched as a £2.7m immersive safety facility. It continues to support TRU’s commitment to embedding ‘Safety First’ principles throughout its multi-billion-pound programme.
The wider TRU programme has also been recognised for excellence. The TRU West Alliance received the ‘Most Outstanding Award‘ at the Considerate Constructors Scheme National Site Awards (Network Rail release on the award here). The award reflects the programme’s focus on responsible working, people-first culture and operational leadership.
The 10,000-participant milestone marks another step in shaping safer, more aware teams across the 70-mile TransPennine corridor. From Manchester to York, the £10.7bn upgrade continues to transform rail travel across the North.
Find out more
Read the full announcement from Network Rail here: Industry-leading safety training centre hits 10,000 visitors
To explore the TRUST Centre in more detail, visit our dedicated page: TRUST Safety Leadership Centre
Learn more about the TransPennine Route Upgrade projects here: TRU Projects
