Northern showcases £6.2m community investment and welcomes new report by the Purpose Coalition

A new report has been launched that outlines how Northern is using its railway to change lives – creating jobs, building skills, and improving access to travel and opportunity for communities across the North of England.

The Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity Impact Report, produced with The Purpose Coalition and launched in Parliament on 8 September, sets out how the UK’s largest train operator outside London is delivering impact far beyond running trains – and includes recommendations to build on this progress in the years ahead.

Findings from the new report highlight the scale of activity the operator is delivering in communities across the North:

• £6.2 million invested into local communities - a 29% increase on the previous year
• 7,267 colleagues employed, with 55% of procurement spend retained in the North
• 869 apprentices supported and more than 6,000 hours of colleague volunteering delivered - more than double last year’s total

Other examples from the report highlight some of the initiatives the operator has launched to support social mobility.

Northern’s “Track to the Future” programme has supported students from disadvantaged backgrounds with career confidence and hands-on rail experience. More than a third of conductor and driver trainees now come from disadvantaged areas, with up to 30% joining without formal English or maths qualifications - yet progressing into roles that pay above the UK median wage.

The operator’s Customer and Community Impact Fund has also backed grassroots initiatives including:

• Olympias Music Foundation: delivering 20,000 free music lessons to children in Manchester
• Work For All: mentoring older adults back into employment

Tricia Williams, Managing Director at Northern said: “At Northern, we are proud to serve communities across the North of England. Every day, our trains carry thousands of people, not just to destinations, but to jobs, to schools, to hospitals, and to loved ones. 

“We are proud to work with the Purpose Coalition, aligning our efforts with national goals to tackle inequality and create opportunity. I welcome this report, which is a reflection of Northern’s commitment to supporting our colleagues, investing in local economies and making a difference for all we serve, every single day”.

The Purpose Coalition report is now available to download from the Northern website.

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,650 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.