Conductors speak out about abuse directed at train crew

The train operator has highlighted a number of incidents conductors have faced while they work to ensure everyone reaches their destination safely and that they all have a valid ticket for travel.

While the overwhelming majority of people who travel with Northern are polite and respectful, a very small minority has resorted to shouting, spitting and attacking members of staff in recent years.

Four of the train operator’s conductors have shared their experiences in the hope it will make people think about their behaviour towards them and their colleagues.

Northern said it will not tolerate verbal and physical abuse towards staff and will take action against anyone who threatens their employees’ safety.

In December, Northern revealed the number of dangerous attacks on its trains was down almost 90% in the previous 12 months, with the number of recorded incidents falling from 69 to just eight.

The train operator says the chance of perpetrators being caught on camera is now much higher after it added a further 600 new CCTV cameras to the more than 1,000 that monitor its station estate.

It came after the operator installed 7,000 HD CCTV cameras on board its fleet of trains and invested £1.7m in the roll-out of more than 1,000 extra body-worn camera kits, taking the total number now in operation to 1,300. 

British Transport Police has access to all the footage and can use it in criminal prosecutions.  

Dozens of undercover and plain-clothed police officers and Northern's travel safety officers also regularly patrol services across the North of England. 

A Northern spokesperson said: “We welcome millions of customers on board our trains every year and the overwhelming majority are polite, considerate and respectful of others.

"Unfortunately, given the numbers involved, our conductors do also encounter people who are somewhat less respectful of them and the safety critical role they have on-board – and that is unacceptable.”  

Anthony Mooney is a 36-year-old conductor based in Liverpool who has worked for Northern for two years.   

“I had an incident recently where I got a tirade of homophobic abuse from someone and they threatened to kill me. All because I asked him for a ticket,” he said.

“You’ve got to have a thick skin in this job because you can get called every name under the sun. It can escalate from nothing when you least expect it.

“It’s very difficult not to take it home. It plays on your mind and it’s hard to continue with your day. No one should have to deal with that, no matter what you have to do.

“If I took everything personally, I wouldn't be able to continue working as a conductor.”

Lewis Tracey is a 28-year-old conductor based in Wigan who has worked for Northern for eight years.

“I had a lad spit in my face and try to punch me a few years ago. It was completely out of the blue, but that’s the sort of thing you have to put up with,” he said.

“With some people you can reason with them, but with others there is no reasoning whatsoever, no matter what you do. It does get stressful, there’s no denying it.

“They see the uniform and want someone to vent at, but sometimes the abuse does get really personal and they don’t realise how much it can affect that person."

He added: “The body-worn cameras and CCTV do make a difference, because people think twice before they abuse someone or hit someone because they know they’re on camera."

Jackie Ross is a 53-year-old conductor based in Liverpool who has worked for Northern for 16 years.

“I work early shifts and I am used to getting abuse from people who have been out the night before,” she said.

“You just have to try and engage with them, but it can be challenging when they’re under the influence, rude and trying to pick fights. Some people think they can do whatever they want and there are no consequences.

“There was one occasion when I asked a fare evader to leave the train and he started kicking the door and then spat in my face. I’m not here to be spat at.

“You do take it home with you sometimes, but you’ve just got to get back to work and crack on with it.

“When there is trouble, I just tell them to calm down because there are other people on the train and remind them that we all want to get home. You have to work with them and let them see you’re not up against them.”

Andrew Wade is a 59-year-old conductor based in Skipton who has worked for Northern for 12 years.

“People who refuse to pay often become verbally abusive when they see you approach in a uniform. They will do anything to try and get out of paying,” he said.  

“Whenever someone is letting off steam, I try and defuse the situation by sitting down with them and talking to them as an equal. But there are some situations where that isn’t possible.

“I have never been physically assaulted, but there have been three occasions when I have lost sleep after being threatened. It does take its toll.

“I always try to process what happened and think about whether I could have handled it differently and if I could prevent it from happening again in the future.

“But it’s reassuring to know that the trains are covered by CCTV and the body-worn cameras, which are very good and available for everyone to wear. I do think they act as a deterrent to anyone who is being anti-social.”

People who witnesses physical or verbal attacks are encouraged to report them to British Transport Police by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40.

British Transport Police’s ‘Railway Guardian’ app is available to download from Google Play and the Apple App Store.

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