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Monday 24 Aug 2015

Railway staff to feature in new bank holidays public awareness campaign

Region & Route:

National

Four railway workers – from an apprentice to a track manager who has given more than 30 years’ service – are to feature in a new series of adverts advising passengers about engineering work at bank holidays.

Each Network Rail employee will feature as someone who, like thousands of others, will be working over the bank holidays to deliver the company’s Railway Upgrade Plan.

August’s campaign is fronted by Luke, a track supervisor on the Western route which runs from London Paddington to the Thames Valley, west and south west England and south Wales.  He commented: “My perfect bank holiday would be a nice sunny day and 18 holes of golf or lighting a barbecue with family and friends. This bank holiday weekend I’ll be working, improving the railway for passengers, knowing that the work I do helps make that commute in the mornings happen, and that makes me very proud.”

The Christmas campaign will feature Barry, a white-bearded track manager from Leeds, who has dedicated more than 30 years of service on the railway, and postponed many turkey dinners with his family after working Christmas Days.  Eleanor, an apprentice based in Basingstoke and Matt, a track works planner at Derby will be the faces of Easter and May bank holidays.

Network Rail’s director of marketing Collette Dunkley said: “Every day and night our orange army is hard at work to maintain and improve the railway. Most of their work is done without affecting passengers, but bank holidays are a vital opportunity to get some really big pieces of work done so we need to advise people to check before they travel in case their journey is affected.  

“Luke, Barry, Eleanor and Matt, just like thousands of others, will be working for you over the coming bank holidays. They are helping us get vital travel messages to the millions of people who rely on rail during the holidays so they can plan ahead and avoid any unnecessary disruption to their journey.”

Network Rail is investing £47m over the August bank holiday in improving the railway. However, while the majority of the network is open, anyone planning to travel should plan ahead by visiting www.nationalrail.co.uk/august .

Network Rail’s filming team followed Luke on his recent night shift to get his perspective on working during bank holidays.  Watch the film here 

Notes to Editors

The campaign creative will be promoted via posters and digital screens at stations, digital and print advertising and social media.