Friday 24 Apr 2020
Network Rail turns stations on the East Coast Main Line blue to support the NHS
- Region & Route:
- Eastern
Network Rail, train operators and partners across the rail industry turned stations on the East Coast Main Line blue last night (Thursday, 23 April) to support the NHS during the Coronavirus crisis.
Station teams at London King’s Cross, Leeds and Edinburgh Waverley wore blue clothing as they joined people across the country to clap for carers. Leeds station and Edinburgh Waverley station were also lit up blue to say thank you to NHS staff and other key workers.
Network Rail’s key workers are continuing to keep the railway operating to allow a reduced service to run, so those who cannot work from home, such as doctors, nurses and emergency services staff, can get to and from their jobs. This also means that food, vital medical supplies and fuel can be transported across the country via freight services.
Station staff are thanking passengers for following Government advice and avoiding non-essential travel. Network Rail is reminding those who do need to use the railway to check via National Rail Enquiries or with their train operator before travelling.
Paul Rutter, Route Director (East Coast) for Network Rail, said: “I’m so proud of our teams who managed to turn the East Coast blue. It really shows our appreciation for the NHS across the country.
“We work hard to get NHS staff to and from work, which means they are able to continue doing such a fantastic job during these challenging times.
“We would like to thank passengers for following Government guidance and only travelling when it is essential.”
ENDS
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We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.
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