Northern Trains disability training: ORR sets 2026 checks

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) says Northern Trains disability training will be rolled out to all staff, alongside a £550,000 package of additional measures aimed at strengthening disability awareness, as outlined by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).

ORR investigation and disability awareness training commitments

The regulator said it has obtained commitments from Northern Trains after raising concerns about historic failures to provide disability awareness training for front-line staff. Meanwhile, those issues were highlighted by a recent ORR investigation, detailed on the ORR investigation into Northern Trains Limited page.

Also, most improvements are expected to be completed by the end of March 2026. The ORR also said it has accepted the operator’s package of additional measures focused on further improving disability awareness training, with details to be decided upon with Northern Trains.

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Historic gaps in training and management oversight

During the course of its investigation, the ORR established that there were significant historic gaps in training for Northern Trains’ passenger-facing station staff. At the same time, it also identified inadequate management oversight and record-keeping linked to those gaps, as reported by Railway Gazette International.

The ORR noted that Northern took steps to address these issues in Autumn 2025, alongside its wider disability awareness training commitments.

Progress report timeline and breach of licence obligations

Separately, the regulator said a new progress report will be issued at the end of July 2026. It will provide an update on the status of Northern Trains’ breach of licence obligations, which the ORR considers ongoing until assurance is given.

Stephanie Tobyn, ORR’s director of strategy, policy and reform, said:

Our investigation found that Northern Trains failed to meet its public commitment to provide training to existing staff at least every two years, falling short of the basic standard of service that disabled passengers rely on. Staff training is essential to delivering an accessible railway, and the failings we identified highlight the need for strong management oversight and accountability.

Northern Trains has, however, acknowledged these failings, taken steps to address them, and committed to further improvements and reparations that should make a meaningful difference for passengers. Securing lasting changes to training, governance and passenger support will deliver greater public benefit than us imposing a financial penalty, and we will continue to monitor Northern Trains closely to ensure these commitments are fully delivered.

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