WOMEN IN RAIL AWARDS 2026

Avanti West Coast provides the principal long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales, and Scotland. Its services connect six of the largest cities in the UK: London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, and Edinburgh, which have a combined metropolitan population of over 18 million.

“We are proud to support the 2026 Women in Rail awards, which is a fantastic event celebrating the amazing work women do in the rail industry every day.

At Avanti West Coast, women play a key role in delivering the best possible service for our customers across all areas of our business. We are proud to have a strong representation of women within our Executive team who also play a critical role in leading of business as well as acting as positive role models within the industry.

We are working hard to encourage more women to join the railway, and we see these awards as an excellent opportunity to shine a light on everything that is great about working in rail. We wish all the finalists the best of luck and congratulate everyone for their outstanding commitment to our fantastic industry.”

We are BAM. We use the skills, knowledge, and experience found across BAM to help our clients find the right solutions to their biggest challenges.

We deliver and enhance buildings and infrastructure across the UK and Ireland. Our approach is client-focused. We build strong relationships with our clients, understanding what they do and their biggest challenges, to develop solutions tailored to them.

Our vision is to build a sustainable tomorrow. We use the skills and experience found across our business to develop projects which are innovative, sustainable and value-driven. No matter how complex, we leave no stone unturned to deliver the right solution for our client.

Working together, we will find the right answer.

“We’re proud to sponsor the Women in Rail Awards Apprenticeship category. Promoting gender inclusivity in apprenticeships is crucial for fostering diverse and equitable workplaces that attract new talent.

At BAM, people are at the heart of everything we do. We believe diverse teams deliver the best results for BAM and our clients. Our commitment to diversity, inclusion, fairness and respect runs throughout our employee experience. There’s more than ‘one version’ of brilliance. We welcome a wide range of skills, experiences, and new perspectives. Put simply, at BAM we want people to get the support they need to be themselves.

Working with our social sustainability team and partnerships such as Women in Rail, we target 30% female representation in our apprenticeship roles, building from a baseline of 25%.

We’re proud members of Women into Science and Engineering (WISE). Since becoming a strategic partner in 2020, our relationship with WISE has grown significantly. Using WISE resources, BAM’s Gender Action Network guides and supports us. Our objectives include creating a safe environment for our members, supporting family leave and returners, and greater representation within our professional memberships, while educating people about gender equality.

Meet the women at BAM making a real impact!”

East Midlands Railway (EMR) operates over 450 train services daily, offering a blend of fast Intercity routes and vital regional connections. These services link South Yorkshire, the East Midlands, and London St Pancras International, as well as towns and cities across England. At EMR, our vision is to drive the East Midlands toward a brighter future. We aim to connect cities, support communities, and create easier, more accessible journeys for everyone.

 “At East Midlands Railway (EMR), we are proud to support Women in Rail because gender equality is at the heart of our We Embrace Diversity value. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce is essential to delivering the best service for our customers and communities. Supporting Women in Rail aligns with our commitment to creating an environment where women feel valued, empowered, and inspired to pursue careers in the railway industry. By supporting initiatives like Women in Rail, we are helping to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and encourage more women to consider careers in our industry. Through mentoring, networking, and development opportunities, we aim to support women at all stages of their careers, ensuring they have the tools and confidence to succeed. EMR is committed to driving meaningful change, and our partnership with Women in Rail is a vital step in building a fairer and more representative railway for everyone.”

KeolisAmey Docklands (KAD) operates the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) under franchise for Docklands Light Railway Limited (DLRL), part of Transport for London (TfL) and comprises c900 employees working to deliver the operations, customer service, engineering, and project services for the railway.  The DLR serves a total of 45 stations, of which only four are permanently staffed.  The train service operates through a number of diverse and varied boroughs in east and south east London, connecting residents from Greenwich, Lewisham, Newham and Tower Hamlets to the heart of London’s financial districts in Canary Wharf and Bank and popular tourist attractions at Greenwich and Tower Gateway. We work hard to engage, connect and support our local communities and continue the community railway legacy that the DLR was built upon. 

“KeolisAmey Docklands (KAD) is delighted to once again sponsor the Women in Rail Awards and stand alongside the UK rail industry in its ongoing commitment to gender balance, equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Women in Rail has been instrumental in supporting KAD’s equality, diversity, and inclusion initiatives. From leveraging insights from the Industry Survey Report to shape our outreach and recruitment strategies, to engaging in the cross-company mentoring programme as a cornerstone of our Women in KAD Development Programme, the platform continues to be invaluable in advancing best practices across the sector.

This year, we are proud to sponsor the Female Rising Star Award & Employer of the Year Award and look forward to celebrating the outstanding individuals and teams driving progress within the Women in Rail agenda.”

Transport UK is a dynamic UK-based private sector group operating Greater Anglia, West Midlands Trains, and East Midlands Railway, operating Merseyrail in partnership with Serco, and operating 11% of London’s bus routes. Led by a dedicated team of industry experts with unrivalled experience in the sector, Transport UK is playing a vital role in shaping the future of integrated public transport.

“Transport UK is proud to support the Social Value Award at the Women in Rail Awards for a second year. Our support stems from our commitment to fostering social mobility and creating social value within the UK rail industry. This year, we launched our Social Values Charter that lays out our commitments. This award recognises organisations implementing effective social value programmes whilst actively engaging with local communities to ensure broad access to rail industry careers.

“With an extensive operational reach across various communities, Transport UK inherently understands the significance of connecting people with work, school, their loved ones, and recreation. As a major employer with over 12,000 diverse staff members, we set industry standards in promoting inclusivity and sustainable practices. We will continue to advocate for and implement policies like the Living Wage and promoting sustainable transport options. We also take a dedicated approach to diversifying our pool of applicants for our apprenticeship programmes, to welcome in incredible talent and improve diversity across the sector from the bottom up.”

“Transport UK are also proud to support Women in Transport, Women in Engineering, Women in STEM, Women in Bus and Coach.”

London Northwestern and West Midlands Railways is ran by owning company Transport UK and is made up of two networks: London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway.

London Northwestern Railway services operate between Liverpool and Birmingham, and on the West Coast Main Line to and from London Euston. West Midlands Railway services operate to destinations across the West Midlands via Birmingham New Street and Birmingham Snow Hill.

“London Northwestern and West Midlands Railways is proud of the invaluable contribution women make both across our organisation and the wider rail industry. From Drivers and Senior Conductors to Revenue officers and Engineers we have women delivering in all areas across our organisation. We actively want to recognise and support this celebratory event of women who have and continue to positively challenge the status quo in a male dominated environment to break down barriers, open opportunities and inspire females to pursue a career on the railways.”