National three-day campaign sees rail partners travel over 1,000 miles to help protect vulnerable young people.
Author: Suzi Lawrence | Date: 6th August 2026
Train Operating Companies (TOCs) from across Britain joined forces with Railway Children and British Transport Police (BTP) to raise awareness of safeguarding issues affecting vulnerable young people on the rail network during a major national campaign held from 29th to 31st July 2026.
The coordinated programme of National Safeguarding Days of Action saw rail professionals, safeguarding specialists and charity representatives travel more than 1,000 miles across Scotland, England and Wales, engaging with passengers and staff to highlight how everyone can play a part in protecting vulnerable children and young people.
Led by Railway Children, the initiative brought together representatives from Avanti West Coast, Transport for Wales, Great Western Railway, Chiltern Railways, South Western Railway, LNER, Northern, ScotRail and CrossCountry, alongside BTP, Network Rail and other industry partners, in a united effort to increase public understanding of vulnerability, exploitation and safeguarding.
The campaign comes at a particularly important time, with a recent report revealing that more than 40% of people would not know what to do if they spotted a child at risk at a train station.
With summer holidays now underway and increased numbers of young people travelling independently, rail organisations are encouraging customers and staff to be vigilant and know how to respond if they have concerns.
Throughout the three-day event, safeguarding and rail professionals hosted awareness stands at key rail hubs including Glasgow Central, Preston, Crewe, Cardiff Central, Exeter St Davids, Salisbury, Southampton, Reading, London Paddington, Retford, Nottingham, Doncaster, Barnsley, Manchester Oxford Road, Newcastle and Edinburgh Waverley.
Alongside activity in stations, representatives from Train Operating Companies, Railway Children and British Transport Police undertook a symbolic rail journey around Britain, speaking directly with customers onboard trains and distributing educational safeguarding materials.
Joe Clay, Safeguarding Partnerships Manager at Railway Children, said:
“Our aim is to start vital conversations, equip the public and railway staff with the tools to spot the signs of exploitation or distress, and strengthen the protective network across the rail network. By bringing together professionals from across the country at this event, we highlighted the importance of partnership in safeguarding.”
The journey demonstrated how easily a vulnerable young person could travel from the north of the UK to the south, highlighting the importance of recognising signs of vulnerability and taking action to help safeguard young people.
By combining onboard engagement with station-based activities, the campaign reached communities across both urban and rural parts of Britain.
The initiative forms part of Railway Children’s “At Risk Right Here Right Now” campaign, which aims to increase public awareness of the dangers faced by vulnerable young people on the transport network and encourage people to report concerns using the British Transport Police’s 61016 text service.
“With the number of children and young people using the rail network increasing over the summer months, identifying those who need help can be a challenge. By working together with Railway Children and other train operators, we can share advice on the signs to look out for and encourage customers and colleagues to remain vigilant and report any concerns to British Transport Police.”
The campaign is part of a coordinated approach to support the rail industry’s ongoing efforts to create a safer environment for children and young people.
By encouraging greater awareness, vigilance and reporting, partners hope to ensure vulnerable individuals can access support at the earliest opportunity.
While the immediate impact of the initiative has been to spark important conversations and increase public understanding of safeguarding, organisers believe the long-term benefits will be even greater. By building awareness and confidence in reporting concerns, the campaign aims to contribute to a safer and more informed rail network, helping to prevent exploitation and ensuring young people get the support they need when they need it most.
Hundreds of Railway Children supporters raised £46,256 across two of the charity’s flagship autumn events – walking London’s Piccadilly Line overland and taking on a climb, cycle and kayak route through the Lake District.
The three-day route took cyclists from Ebbsfleet International to Dover, Dover to Brighton and Brighton to London Waterloo, raising vital funds to support vulnerable children.
Railway Children will feature in a special BBC Radio 4 Charity Appeal this September, shining a light on the challenges faced by street children in Tanzania and the life-changing support available through our work.
Discover how charitable giving can reduce inheritance tax, support the causes you care about and potentially leave more for your family and favourite charities.
Kinship care enables children to stay with relatives or trusted family friends when they cannot live with their parents. Find out why it matters and how Railway Children supports family-based care across the UK, India and Tanzania.
We’re proud to highlight how our initiatives are empowering young girls in vulnerable communities.
