Diversity and Inclusion

At TransPennine Express our aim is to continue to build an inclusive culture and our values are central to this, especially being “be yourself” and “pull together”. Working together we can build a better future for our colleagues and customers. Our colleagues are from all walks of life with varied personal experiences and career journeys into rail.

Diversity & Inclusion at TransPennine Express

TPE has almost 2,500 people across the business and partners in the North of England and into Scotland. The majority of these are in service delivery roles, with 1,680 employed by TPE itself.

This team represents a diverse range of people from different parts of the North of England and Scotland, different backgrounds, ages, genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, abilities, and religions.

Week of Inclusion 2025

A brand new photography exhibition has launched in two major train stations, celebrating the diversity of the team behind TransPennine Express during the historic 200th year of rail.

The installation, which can be found on display at two sites, Manchester Victoria and Hull Paragon stations, features portraits of fifteen members of staff from different backgrounds, who represent an ever-growing, diverse and inclusive workforce.

The individuals are being celebrated as part of our second annual Week of Inclusion, and each have their own unique stories, from living with endometriosis to being autistic, having ADHD, or being part of the LGBTQ+ community.

The exhibition, which runs from Sunday 26th January to Sunday 2 February celebrates the diversity at TransPennine Express and serves as an open invitation to anyone considering a career in the rail industry, regardless of their background, to apply.



The photographs feature workers such as Shannon Cassidy, a train driver from Liverpool, who has seen first-hand how the company is committed to fostering equality in roles that have traditionally been male-dominated. Shannon has detailed how TransPennine Express dedication to becoming an Endometriosis Friendly Employer has become a significant step forward in acknowledging and accommodating the needs of women like her.

Ben McGowan, a conductor instructor, who is autistic and has ADHD is also featured. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Ben has shared how inclusion is not merely a concept but a deeply meaningful part of his everyday life, and at TransPennine Express, he has discovered a workplace where he truly feels a sense of belonging.

Since our first Week of Inclusion in January last year, the rail provider has made significant progress, applicants from ethnic groups has risen to 30%%, LGBTQ+ colleagues now comprise of 10%, exceeding the census figure of 3.2%.

Since April of last year, 26% of hires and 33% of international promotions have been women, highlighting that progress is beginning to accelerate.

Five employee networking groups have also been introduced in the last 18 months, groups include the LGBTQ+ Networking Group, the Neurodiversity Network, Women at TPE, Military Veterans, and Young Rail Professionals at TPE, providing dedicated spaces for colleagues to connect, share experiences, and drive positive change within the organisation.

Some of the individuals included in the exhibition talk more about their stories here:

Amy’s story

Ben's story

Franisha’s story

Shannon's story

Tyler's story

Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gap

We recognise the importance data brings in driving progress on our ED&I activities and we are working hard to encourage our employees to share their personal information with us.

We continue to drive forward diversity and inclusion at TPE. We are proud to have achieved Silver status with the Inclusive Employers Standard, be charter signatories on the Women in Rail Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Charter and are a Disability Confident Employer. This year we have voluntarily published our ethnicity pay gap.

Read the report here.