Level boarding to become standard on new Great British Railways trains
New trains bought for Great British Railways will be designed so passengers can step on and off without a gap or step, improving access for disabled people, parents and travellers with luggage.
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New trains for Great British Railways (GBR) will be expected to offer level boarding by default, under a new government strategy for buying rolling stock. The aim is to close the gap between train and platform so that more passengers can board without help.
What is changing
Under the plans, publicly run trains will aim to have level boarding as standard. Depending on the route, that could mean buying trains whose floors match platform height, or fitting trains with doors that automatically bridge the gap.
The government says that in most cases this should not add significant cost, because the trains will be designed from the start to provide unassisted level boarding at standard Network Rail platform heights.
Who benefits
The change is intended to help millions of passengers, including disabled and older people, parents with pushchairs and anyone travelling with luggage.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said Great British Railways trains "will be level boarding by default", adding that everyone should be able to travel by train easily.
Campaign groups welcomed the move. Transport for All described the platform gap as a barrier for many disabled people and called the commitment a welcome step. Pregnant Then Screwed said it was an important step forward for parents, while noting there is more work to do.
Wider investment
The announcement sits alongside £280 million of investment in step-free access through the Access for All programme, with more than 30 schemes underway across England, Scotland and Wales. It builds on last year's Roadmap to an Accessible Railway.
Speaking at Labour's conference in Liverpool, Ms Alexander also said the government will consider owning trains rather than leasing them, and confirmed that Avanti West Coast will move into public ownership from March 2027.
What this means for the rail workforce
New trains and new ways of boarding bring changes to how drivers and on-board teams work, from door operation to dispatch at the platform. As the railway modernises, well-assessed, competent staff remain central to a safe and accessible service.
If you are considering a career as a train driver, you can book Train Driver Psychometric Testing with Railway Competence Group.
