Focusing on the customer is vital as the railway rebuilds from the pandemic, Northern’s Chief Operating Officer Tricia Williams told the Golden Whistles conference.
Ms Williams highlighted the importance of Northern as an operator to the region’s economy. For starters, the company employs nearly 7,000 people and provides vital connections between towns and cities. Beyond that, Northern has for a long time been reliant on taxpayer subsidy, so the operator initiated work to understand what value it brings to the taxpayer. This demonstrated that every £1 invested in Northern generates around £2.50 of economic activity, proving Northern is a driver of economic growth. Furthermore, in 2020 Northern invested over £600 million in the supply chain, with 45% of that spend in the North of England.
