Chair of Women in Rail Marie Daly and Trustee Terri Cave tell RailStaff about the organisation’s plan for reform in rail’s 200th year.
As UK rail marks its 200th anniversary and we prepare for major structural reform across the industry, now is the time to think and to act boldly about what we want the next two centuries of our railway to look like.
It’s why Women in Rail has chosen this moment to launch our new business plan, a focus to put equity, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of the transformation of our railways.
A pivotal moment
The UK rail sector is at a crossroads. Simultaneously looking back on two proud centuries of progress, but at the same time looking forward to a future in which digital transformation, sustainability, and growth will ask new questions of the industry. At such a pivotal moment, Women in Rail has launched its Strategic Business Plan for 2025–2027, a powerful call to action, designed to embed inclusion and equity as core values of the modern, forward-thinking rail industry we all want to see.
The Strategic Business Plan is more than a roadmap; it’s a statement of intent. It outlines how we at Women in Rail will continue to challenge the status quo and to lay the foundations for meaningful, measurable change across the UK rail industry.
We’ve described it as both ‘ambitious and actionable’, aligned to so it can inform the wider reform taking place across the industry. For us, there has never been a better time to embed the principles that Women in Rail stands for in a new model for UK rail. The plan is a rallying call for faster progress toward greater inclusion and opportunity.
Women remain significantly underrepresented in the rail sector, making up only around 16% of the workforce with even fewer women in technical, front line, or leadership roles. At Women in Rail, we are clear that has to change and it’s why our new plan takes direct aim at this imbalance, offering a practical and collaborative approach to change grounded in three essential principles:
- Equity: ensuring that opportunities and resources are distributed fairly.
- Representation: increasing the visibility of women at every level, from apprentices, front line, to executives.
- Inclusion: building cultures where all voices are valued and barriers to participation are dismantled.
As the rail industry looks to modernise and digitise, building inclusive cultures is not just a social imperative, it’s a strategic one. The evidence is clear and unambiguous that diverse teams are better equipped to innovate, to reflect customer needs, and to solve complex problems.
At the heart of our business plan are four strategic pillars – Attract, Engage, Support, and Promote – each representing a vital step towards cultivating a rail industry that reflects the diversity of the society our industry serves and each supported by specific goals and KPIs.
Here’s what’s inside:
Attract
With an ambition to draw more women into the sector, this pillar focuses on breaking down barriers to entry, promoting careers in rail, and reaching underrepresented groups through education, outreach, and visibility campaigns.
Engage
Women in Rail is doubling down on its grassroots strength, empowering regional teams and national networks to deliver high-impact events, forums, and activities. This pillar seeks to unite stakeholders and allies around shared goals and collective action.
Support
Progress comes through empowerment and that’s why professional development, mentorship programmes, inclusive workplace policies, and training are a core pillar of our plan and our commitment. The focus is on creating environments where women not only participate, but thrive.
Promote
Celebrating success is a key part of the strategy. From profiling women leaders and role models to showcasing industry best practices, this pillar is about shifting perceptions and ensuring visibility of female talent across all levels.
The plan is not just an aspirational document; it’s a detailed action-led framework that maps out how Women in Rail will partner with the sector over the next two years. It prioritises measurable impact, collaborative delivery, and local empowerment, ensuring national consistency while respecting the nuance of regional contexts.
What sets the plan apart is its collaborative spirit. Women in Rail recognises that lasting change cannot be achieved alone, it requires the active participation of businesses, government bodies, unions, and individuals across the rail ecosystem. The strategy was built with wide input, including from regional teams, partners, and members.
The plan reflects Women in Rail’s maturity and readiness to support the industry through its most significant transformation in decades.
A huge amount of work has gone into the plan and it positions Women in Rail to offer even greater value to its members, partners, and the industry. We are proud of what it represents – a united vision for a sector where everyone belongs.
Right place, right time
Women in Rail’s strategic plan couldn’t come at a more symbolic time. As the rail industry celebrates its 200th year, it is also embracing fundamental reform – from the establishment of Great British Railways to renewed efforts around digital infrastructure, decarbonisation, and customer service transformation.
In this context, the role of Women in Rail is evolving too, not as an ancillary voice, but as a central partner in shaping what the next 200 years of rail will look like.
Throughout its history, Women in Rail has been at the forefront of bold, radical change and this plan continues that legacy and turns our collective ambition into meaningful action. Over the coming weeks, Women in Rail will roll out detailed guidance on how individuals and organisations can get involved in delivering the plan, from local mentoring and events, to national campaigns and strategic partnerships. The Board of Trustees will also publish success measures and key milestones, reinforcing the plan’s commitment to accountability and transparency.
The message is clear, achieving a more inclusive rail industry will require everyone’s contribution and Women in Rail is ready to lead the charge.
Image credit: Women in Rail
