Avanti West Coast stocks low alcohol beer to curb alcohol related disorder over Christmas
A rail company has introduced a low alcohol beer to their onboard shop in an effort to reduce drunken disorder over the Christmas period and make "rail safety tasty".
Year on year, Avanti West Coast has seen the amount of alcohol related incidents soar between the end of November and New Years Eve.
In the 2023 festive period, 115 incidents were reported by staff in which disruptive passengers were visibly drunk.
To reduce these numbers, passengers will now be offered a can of 'Safety Thirst'; a low alcohol alternative beer.
The 0.5 percent pale ale will be stocked onboard the operator’s trains, which run from London to Manchester, Liverpool, and Edinburgh to encourage those enjoying festivities to drink responsibly while travelling on the rail network.
The initiative is being backed by UK’s leading alcohol charity Drinkaware and the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB).
Mark Phillips, CEO at the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) said: “This is a fantastic initiative by Avanti West Coast. Every year in the run up to Christmas, our data shows an increase in passengers being injured after enjoying a little too much seasonal hospitality.
“Everyone should enjoy themselves, but by drinking responsibly they will stay safe and help reduce pressure on the railway at one of its busiest times.”
Figures compiled by the RSSB show the number of accidents on the GB mainline network last year where intoxication was a possible factor increased by 45% during the Christmas period.
To promote the campaign, a choir made up of Avanti West Coast colleagues performed a reworked version of the song “Jingle Bells” replacing it with Safety Thirst focusing on safety messages.
Dave Whitehouse, Director of Safety, Security and Environment at Avanti West Coast, said: “We want the railway to be the transport of choice when people are heading out to enjoy themselves during the festive season and while our customers are out on the network, we want them to be safe too.
“This time of year, our network is busier and our staff are on hand to help everyone get to their destination safely.
"The Safety Thirst campaign is a great reminder to drink responsibly to create a more enjoyable travel experience for everyone taking a journey with us as well as our colleagues.”
Karen Tyrell, CEO of Drinkaware, said: “This is a great move. Our research shows that low and no-alcohol drinks are increasing in popularity, with around a third of people now using them to moderate their drinking.
“Creating a low alcohol option for those travelling on Avanti West Coast will help people cut back on their drinking.
"It will also keep within the Chief Medical Officers' guidelines, of 14 units per week spread over three or more days, with several drink-free days as well as no bingeing."
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