Ticket to Pride: LGBT HERO charity adopts South Western Railway’s Vauxhall station

• LGBT HERO and the South Western Railway colleague Pride Network have jointly 'adopted' Vauxhall station in South London
• Vauxhall is the first major station in the UK to be adopted by an LGBTQ+ group and sits at the heart of an area with strong links to the LGBTQ+ community
• Responding to research on the need to support LGBTQ+ transport users, the partnership aims to enhance inclusion and safety for customers and colleagues
• South Western Railway is also joining the Lambeth Allies Programme, a coalition of organisations committed to supporting LGBTQ+ people in the borough

SOUTH Western Railway (SWR) today celebrated the 'adoption' of Vauxhall station by its Pride Network of LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies and the charity LGBT HERO.

LGBT HERO is the national health and wellbeing charity for LGBTQ+ people, based in South West London, supporting over 100,000 individuals every month.

Station adoption is part of the growing community rail movement, which sees local groups volunteer to take more active roles in their stations, helping them to better reflect and serve the community.

The move is backed by the Member of Parliament for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green, Florence Eshalomi, the Deputy Mayor of London for Transport, Seb Dance, and Lambeth Council, as well as Transport for London, which interchanges with the station.

This morning Florence Eshalomi MP, SWR's Managing Director, Stuart Meek, and LGBT HERO's Chair, Alan Palmer, unveiled a commemorative plaque and pieces by local LGBTQ+ artists at the station's waiting room, where they also cut a rainbow ribbon.

Vauxhall is one of London's busiest stations, with over 13 million entries and exits annually, and is the first major station in the UK adopted by an LGBTQ+ group.

The area is well known for its strong links to the LGBTQ+ community. Almost one in ten residents identify as LGBTQ+ and South London's oldest gay venue, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, is among the many destinations just moments from the station.

The adoption of Vauxhall is part of SWR's All Aboard campaign to end all discrimination and abuse against customers and colleagues on the railway and encourage anyone who experiences such behaviour to report it to the British Transport Police.

A 2023 report by London TravelWatch on the experiences of LGBTQ+ people travelling in the capital revealed that 82% change their behaviour or appearance to avoid abuse.

It also found that one in five experienced hate crimes on the transport network in the past year, echoing a survey by LGBT HERO in Lambeth, with 84% not reporting the incidents.

Among its 12 recommendations, the watchdog called for greater collaboration between transport operators, decision-makers and police authorities, including working with trusted third parties in the LGBTQ+ community.

SWR and LGBT HERO are committed to building stronger ties between Vauxhall station and the local community, engaging with the public on issues impacting the community and championing inclusion and safety on the transport network.

SWR is also joining the Lambeth Allies Programme, a coalition of organisations committed to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ people in Lambeth, developed by LGBT HERO and Lambeth Council.

Stuart Meek, Interim Managing Director of South Western Railway, commented:

"Stations aren't simply about getting from A to B; they should involve, reflect and serve their local community - and celebrate everything that makes a community special.

"We're incredibly excited to have LGBT HERO and our own Pride Network colleagues adopting Vauxhall, a station that could not be more appropriate with the area's thriving and longstanding links to the LGBTQ+ community.

"We launched our All Aboard campaign because everyone should feel safe and respected while travelling on the transport network, and no one should ever face discrimination or abuse.

"By working together in partnerships such as this, we can make a real difference for customers, colleagues and communities across our region."

Ian Howley, Chief Executive of LGBT HERO, commented:

"We're incredibly excited to partner with South Western Railway. Lambeth is a vibrant and diverse borough, but we need to address rising anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime. Our partnership is about more than symbolic gestures - it's about real action and creating spaces where everyone, especially LGBTQ+ people, feel safe and valued.

"In addition to our presence in Vauxhall station, South Western Railway is joining Lambeth Allies to ensure the highest level of service and security for LGBTQ+ people on the network. Together with South Western Railway, we're making Lambeth a place where diversity is celebrated, and no one faces hate or discrimination."

Florence Eshalomi, Member of Parliament for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green, commented:

"Vauxhall is a melting point for our vibrant LGBTQ+ community and it is great to see LGBT HERO and South Western railway jointly adopting Vauxhall station.

"As we celebrate this launch, we must remember that sadly people from the LGBTQ+ community continue to face discrimination and abuse, simply for who they are. Initiatives like this help us to ensure that our LGBTQ+ communities feel safe in public spaces.

"I am proud to stand in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ community and show that in Vauxhall we will continue to work with a range of partners to build an inclusive society that embraces diversity."

Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor of London for Transport, commented:

"London is for everyone, and the Mayor and I want all Londoners to feel safe and be safe while travelling on our network.

"I'm delighted that LGBT Hero are taking over Vauxhall station for this important event. These presentations and artwork from LGBTQ+ artists celebrate the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community to our great city and show that London's diversity really is its strength."

Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, Deputy Leader (Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air) of Lambeth Council, commented:

"We are proud that Vauxhall is the first major station in the country to be adopted by an LGBT+ group. Lambeth has the biggest LGBTQ+ population in London and Vauxhall is a historic home and cultural destination for this community.

"In 2023, we supported LGBT Hero to accredit 11 Vauxhall businesses as allies to LGBTQ+ people through the Vauxhall Night Time Enterprise Zone programme, and it is fantastic to see this legacy growing.

"The partnership between LGBT Hero and South Western Railway shows that LGBTQ+ communities are celebrated in Lambeth and we're working together for positive change."

Mark Evers, Chief Customer Office for Transport for London, commented:

"We firmly believe that everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, should be able to be their authentic selves and go about their lives and travel around London without fear of abuse or intimidation. It's a sad fact that this is not always the case and that's why we wholeheartedly support LGBT HERO's adoption of Vauxhall station.

"Wherever you experience or witness a hate crime on the transport network, be it on a South Western Railway service, on the TfL network or elsewhere, we strongly encourage reporting it, as it helps the appropriate authorities to take steps to apprehend and convict the people responsible and prevent future crimes."

Sasha Langeveldt, Policy and Advocacy Officer for London TravelWatch, commented:

"Public transport is an important pillar of anyone's livelihood, enabling us to get where we need to be for work and leisure, and connecting us to friends and family. It is essential that all people feel safe as they move around the city.

"We are glad to see that, a year of our research, it is having a ripple effect on the transport industry. Improving safety for LGBTQ+ passengers will make transport safer for all, and we believe that our 12 recommendations will help us all take steps towards an end to anti-LGBTQ+ prejudice and hate on London's transport network."

The adoption will allow the SWR Pride Network and LGBT HERO to apply for funding from the national Community Rail Network for projects in and around the station.

The joint adopters of Vauxhall are the latest to join SWR's thriving cohort of station adoption groups, with well over 100 of its station adopted across the South of England, stretching from London to Devon.

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