Hull Paragon Station: Safe space opens in former shop

The hub opened at the station on Monday

A safe space for vulnerable people has opened in an empty shop at Hull's Paragon Station.

The Safer Hull Paragon Hub will be staffed by police and charities daily, with £100,000 of funding provided by rail operator TransPennine Express.

Organisations using the hub will include mental health charity Andy's Man Club, forces charity Hull 4 Heroes and The Samaritans.

Hull is believed to be the first station to provide such a space.

Kathryn O'Brien, operations and customer experience director at TransPennine Express, said Monday's opening was a "landmark moment" in the firm's efforts to protect rail users.

She said this year the operator had trained more than 800 staff in safeguarding, appointed 34 safeguarding champions, trained 30 mental health first aiders, and "received a prestigious safeguarding accreditation award."

TransPennine Express has provided £100,000 for the hub at Hull Paragon Station

Sgt Steve O'Callaghan, of the British Transport Police, said the force was committed to protecting vulnerable rail users, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

He said: "The Safer Hull Paragon Hub aims to identify and safeguard individuals at the earliest opportunity, increase police presence within the station, reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, and provide a shared location for local charities to raise their visibility."

The opening of the hub comes as the future of the station's ticket office remains uncertain after rail operators announced plans to close up to 1,000 nationally.

The closures follow a decline in people buying physical tickets, according to the Rail Delivery Group which represents operators. It suggested ticket office staff would be freed up to offer more help to customers.

But MPs, councillors and trade unions have said it would make it more difficult for vulnerable people, including the elderly and disabled, to buy tickets and get additional help.

A consultation on the closures is open until 1 September.