15 June 2026 •
As the UK marks Rail Safety Week, local rail operator c2c Railway has become the first train operating company (TOC) to partner with personal safety organisation, WalkSafe.
The partnership spans across three stations – Southend Central, Grays and Basildon – and will provide people across c2c’s local communities with enhanced safeguarding assurances, whether they are using the railway at the time or not.
Colleagues from across the recently integrated Anglia region, comprising c2c, Greater Anglia and Network Rail Anglia, gathered for the launch event at Basildon station, including Lee Parlett, Health, Safety, Security and Environment Director for GBR Anglia, Abu Siddeeq, c2c’s Customer Experience Director, Iain Palmer, c2c’s Head of Revenue Protection and Security, and Kamaldeep Wallis, c2c’s Safeguarding and Security Manager, joined Natasha Shenton, WalkSafe’s Account Manager, and Asia Worgan, WalkSafe’s National Sales Manager.
The team then officially launched the partnership by meeting with customers, handing out fliers and raising awareness of the new partnership and the WalkSafe app.
You can see a film of the event below.
In the WalkSafe app, Southend Central station, Basildon station and Grays station have now become the first integrated GBR Anglia stations designated as safe areas, where users that feel they are in need of assistance or help in any way will be directed to – and where they will find c2c colleagues that are always willing to assist.
This week (15 June – 21 June) marks Rail Safety Week in the UK, which aims to bring rail safety to the forefront of people’s minds.
Walksafe Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Emma Kay, said:
“We’re really pleased to be partnering with c2c to map three of their stations on the WalkSafe Safety Map. This marks an exciting step forward in making everyday journeys feel safer for passengers. As the first TOC we’ve partnered with, c2c are helping set an important precedent for how transport providers can actively support the safety of their passengers when travelling. By integrating these stations into the WalkSafe app, we’re giving people greater confidence and visibility when planning and making their journeys.”
WalkSafe is the UK’s leading personal safety app, which features an interactive safety map and journey sharing features. People who download WalkSafe can use it with family and friends, commuting to and from work, during social activities, on nights out and during exercise.
Lee Parlett, Health, Safety, Security and Environment Director for GBR Anglia, added:
“We are very proud to show our local communities that their safety on or off the train, in or out of a train station is our highest priority. The work that WalkSafe do in improving the personal safety of people across the country is incredible and this new partnership showcases our commitment to everybody in our local communities and beyond. We are excited to see what more opportunities we will have with WalkSafe in the future as the partnership develops.”
Abu Siddeeq, c2c’s Customer Experience Director, said:
“At c2c, we are always looking for new ways to positively impact the lives and safety of the people that live in our local communities. That is why we are delighted to have become the first TOC to partner with WalkSafe.
“Nobody should ever feel unsafe walking along the street, wherever their destination, but we want everybody to know that if they do, they can use the WalkSafe app and be directed to one of our stations, where you will find our colleagues, who are always willing to help.”
Iain Palmer, c2c’s Head of Revenue Protection and Security, said:
“This has been a project that we are delighted to see come to life today with WalkSafe. From when I first saw Emma speak at an event in Birmingham last year to today, where we have become the first train company in the UK to partner with WalkSafe, it just shows the positive steps we are taking to increase safety and provide our local communities with new ways to ensure they can get help whenever possible.”
In November 2025, c2c revealed its White Ribbon train decal during an event at Fenchurch Street station. The decal, alongside c2c’s long standing White Ribbon accreditation, is another example of c2c’s commitment to customer safety and White Ribbon’s goal of ending violence towards women and girls.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
Anglia’s journey towards Great British Railways
Anglia’s integrated railway brings together the leadership of c2c, Greater Anglia and Network Rail Anglia under a single, unified structure.
This new structure is part of wider plans to create Great British Railways (GBR), bringing track and train closer together to deliver a better, more joined-up railway for customers and communities in Anglia.
The structure is designed to support closer operational coordination across infrastructure, train services and customer delivery.
Existing ticketing and customer arrangements remain unchanged, and customers will continue to see the current company identities as the railway transitions towards GBR.
The Anglia route serves a fast-growing region, connecting commuters, leisure travellers, ports, power stations and more, as well as Stansted and Southend airports.
About c2c
- c2c is the award-winning train operator running services between Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness, serving 26 stations in East London and South Essex.
- c2c is one of the UK’s most punctual and popular train operators and nearly 37.3 million journeys are made on its services every year.
- The operation of all c2c services transferred into public ownership on Sunday 20 July 2025 and is managed by DFTO (DfT Operator Ltd).
- For more information email mediaenquiries@c2crail.net
About DFTO
- DFTO is the government’s public sector rail owning group. Its purpose is to bring all currently privately-owned train operators into public ownership in advance of the creation of Great British Railways in 2027.
- The group’s current train operating companies are: c2c, Greater Anglia, LNER, Northern, Southeastern, South Western Railway, TransPennine Express and WM Trains (London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway).
- DFTO runs more than 8,500 services each weekday and delivers more than 660 million customer journeys across its networks every year.
About WalkSafe
- WalkSafe is the UK’s leading personal safety app, which features an interactive safety map and journey sharing features. People who download WalkSafe can use it with family and friends, commuting to and from work, during social activities, on nights out and during exercise.
- Please visit the WalkSafe website here: https://walksafe.io/
Images
Featured Image: c2c WalkSafe launch at Basildon l-r Kamaldeep Wallis (c2c Safeguarding and Security Manager), Lee Parlett (Health, Safety, Security and Environment Director for GBR Anglia), Asia Worgan (WalkSafe National Sales Manager), Abu Siddeeq (c2c Customer Experience Director), Natasha Shenton (WalkSafe Account Manager) and Iain Palmer (c2c Head of Revenue Protection and Security).
Second Image: l-r Natasha Shenton and Asia Worgan
Third Image: Abu Siddeeq talks to a customer
Fourth Image: Iain Palmer at the WalkSafe event
Fifth Image: WalkSafe App
Sixth Image: WalkSafe logo