A TRAIN has been named in honour of work carried out to make a railway line through Keighley more dementia-friendly.

The newly-refurbished Class 150 unit, now called The Bentham Line-A Dementia-Friendly Railway, will operate across much of northern England.

A naming ceremony was held at Leeds Station, with Peter Wilkinson – from the Department for Transport's rail group – performing the honours.

Around 50 people attended, including representatives of Dementia Friendly Keighley.

Extensive work has been done to improve the experience for passengers with dementia using the Bentham Line, which links Leeds and Morecambe – via the Airedale route.

As part of the initiative, staff from rail operator Northern have undergone special awareness-raising training.

The company's east-area director, Steve Hopkinson, praises the "passionate" work on the project of the Leeds-Morecambe Community Rail Partnership – which is responsible for the Bentham Line.

He also pays tribute to the support provided by Northern colleagues, the Department for Transport and several charities.

Mr Hopkinson welcomed guests to the naming event and said that thanks to the venture, "stigma and fear" arising from a lack of understanding about dementia was being eradicated.

"The activities we take for granted are again becoming enjoyable for people associated with dementia," he added.

"They can buy their tickets, travel by train through Yorkshire and enjoy a walk on the promenade at Morecambe.

"Our staff and colleagues are becoming far more aware of dementia and how to embrace the challenges it can bring.

"They do this through the awareness sessions designed by partnership chairman Gerald Townson and colleagues, and supported by Northern.

"This incredible project has raised awareness with our staff and customers and brought our communities closer together."

Mr Wilkinson said he was "incredibly proud" to be at the ceremony and believed the project could be held-up as a beacon internationally.

"The naming highlights a significant project that helps make public transport accessible to many more people," he added.

"Work such as this initiative should spur others on to open-up public transport to be truly inclusive to those with hidden disabilities, such as dementia.

"We often think of railways as just a mode of transport – a means to an end. But railways are so much more than that; they are the lifeblood of our communities and an important way to bring people together. Our communities are everything and the Bentham Line’s dementia-friendly project is a fine example reflecting this."

Mr Townson thanked Northern for its "understanding and support" for the project over the past two years.

He also welcomed the Government's recently-launched community rail strategy and the passenger assistance scheme, which is being reviewed.

"It is vital to extend the reach of this scheme to include those living with hidden disabilities such as dementia," said Mr Townson.

"We need to give those people the confidence to travel for as long as they can and continue to enjoy life alongside others."