Designing a better future: PriestmanGoode’s Kirsty Dias on safety, collaboration, and innovation in rail
30/10/2025
Kirsty Dias, Managing Director at PriestmanGoode, will explore the pressing issue of women’s safety on public transport, examining what defines a safe environment and the challenges women continue to face when travelling.
At this year’s Rail Interiors Show, Kirsty Dias, Managing Director at PriestmanGoode, will join Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain of Transport for the North to discuss one of the most pressing issues in public transport today: how design can help create safer and more inclusive journeys for women.
You’re speaking at the Rail Interiors Show this November. Can you give us a sense of the key themes or ideas you’ll be exploring during your session?
“I’m doing a session with Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain about rail safety for women,” Kirsty explained.
“We’re conducting a research project at PriestmanGoode, and Daisy is also researching and looking into the same area — identifying what makes a safe environment for women on public transport, what challenges people face, and what people really understand by safety and comfort. Also, what makes them feel reassured in an environment, so that we can ultimately come away with some clear guidelines and cues to address safer environments.”
For Kirsty, this focus on emotional and physical safety is part of a broader commitment to inclusive design and understanding how subtle environmental cues, layout, and material choices can influence passengers’ sense of reassurance and trust. By combining data-driven insight with empathy-led design, PriestmanGoode aims to help transport providers create spaces that feel both functional and welcoming.
The show brings together designers, operators, and suppliers from across the rail ecosystem. What do you see as the most exciting developments or challenges currently shaping the design of rail interiors?
“The industry as a whole faces the challenge of reaching net zero,” said Kirsty.
“We’re all committed to driving more passengers to choose rail over car or plane, with a big, shared interest in sustainable solutions.”
She noted that “rolling stock manufacturers are pushing towards more platform products, which are better for the environment because components can be reused.” She added, “Material suppliers are developing certified materials that are sustainable, recyclable, and safe — really thinking about the total life cycle.”
“One of the big challenges is getting things to market quickly, as safety requirements make the industry inherently cautious. You need to be very patient.”
Kirsty highlighted PG’s Green Seat 2.0 concept, which we are using as a testbed to demonstrate sustainable thinking through “modularity, lightweight materials, and life cycle thinking,” adding, “Sometimes our job as designers is to ask questions that prompt the supply chain to think differently.”
Passenger expectations are evolving rapidly, especially around comfort, sustainability, and technology. How do you think design can bridge the gap between what passengers want and what operators can realistically deliver?
Kirsty explained, “Design plays a crucial role in shaping passenger experiences, as designers bring the vision needed to create interiors that meet diverse passenger needs. This includes considering how people work or use entertainment on a train, how they feel both private and safe, and how accessibility is ensured for those travelling with children or using wheelchairs.”
She added, “Once collaboration begins with manufacturers and the supply chain, design thinking helps facilitate conversations that balance creativity with practicality. It’s important for designers to understand manufacturing constraints, testing processes, and cost considerations; otherwise, even the most beautiful concept will be wasted. A strong understanding of how products are made enables designers to create successful and efficient outcomes.”
“Additionally, design has a key role in promoting sustainability. Research from the European Commission indicates that 80% of a product’s environmental impact is determined during the design stage. By consciously designing modular, lightweight products and carefully selecting and disposing of materials, designers contribute to more responsible and realistic solutions,” Kirsty concluded.
PriestmanGoode has played a leading role in redefining the passenger experience across transport. How is the studio’s work in rail reflecting wider changes in how people think about mobility and the journey experience?
“One of the things we’re doing currently is a programme called Enable,” said Kirsty. “We are interviewing people with different lived experiences so that we can expand our knowledge of passenger needs and better inform our team and our designers. This includes passengers with hidden disabilities, reduced mobility, or older travellers.”
“By learning from these interviews and understanding different passenger needs, we’ve created an internal toolkit that encourages our designers to think about more universal design solutions that work for everyone, not just specific groups.”
Kirsty added, “many of those needs overlap. If you design for a wheelchair user, you’re also making it easier for someone travelling with small children or for an older person, creating more comfortable journeys. It’s about better educating ourselves and recognising that we are learning all the time.”
Looking towards the next decade, what is your vision for the rail interior of 2035, and how do you see PriestmanGoode’s role in shaping that future for a more connected, inclusive, and sustainable transport network?
“We’re always interested and excited about what’s next,” said Kirsty. “We actively invest in our own research, initiate campaigns, and are constantly educating ourselves, as well as ensuring we keep up with the latest technology innovations that may support better passenger experiences. This allows us to share this experience with a wider audience and bring future-proofed design solutions to our partners. This is all about delivering better passenger experiences and designing a better future.”
Kirsty gave an example:
“We’ve designed an aircraft seat that is wheelchair-friendly called Air4All - so you can stay in your own powered wheelchair and board an aircraft. Those market needs weren’t being met in 2012 but we demonstrated this through carrying out our own research, creating a concept and campaign which leveraged support from disability groups and then a manufacturing partner. So, for me, I hope that in 10 years’ time we are still working in the same way — creating designs where everyone can have a safe and accessible experience that is both comfortable and connected.”
Kirsty Dias will speak at the Rail Interiors Show in November, sharing insights from across industries and highlighting: how design can help create safer and more inclusive journeys for women. Book your free delegate pass today by clicking here.
You’re speaking at the Rail Interiors Show this November. Can you give us a sense of the key themes or ideas you’ll be exploring during your session?
“I’m doing a session with Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain about rail safety for women,” Kirsty explained.
“We’re conducting a research project at PriestmanGoode, and Daisy is also researching and looking into the same area — identifying what makes a safe environment for women on public transport, what challenges people face, and what people really understand by safety and comfort. Also, what makes them feel reassured in an environment, so that we can ultimately come away with some clear guidelines and cues to address safer environments.”
For Kirsty, this focus on emotional and physical safety is part of a broader commitment to inclusive design and understanding how subtle environmental cues, layout, and material choices can influence passengers’ sense of reassurance and trust. By combining data-driven insight with empathy-led design, PriestmanGoode aims to help transport providers create spaces that feel both functional and welcoming.
The show brings together designers, operators, and suppliers from across the rail ecosystem. What do you see as the most exciting developments or challenges currently shaping the design of rail interiors?
“The industry as a whole faces the challenge of reaching net zero,” said Kirsty.
“We’re all committed to driving more passengers to choose rail over car or plane, with a big, shared interest in sustainable solutions.”
She noted that “rolling stock manufacturers are pushing towards more platform products, which are better for the environment because components can be reused.” She added, “Material suppliers are developing certified materials that are sustainable, recyclable, and safe — really thinking about the total life cycle.”
“One of the big challenges is getting things to market quickly, as safety requirements make the industry inherently cautious. You need to be very patient.”
Kirsty highlighted PG’s Green Seat 2.0 concept, which we are using as a testbed to demonstrate sustainable thinking through “modularity, lightweight materials, and life cycle thinking,” adding, “Sometimes our job as designers is to ask questions that prompt the supply chain to think differently.”
Passenger expectations are evolving rapidly, especially around comfort, sustainability, and technology. How do you think design can bridge the gap between what passengers want and what operators can realistically deliver?
Kirsty explained, “Design plays a crucial role in shaping passenger experiences, as designers bring the vision needed to create interiors that meet diverse passenger needs. This includes considering how people work or use entertainment on a train, how they feel both private and safe, and how accessibility is ensured for those travelling with children or using wheelchairs.”
She added, “Once collaboration begins with manufacturers and the supply chain, design thinking helps facilitate conversations that balance creativity with practicality. It’s important for designers to understand manufacturing constraints, testing processes, and cost considerations; otherwise, even the most beautiful concept will be wasted. A strong understanding of how products are made enables designers to create successful and efficient outcomes.”
“Additionally, design has a key role in promoting sustainability. Research from the European Commission indicates that 80% of a product’s environmental impact is determined during the design stage. By consciously designing modular, lightweight products and carefully selecting and disposing of materials, designers contribute to more responsible and realistic solutions,” Kirsty concluded.
PriestmanGoode has played a leading role in redefining the passenger experience across transport. How is the studio’s work in rail reflecting wider changes in how people think about mobility and the journey experience?
“One of the things we’re doing currently is a programme called Enable,” said Kirsty. “We are interviewing people with different lived experiences so that we can expand our knowledge of passenger needs and better inform our team and our designers. This includes passengers with hidden disabilities, reduced mobility, or older travellers.”
“By learning from these interviews and understanding different passenger needs, we’ve created an internal toolkit that encourages our designers to think about more universal design solutions that work for everyone, not just specific groups.”
Kirsty added, “many of those needs overlap. If you design for a wheelchair user, you’re also making it easier for someone travelling with small children or for an older person, creating more comfortable journeys. It’s about better educating ourselves and recognising that we are learning all the time.”
Looking towards the next decade, what is your vision for the rail interior of 2035, and how do you see PriestmanGoode’s role in shaping that future for a more connected, inclusive, and sustainable transport network?
“We’re always interested and excited about what’s next,” said Kirsty. “We actively invest in our own research, initiate campaigns, and are constantly educating ourselves, as well as ensuring we keep up with the latest technology innovations that may support better passenger experiences. This allows us to share this experience with a wider audience and bring future-proofed design solutions to our partners. This is all about delivering better passenger experiences and designing a better future.”
Kirsty gave an example:
“We’ve designed an aircraft seat that is wheelchair-friendly called Air4All - so you can stay in your own powered wheelchair and board an aircraft. Those market needs weren’t being met in 2012 but we demonstrated this through carrying out our own research, creating a concept and campaign which leveraged support from disability groups and then a manufacturing partner. So, for me, I hope that in 10 years’ time we are still working in the same way — creating designs where everyone can have a safe and accessible experience that is both comfortable and connected.”
Kirsty Dias will speak at the Rail Interiors Show in November, sharing insights from across industries and highlighting: how design can help create safer and more inclusive journeys for women. Book your free delegate pass today by clicking here.