Rail North Partnership’s Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain to tackle safety and cultural identity in rail interiors
06/08/2025
At this year’s Rail Interiors Show, Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain, specification manager at Rail North Partnership, will present on two timely and vital topics reshaping the future of rail: safety and inclusion for women, and the growing trend of embedding culture and heritage in train design.
Chapman-Chamberlain, who has held influential roles across the rail sector, from community rail to innovation management at East West Rail and Innovate UK, brings a holistic, future-focused perspective to both themes. Her passion for safety and inclusion is clear. “There’s been a 50% increase in reports of gendered violence on UK railways in the past two years,” she explains. “Yet British Transport Police believe this only reflects 10–15% of actual incidents.”
With around 85% of gender-based crimes going unreported, Chapman-Chamberlain is determined to help the industry acknowledge and address this alarming reality. “It’s morally the right thing to do, but it also makes economic sense. If people don’t feel safe, they won’t travel by rail,” she says.
Her first presentation, “safety and inclusion for women”, will delve into practical design interventions. These include better lighting, open rather than closed vestibules, and clearly marked help points. “Even the colour palette and reflective surfaces can affect how safe someone feels,” she adds. “Staff presence, both in stations and walking through trains, is crucial.”
Chapman-Chamberlain highlights how overlooked design features impact certain groups more than others. “Campaigns like the one for Family Friendly Trains show that safe, accessible spaces support women travelling with children, who are statistically more likely to do so,” she says.
Despite growing awareness, Chapman-Chamberlain believes the sector still lags behind. “Financial pressure is leading to a reduction in programmes that focus on inclusion,” she says. “We risk designing trains that aren’t fit for everyone. Accessibility, safety and representation must be integral not afterthoughts.”
Her second session, “cultural & heritage reflections in interior design”, will showcase how leisure travel is influencing the aesthetics of rolling stock across Europe. “Leisure is now the biggest market segment for UK rail. People want an experience, not just functionality,” she says.
From Lithuania’s Pink Soup Festival Train to Austria’s Nightjet service, Chapman-Chamberlain sees a shift towards trains as vehicles for placemaking. “Using materials, colours and imagery that reflect local heritage helps create a sense of journey, not just transport,” she notes. This is especially true for the resurging sleeper train market and services that link passengers to cultural destinations.
Increased comfort expectations are also shaping the conversation – from better seating and lighting to premium dining cars. She praises services like Great Western Railway’s Pullman Dining, which offers “a silver dining experience that’s almost always fully booked.”
However, Chapman-Chamberlain warns of the same barrier faced by safety initiatives: cost. “There’s always a tension between function and form,” she says. “We all know a train or station that feels cold and soulless. That’s what happens when we don’t value experience in design.”
Through her presentations, Chapman-Chamberlain is calling on the industry to see both inclusion and cultural identity as essential – not optional. “A well-designed rail network doesn’t just get you from A to B,” she says. “It makes you feel seen, safe, and connected to where you are.”
Session 1: Safety and inclusion for women
Date: 24 November 2025
Time: 11:40 - 12:10
Session 2: Cultural & Heritage reflections in interior design
Date: 25 November 2025
Time: 10:30 - 11:00
With around 85% of gender-based crimes going unreported, Chapman-Chamberlain is determined to help the industry acknowledge and address this alarming reality. “It’s morally the right thing to do, but it also makes economic sense. If people don’t feel safe, they won’t travel by rail,” she says.
Her first presentation, “safety and inclusion for women”, will delve into practical design interventions. These include better lighting, open rather than closed vestibules, and clearly marked help points. “Even the colour palette and reflective surfaces can affect how safe someone feels,” she adds. “Staff presence, both in stations and walking through trains, is crucial.”
Chapman-Chamberlain highlights how overlooked design features impact certain groups more than others. “Campaigns like the one for Family Friendly Trains show that safe, accessible spaces support women travelling with children, who are statistically more likely to do so,” she says.
Despite growing awareness, Chapman-Chamberlain believes the sector still lags behind. “Financial pressure is leading to a reduction in programmes that focus on inclusion,” she says. “We risk designing trains that aren’t fit for everyone. Accessibility, safety and representation must be integral not afterthoughts.”
Her second session, “cultural & heritage reflections in interior design”, will showcase how leisure travel is influencing the aesthetics of rolling stock across Europe. “Leisure is now the biggest market segment for UK rail. People want an experience, not just functionality,” she says.
From Lithuania’s Pink Soup Festival Train to Austria’s Nightjet service, Chapman-Chamberlain sees a shift towards trains as vehicles for placemaking. “Using materials, colours and imagery that reflect local heritage helps create a sense of journey, not just transport,” she notes. This is especially true for the resurging sleeper train market and services that link passengers to cultural destinations.
Increased comfort expectations are also shaping the conversation – from better seating and lighting to premium dining cars. She praises services like Great Western Railway’s Pullman Dining, which offers “a silver dining experience that’s almost always fully booked.”
However, Chapman-Chamberlain warns of the same barrier faced by safety initiatives: cost. “There’s always a tension between function and form,” she says. “We all know a train or station that feels cold and soulless. That’s what happens when we don’t value experience in design.”
Through her presentations, Chapman-Chamberlain is calling on the industry to see both inclusion and cultural identity as essential – not optional. “A well-designed rail network doesn’t just get you from A to B,” she says. “It makes you feel seen, safe, and connected to where you are.”
Session 1: Safety and inclusion for women
Date: 24 November 2025
Time: 11:40 - 12:10
Session 2: Cultural & Heritage reflections in interior design
Date: 25 November 2025
Time: 10:30 - 11:00