Transport firms back initiative to employ low risk offenders

Three transport companies have joined with a new not-for-profit to help people with past convictions get jobs in the transport sector.

Merseyrail, Go Ahead and Angel Trains will work with the Rebuilding Futures Alliance (RFA) to support low risk offenders.

RFA?founder Chris Leech MBE is seeking to connect ex-offender support charities across the UK with transport employers to get people into work in a bid to break the cycle of reoffending and relieve prison pressure.

The initiative will break the cycle of criminality among the UK’s low risk prison population by offering them the chance to learn a skilled trade across the rail, bus and metro networks in Britain, said Leech.

“We are blown away to have the support of these three major players in the rail and bus sector,” he said. “It’s truly humbling for the RFA to have their backing and we can’t wait to get started working together to change lives, reduce reoffending and boost the economy.”

RFA aims to bring 100-plus past conviction charities together. By working directly with transport’s biggest employers, the Alliance will help place and track low risk ex-offenders, tackling the workforce shortage in the sector, said Leech.