UK train operator launches low-alcohol beer to reduce boozy passengers

To reduce the number of drunk train passengers getting into accidents during the festive season, UK train operator Avanti West Coast will serve a new low-alcohol beer on trains running in the West Coast Mainline between London Euston and Scotland.

According to the rail company, the ‘Safety Thirst Beer’, which contains 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV), will provide a “more pleasant traveling experience and help passengers drink responsibly”.

115 incidents last year

Figures from the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) confirm that last year, during the festive season, the number of recorded accidents on the UK rail network where drunkenness was a possible factor increased remarkably by as much as 45% compared to the rest of the year.

During that holiday season, 115 incidents related to drunkenness were reported in the UK. Still, that actual figure is probably higher because not all accidents are reported, or it was not clear that drunkenness was a possible cause of an accident.

‘Rail safety just got tasty’

RSSB chief executive Mark Phillips enthusiastically responded to the initiative. “This is a fantastic initiative,” Phillips said. Everyone should enjoy themselves, but by drinking responsibly, they will stay safe and help reduce pressure on the railway at one of its busiest times.”

The beer, created in partnership with Birmingham Brewing Company, is served in a can design inspired by heritage railway wayfaring signs and featuring the slogan ‘Rail safety just got tasty.’

The charity Drinkaware described the launch as “a great move”, adding that around a third of people in the UK consume low and zero-alcohol products to “moderate their drinking”.

Zero tolerance

In Belgium, too, the debate about public drunkenness and especially alcohol in traffic has flared up again in recent days following a road accident of art presenter Tom Waes. The TV personality was seriously injured last weekend when he drove into a collision absorber on the Antwerp ring road after getting into the car drunk.

According to recent figures from traffic institute Vias, 11 accidents involving drunk driving happen every day in Belgium, injuring or killing at least one person. Vias advocates zero tolerance in traffic.

In Flanders and Brussels, several initiatives are held during the New Year to combat drunk driving, such as cheaper tickets or free public transport.