A NORTH-East train operator has won two honours for improving safety on its routes.

GNER, which operates services on the East Coast Mainline, has won a gold award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, which recognises high levels of safety management and improving accident or injury safeguards for workers.

For the second year running, GNER has achieved a high rating in the Railway Operator Audit rating system, an independent benchmark for assessing the effectiveness of safety processes.

A GNER spokesman said: "These awards are testimony to hard work and our continued determination to place safety at the heart of what we do."