A gay man, who expressed gender-critical views and criticised West Midlands Railway‘s (WMR) Pride Train, which launched to coincide with Birmingham Pride 2024, has been banned from the train company’s Adopt a Station scheme, which encourages community groups and individuals to volunteer at their loc
A gay man, who expressed gender-critical views and criticised West Midlands Railway‘s (WMR) Pride Train, which launched to coincide with Birmingham Pride 2024, has been banned from the train company’s Adopt a Station scheme, which encourages community groups and individuals to volunteer at their local train stations.
Matthew Toomer, who shares anti-trans posts on his X account, was removed from the volunteer programme after contacting company bosses to express concern about the train’s rainbow branding, with the gender critic questioning if the train would “return to its natural state once the event [Birmingham Pride] is over”.
WMR had rebranded one of its trains last summer, with a “rainbow diamond motif” similar to the Progress Pride flag.
I questioned the rainbow train. I shared that some passengers felt uncomfortable about it.
West Midlands Railway: You’re banned.
Tolerance – terms and conditions apply.
My story in @Telegraph:https://t.co/6emh9p8rwy
— Matt Toomer (@realMattToomer) May 6, 2025
Following Toomer’s comments, he was summoned to a meeting where he was told his views “do not align with [WMR’s] values and mission”.
A WMR spokesman said: “Our company has a proud culture of inclusion and allyship.
“We believe the views Mr Toomer has expressed on social media on a range of subjects are at odds with these values and could be harmful or offensive to our colleagues, customers or other volunteers.
“We have therefore asked that Mr Toomer no longer volunteers on behalf of West Midlands Railway.”
