7 minutes | Wednesday, 20 February 2019
We’re a proud nation, often reveling in the things that make us British, but are we at risk of losing one of the most crucial aspects of everyday life in the UK, our regional accents?
Over three in ten (31%) of those surveyed by London North Eastern Railway (LNER) said they felt they’ve been hearing more ‘neutral accents’ in the past five years. Further, over a third (36%) also said they felt their own accent has weakened as they’ve gotten older.
In order to re-dress the imbalance, LNER are celebrating the people through their East Coast route, and beyond, with their first audio recording ‘Track Record’. Created by broadcaster Edith Bowman alongside poet, actor and comedian Ben Norris the audio piece features a variety of accents and dialects from over 20 towns, cities and communities, including Edith herself, local school children and residents.
To discuss the nation’s pride in our accents and ‘Track Record’ we were joined on the line by Edith Bowman.