A COMPANY headed by Batley-born tycoon Lawrence Tomlinson will help commuters in the South get to work and back this winter.

LNT Solutions, part of Mr Tomlinson’s LNT Group, has won a contract to supply de-icers to three major rail companies in the GoAhead group – Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express and London Midland. They will be used on platforms to prevent accidents in bad weather.

LNT Solutions retained the contract to supply its innovative SPP 100 range after impressing the customer with its environmental credentials.

Martyn Paul, managing director of LNT Solutions, said: “Traditional de-icing methods are corrosive. Our SPP 100 range is more effective at lower temperatures below minus 25C, but more importantly it doesn’t corrode platforms or rolling stock as badly as rock salt, therefore it keeps maintenance costs down.

“The product has six times greater spreadability than rock salt and is more cost-effective in the long term.”

Mr Tomlinson, chairman of the Leeds-based LNT Group, is the driver behind the development of the SPP 100 range in a bid to bring a more environmentally ethical product to the market.

"By opting for a more environmentally sound, yet effective product, Go Ahead’s passengers will remain mobile and safe while platform damage will be mitigated,” he said.

"LNT Solutions will continue to develop innovative products for the vital transport networks confident of market demand."

The Leeds-based company continues to successfully bid for contracts with airports and rail providers in the UK, Europe and North America.