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Citizens’ Rail to present at European mobility conference

Citizens’ Rail’s academic team will be presenting at the European Conference on Mobility Management (ECOMM 2015) in May.

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In a positive example of transnational working, Nick Davies and Richard Weston (University of Central Lancashire, UK) and Dominik Elsmann and Marco Trienes (RWTH Aachen University, Germany) have prepared a paper on “Understanding Citizens’ Rail: how marketing and social outreach can encourage involvement by the public in their rail services and change attitudes towards rail”.

This has now been accepted as part of the “Understanding the user” presentation session at the conference, to be held in Utrecht in the Netherlands from 20th to 22nd May 2015.

Visit the conference website to find out more.

2015/02/18
Dutch projects highlighted in UK rail newsletter

Citizens’ Rail’s work in the Netherlands has been featured in a national rail publication in the UK.

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Each month, Citizens’ Rail has a dedicated page in “Train on Line”, e-newsletter of the UK’s Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP). In the latest edition, our Dutch partner Parkstad Limburg collaborated with the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership (our lead partner) to produce an overview of its work to improve stations and engage citizens.

Read the article (see page 11 of PDF), or subscribe to future editions on the ACoRP homepage.

Photo: plan for Nuth station.

2015/02/17
Rail volunteers are local TV stars again

On the first anniversary of the devastating storms that left the Riviera Line in tatters, the Friends of Dawlish Station have again been featured on BBC’s Spotlight news thanks to their contribution to the station’s revival.

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The volunteer group, which had previously been dormant, was itself rejuvenated as part of the Citizens’ Rail project. New members were recruited through a media campaign and local networking by the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership. The Friends then helped to give their station a green makeover working alongside broadcaster and horticulturalist Toby Buckland, right in time for the line’s grand re-opening on 4th April 2014. Read more about the Dawlish story.

The BBC Spotlight regional news programme visited Dawlish to broadcast live from the station on the storm’s anniversary, and interviewed the Friends group – pictured below with colleagues from Network Rail:

To find out more about the group or to get involved, contact Citizens’ Rail’s Riviera Line Officer, Celia Minoughan, on 01752 584777 or at celia@citizensrail.org.

2015/02/06
Rail volunteers are local TV stars again

On the first anniversary of the devastating storms that left the Riviera Line in tatters, the Friends of Dawlish Station have again been featured on BBC’s Spotlight news thanks to their contribution to the station’s revival.

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The volunteer group, which had previously been dormant, was itself rejuvenated as part of the Citizens’ Rail project. New members were recruited through a media campaign and local networking by the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership. The Friends then helped to give their station a green makeover working alongside broadcaster and horticulturalist Toby Buckland, right in time for the line’s grand re-opening on 4th April 2014. Read more about the Dawlish story.

The BBC Spotlight regional news programme visited Dawlish to broadcast live from the station on the storm’s anniversary, and interviewed the Friends group – pictured below with colleagues from Network Rail:

To find out more about the group or to get involved, contact Citizens’ Rail’s Riviera Line Officer, Celia Minoughan, on 01752 584777 or at celia@citizensrail.org.

2015/02/06
Rail volunteers are local TV stars again

On the first anniversary of the devastating storms that left the Riviera Line in tatters, the Friends of Dawlish Station have again been featured on BBC’s Spotlight news thanks to their contribution to the station’s revival.

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The volunteer group, which had previously been dormant, was itself rejuvenated as part of the Citizens’ Rail project. New members were recruited through a media campaign and local networking by the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership. The Friends then helped to give their station a green makeover working alongside broadcaster and horticulturalist Toby Buckland, right in time for the line’s grand re-opening on 4th April 2014. Read more about the Dawlish story.

The BBC Spotlight regional news programme visited Dawlish to broadcast live from the station on the storm’s anniversary, and interviewed the Friends group – pictured below with colleagues from Network Rail:

To find out more about the group or to get involved, contact Citizens’ Rail’s Riviera Line Officer, Celia Minoughan, on 01752 584777 or at celia@citizensrail.org.

2015/02/06
New shelters on The Riviera Line

New waiting shelters have recently been installed at Exeter St Thomas (above) and Torre stations as part of Citizens’ Rail’s work to enhance The Riviera Line in Devon.

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The shelters mark a big improvement at both stations. They offer passengers better facilities and an improved sense of personal safety compared with having to wait in the old, dark and window-less ones that have now been demolished.

Exeter St Thomas

The Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, Torbay Council and First Great Western visit the Torre shelter as it nears completion.

What’s more, both stations will continue to be improved over the course of 2015, including with more greenery, art projects and further improvements to facilities. If you would like to take part in the project at Exeter St Thomas, you may be interested in the recently formed Friends of Exeter St Thomas group formed as part of Citizens’ Rail.

Local partners in Citizens’ Rail – which is 50% funded by the EU’s Interreg IVB programme – include Devon County Council, Torbay Council, First Great Western, Plymouth University and the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership.

2015/02/02
New shelters on The Riviera Line

New waiting shelters have recently been installed at Exeter St Thomas (above) and Torre stations as part of Citizens’ Rail’s work to enhance The Riviera Line in Devon.

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The shelters mark a big improvement at both stations. They offer passengers better facilities and an improved sense of personal safety compared with having to wait in the old, dark and window-less ones that have now been demolished.

Exeter St Thomas

The Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, Torbay Council and First Great Western visit the Torre shelter as it nears completion.

What’s more, both stations will continue to be improved over the course of 2015, including with more greenery, art projects and further improvements to facilities. If you would like to take part in the project at Exeter St Thomas, you may be interested in the recently formed Friends of Exeter St Thomas group formed as part of Citizens’ Rail.

Local partners in Citizens’ Rail – which is 50% funded by the EU’s Interreg IVB programme – include Devon County Council, Torbay Council, First Great Western, Plymouth University and the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership.

2015/02/02
New shelters on The Riviera Line

New waiting shelters have recently been installed at Exeter St Thomas (above) and Torre stations as part of Citizens’ Rail’s work to enhance The Riviera Line in Devon.

[divider type=”default” vspace=”20px” hspace=”0%” /]

The shelters mark a big improvement at both stations. They offer passengers better facilities and an improved sense of personal safety compared with having to wait in the old, dark and window-less ones that have now been demolished.

Exeter St Thomas

The Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, Torbay Council and First Great Western visit the Torre shelter as it nears completion.

What’s more, both stations will continue to be improved over the course of 2015, including with more greenery, art projects and further improvements to facilities. If you would like to take part in the project at Exeter St Thomas, you may be interested in the recently formed Friends of Exeter St Thomas group formed as part of Citizens’ Rail.

Local partners in Citizens’ Rail – which is 50% funded by the EU’s Interreg IVB programme – include Devon County Council, Torbay Council, First Great Western, Plymouth University and the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership.

2015/02/02
Photo competition: Win a night’s stay at Dartington

Share a photo from your favourite Devon train trip from the last 12 months and you could win a night’s bed and breakfast at Dartington Hall near Totnes.

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Whether it’s of a family day out or a great sunset snapped from the train on your commute, post your photo on the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership’s Facebook page, tweet to @DCRailPart or email info@citizensrail.org by Monday 9th February to be in with a chance of winning.

At Dartington there are 50 rooms facing a medieval listed courtyard, with easy access to over 800 acres of glorious Grade 2* listed gardens, the best in local and seasonal food and drink, a wide film programme at the 14th century Barn Cinema, and much more. Visit the Dartington Hall website to find out more.

The competition is part of the Citizens’ Rail project, working to get people more involved with their railways and to boost the Riviera Line between Exeter and Torbay.

Local partners in Citizens’ Rail – which is 50% funded by the EU’s Interreg IVB programme – include Devon County Council, Torbay Council, First Great Western, Plymouth University and the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership.

Send us your photo:
Facebook | Twitter | info@citizensrail.org

Terms and conditions
1. All entries must be received by 23.59 on Monday 9th February 2015.
2. To enter, entrants must post a photo on the Great Scenic Railways Facebook page www.facebook.com/greatscenicrailways, tweet to @DCRailPart or email to info@citizensrail.org by 23.59 on 9 February 2015
3. There is one prize of a one-night stay for 2 people at Dartington Hall which must be taken by 30 April. The prize is not available on 14 February and 3-6 April 2015. It includes bed and breakfast and is subject to availability.
4. The competition is only open to those who are 18 years or over and who are residents of the UK. Employees and immediate families of Dartington Hall Trust, Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, their agents and anyone professionally connected with the competition are not eligible to take part.
5. The prize must be accepted as awarded and is non-transferable. There is no cash alternative. If, due to circumstances beyond Dartington Hall Trust’s control, Dartington Hall Trust is unable to provide the stated prize, they reserve the right to award a substitute prize of equal or greater value.
6. Any extra costs incurred are not included within the prize.
7. No liability or responsibility will be accepted for ensuring submitted entries are received by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership.
8. Neither Dartington Hall Trust nor the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership will be held responsible for any elements of the prize.
9 Dartington Hall Trust reserves the right to check the validity of any entry. Entries failing to comply with these rules will not be accepted.
10. The prize will be won by the entrant who is judged by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership to have submitted the best photo from a trip in Devon from 2014. The competition judging will be supervised by an independent adjudicator. The winner will be notified by email or telephone no later than 12 February 2015. To request the name and county of the winner, please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, School of Geography, Plymouth University, Plymouth, PL4 8AA after 30 April 2015.
11. Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership will use its discretion to select replacement winners in the event of the prizes remaining unclaimed two weeks after notification is sent to the email address provided by the original entrant.
12. No purchase is necessary to enter.
13. Entry implies acceptance of these rules.
14. Only one entry is permitted per person.
15. The prize is brought to you by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, School of Geography, Plymouth University, Plymouth, PL4 8AA and The Dartington Hall Trust, The Elmhirst Centre, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon, company number 1485560, and a charity, registered in England, charity number 279756.

2015/01/28
New report shows the value of involving people in rail

A UK report published today shows that involving people in their railways leads to more passengers, improved stations and stronger communities.

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The report – which highlights Citizens’ Rail and the contribution of the EU Interreg IVB programme – shows that local routes with Community Rail Partnerships (CRPs) are seeing a higher growth in passengers than other local routes, while volunteer station adopters are making a real difference by transforming local stations into a pleasing environment.

The main findings are:

• 2.8% additional growth on community railways compared to regional lines.
• CRPs add value and ‘pay for themselves’.
• 3,200 community rail volunteers give 250,000 hours of their time worth an additional £3.4m p.a. to the rail industry
• Station adoption leads to improved station environments and stronger communities.

One of the report’s “key lessons” is the value of working in partnership, with Citizens’ Rail and the EU Interreg IVB programme highlighted as a good example. The project’s work at Burnley Manchester Road is applauded in the report as a “remarkable pulling together of different agencies and partnership investment strategies which will help revitalise Burnley”. Richard Watts of Citizens’ Rail partner Lancashire County Council is quoted in the report:

“Partnership working has been key to delivering the new station at Burnley Manchester Road. Working with both the East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership and the Citizens’ Rail Interreg IVB project has added value to the project and the transnational exchange of ideas has enhanced the design of the new station and increased its visibility to the citizens of Burnley.”

The research was commissioned by the UK’s National Community Rail Development Steering Group. This partnership comprises central and local government, infrastructure owner Network Rail, the commercial sector Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) and the voluntary sector Association for Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP).

Read the executive summary or the full report:

Executive summary:

Full report:

As well as promoting local railways and encouraging more people to travel by train, CRPs add economic, social and environmental value to their lines, by bringing together local people and the rail industry to develop solutions. Their collective initiatives provide access to jobs, schools, shops, tourism attractions and other services, contributing to sustainable communities.

CRPs were first developed in the 1990s and the National Community Rail Strategy was launched in 2004. This report shows that the Department for Transport, train companies, Network Rail, ACoRP, CRPs and station adopters contribute to a continuing renaissance in regional rail travel, with local routes and the stations along them thriving – in some cases surpassing previous record levels of patronage.

The Citizens’ Rail project represents an expansion and next step for this success story – involving French, German and Dutch partners to learn from and build upon the UK’s track record of involving people in local and regional railways.

Commenting on the report Baroness Kramer Minister of State for Transport said:

“Community Rail Partnerships have a vital role to play in building a stronger economy and a fairer society, as demonstrated powerfully by this research. By encouraging more people to travel by train, they bring real economic, social and environmental benefits to their areas, and support the record investment we are making in the rail network. I hope this inspires more people to set up partnerships and develop their own community railways.”

2015/01/28