Citizens' Rail

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  • Call for volunteers to help Teignmouth station bloom

    Call for volunteers to help Teignmouth station bloom

    Volunteers are being sought for a new gardening group to brighten Teignmouth’s railway station as part of the rejuvenation of the Riviera Line as part of Citizens’ Rail.

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    The Friends of Teignmouth Station will help to plan the greenery on the platforms and get involved in planting and watering. The station has already benefited from planters cared for by green-fingered Caroline, a member of the First Great Western customer services team at the station. The new group will expand on this work.

    The formation of the Friends is being supported by the EU Citizens’ Rail project, led by the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, to get more people involved with their railway. Along the Riviera Line between Exeter and Paignton, the project has already helped to revive the previously dormant Friends of Dawlish Station. The Dawlish volunteers received 15 minutes of fame when their green station makeover with TV gardener Toby Buckland was featured in the national media as part of the re-opening of the line in April.

    Celia Minoughan, Riviera Line project officer at the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership (pictured above with First Great Western’s Ian Mundy), said: “The impact that the volunteers have had at Dawlish station shows what can be achieved. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or an enthusiastic beginner, it would be great to hear from you so we can make a real difference to passengers at Teignmouth.”

    To find out more or get involved, contact Celia on 01752 584777 or at celia@citizensrail.org.

    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.



  • Call for volunteers to help Teignmouth station bloom

    Call for volunteers to help Teignmouth station bloom

    Volunteers are being sought for a new gardening group to brighten Teignmouth’s railway station as part of the rejuvenation of the Riviera Line as part of Citizens’ Rail.

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

    The Friends of Teignmouth Station will help to plan the greenery on the platforms and get involved in planting and watering. The station has already benefited from planters cared for by green-fingered Caroline, a member of the First Great Western customer services team at the station. The new group will expand on this work.

    The formation of the Friends is being supported by the EU Citizens’ Rail project, led by the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, to get more people involved with their railway. Along the Riviera Line between Exeter and Paignton, the project has already helped to revive the previously dormant Friends of Dawlish Station. The Dawlish volunteers received 15 minutes of fame when their green station makeover with TV gardener Toby Buckland was featured in the national media as part of the re-opening of the line in April.

    Celia Minoughan, Riviera Line project officer at the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership (pictured above with First Great Western’s Ian Mundy), said: “The impact that the volunteers have had at Dawlish station shows what can be achieved. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or an enthusiastic beginner, it would be great to hear from you so we can make a real difference to passengers at Teignmouth.”

    To find out more or get involved, contact Celia on 01752 584777 or at celia@citizensrail.org.

    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.



  • Call for volunteers to help Teignmouth station bloom

    Call for volunteers to help Teignmouth station bloom

    Volunteers are being sought for a new gardening group to brighten Teignmouth’s railway station as part of the rejuvenation of the Riviera Line as part of Citizens’ Rail.

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

    The Friends of Teignmouth Station will help to plan the greenery on the platforms and get involved in planting and watering. The station has already benefited from planters cared for by green-fingered Caroline, a member of the First Great Western customer services team at the station. The new group will expand on this work.

    The formation of the Friends is being supported by the EU Citizens’ Rail project, led by the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, to get more people involved with their railway. Along the Riviera Line between Exeter and Paignton, the project has already helped to revive the previously dormant Friends of Dawlish Station. The Dawlish volunteers received 15 minutes of fame when their green station makeover with TV gardener Toby Buckland was featured in the national media as part of the re-opening of the line in April.

    Celia Minoughan, Riviera Line project officer at the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership (pictured above with First Great Western’s Ian Mundy), said: “The impact that the volunteers have had at Dawlish station shows what can be achieved. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or an enthusiastic beginner, it would be great to hear from you so we can make a real difference to passengers at Teignmouth.”

    To find out more or get involved, contact Celia on 01752 584777 or at celia@citizensrail.org.

    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.



  • First Great Western Community Rail Conference 2014

    First Great Western Community Rail Conference 2014

    Representatives from our lead partner, the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, gave an update on our Riviera Line project at the First Great Western Community Rail Conference 2014 this week.

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    Other speakers were from the UK government’s Department for Transport, Devon County Council, First Great Western (the train operating company for our project area in Devon), and four fellow community rail organisations, introduced by Chris Austin: the Tarka Rail Association, TransWilts, Severnside and Heart of Wessex.

    John Burch from the Tarka Rail Association gave a lowdown on how to create a line strategy. Graham Ellis from TransWilts, England’s newest Community Rail Partnership (CRP), told the story of how they have smashed their growth targets within their first year – including anecdotes about how local people are now selling their cars because they no longer need them, and the benefits that improved services are bringing to local businesses and their staff.

    Heather Cullimore from Severnside CRP described their fantastic City to Seaside Rail Arts project, with the fruits of the project on display in a free photography exhibition until the end of 2014. First Great Western’s Nick Reid reported on behalf of Heart of Wessex CRP, telling of their huge army of volunteers who contributed 13,500 hours in 2013 alone.

    The conference was held at the excellent Seale Hayne.

  • First Great Western Community Rail Conference 2014

    First Great Western Community Rail Conference 2014

    Representatives from our lead partner, the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, gave an update on our Riviera Line project at the First Great Western Community Rail Conference 2014 this week.

    [divider type=”default” vspace=”20px” hspace=”0%” /]
    Other speakers were from the UK government’s Department for Transport, Devon County Council, First Great Western (the train operating company for our project area in Devon), and four fellow community rail organisations, introduced by Chris Austin: the Tarka Rail Association, TransWilts, Severnside and Heart of Wessex.

    John Burch from the Tarka Rail Association gave a lowdown on how to create a line strategy. Graham Ellis from TransWilts, England’s newest Community Rail Partnership (CRP), told the story of how they have smashed their growth targets within their first year – including anecdotes about how local people are now selling their cars because they no longer need them, and the benefits that improved services are bringing to local businesses and their staff.

    Heather Cullimore from Severnside CRP described their fantastic City to Seaside Rail Arts project, with the fruits of the project on display in a free photography exhibition until the end of 2014. First Great Western’s Nick Reid reported on behalf of Heart of Wessex CRP, telling of their huge army of volunteers who contributed 13,500 hours in 2013 alone.

    The conference was held at the excellent Seale Hayne.

  • First Great Western Community Rail Conference 2014

    First Great Western Community Rail Conference 2014

    Representatives from our lead partner, the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, gave an update on our Riviera Line project at the First Great Western Community Rail Conference 2014 this week.

    [divider type=”default” vspace=”20px” hspace=”0%” /]
    Other speakers were from the UK government’s Department for Transport, Devon County Council, First Great Western (the train operating company for our project area in Devon), and four fellow community rail organisations, introduced by Chris Austin: the Tarka Rail Association, TransWilts, Severnside and Heart of Wessex.

    John Burch from the Tarka Rail Association gave a lowdown on how to create a line strategy. Graham Ellis from TransWilts, England’s newest Community Rail Partnership (CRP), told the story of how they have smashed their growth targets within their first year – including anecdotes about how local people are now selling their cars because they no longer need them, and the benefits that improved services are bringing to local businesses and their staff.

    Heather Cullimore from Severnside CRP described their fantastic City to Seaside Rail Arts project, with the fruits of the project on display in a free photography exhibition until the end of 2014. First Great Western’s Nick Reid reported on behalf of Heart of Wessex CRP, telling of their huge army of volunteers who contributed 13,500 hours in 2013 alone.

    The conference was held at the excellent Seale Hayne.

  • First Great Western Community Rail Conference 2014

    First Great Western Community Rail Conference 2014

    Representatives from our lead partner, the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, gave an update on our Riviera Line project at the First Great Western Community Rail Conference 2014 this week.

    [divider type=”default” vspace=”20px” hspace=”0%” /]
    Other speakers were from the UK government’s Department for Transport, Devon County Council, First Great Western (the train operating company for our project area in Devon), and four fellow community rail organisations, introduced by Chris Austin: the Tarka Rail Association, TransWilts, Severnside and Heart of Wessex.

    John Burch from the Tarka Rail Association gave a lowdown on how to create a line strategy. Graham Ellis from TransWilts, England’s newest Community Rail Partnership (CRP), told the story of how they have smashed their growth targets within their first year – including anecdotes about how local people are now selling their cars because they no longer need them, and the benefits that improved services are bringing to local businesses and their staff.

    Heather Cullimore from Severnside CRP described their fantastic City to Seaside Rail Arts project, with the fruits of the project on display in a free photography exhibition until the end of 2014. First Great Western’s Nick Reid reported on behalf of Heart of Wessex CRP, telling of their huge army of volunteers who contributed 13,500 hours in 2013 alone.

    The conference was held at the excellent Seale Hayne.

  • “Beach train” project wins national award

    “Beach train” project wins national award

    Citizens’ Rail’s “Beach train” project has won an award at a ceremony recognising the best regional transport projects in France.

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    The summer weekend service was introduced by Citizens’ Rail partner Pays de la Loire on the previously struggling La Roche-sur-Yon line in July 2013.

    Supported by a fantastic marketing campaign, the train was a huge success – with more than 5,300 extra journeys made, and an average ridership of 171 people per train, rising to 359 people on the busiest service. Passengers gave an overwhelming thumbs up to the service, with satisfaction ratings hitting 90% and the only grumble being overcrowding – and this on a line which is sometimes practically deserted.

    The beach train is now back for an extended season in 2014 (1st May to 28 September), helping to take a line blighted by having too few trains and even fewer passengers and transforming it into a thriving resource that boosts tourism and the economy.

    The project won the “Passenger service” category at the national Grand Prix des Régions awards held by French transport sector magazine Ville, Rail & Transports.

    The awards, now in their fourth year, recognise the country’s very best regional transport projects. The “Passenger service” category recognises new services benefiting TER passengers. The award was presented to Gilles Bontemps, Pays de la Loire’s Vice-President for Transport, on 13th May 2014.

    [icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] Read more about the winners of each category on the Ville, Rail & Transports website

    [icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] Read more about Pays de la Loire’s work within Citizens’ Rail


  • Le Train des Plages récompensé !

    Le Train des Plages récompensé !

    Le Jury 2014 des Grands Prix des Régions du magazine Ville, Rail & Transports a décerné le Prix thématique « Service Voyageurs » à la Région Pays de la Loire – partenaire dans le projet Citizens’ Rail.

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    Le Prix « Service Voyageurs» récompense les nouveaux services apportés aux voyageurs TER. Cette année, c’est la Région Pays de la Loire qui est récompensée pour la mise en place de son service « le train des plages » – qui fait parti du projet Citizens’ Rail.

    Ville, Rail et Transports réalise depuis 2002 un classement de la qualité de l’exploitation ferroviaire et routière dans les régions françaises. En 2014, pour la quatrième année consécutive, les Grands Prix des Régions distinguent les meilleures initiatives des autorités organisatrices en matière de développement des transports régionaux. C‘est dans ce cadre que le Jury 2014 des Grands Prix des Régions du magazine Ville, Rail & Transports a décerné le Prix thématique « Service Voyageurs » à la Région Pays de la Loire. Il s’agit de l’un des 8 prix thématiques décernés au-delà des 3 grands prix (or, argent et bronze).

    [icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] Visitez le site web Train des plages

    [icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] En savoir plus sur le projet Citizens’ Rail en Pays de la Loire


  • “Beach train” project wins national award

    “Beach train” project wins national award

    Citizens’ Rail’s “Beach train” project has won an award at a ceremony recognising the best regional transport projects in France.

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

    The summer weekend service was introduced by Citizens’ Rail partner Pays de la Loire on the previously struggling La Roche-sur-Yon line in July 2013.

    Supported by a fantastic marketing campaign, the train was a huge success – with more than 5,300 extra journeys made, and an average ridership of 171 people per train, rising to 359 people on the busiest service. Passengers gave an overwhelming thumbs up to the service, with satisfaction ratings hitting 90% and the only grumble being overcrowding – and this on a line which is sometimes practically deserted.

    The beach train is now back for an extended season in 2014 (1st May to 28 September), helping to take a line blighted by having too few trains and even fewer passengers and transforming it into a thriving resource that boosts tourism and the economy.

    The project won the “Passenger service” category at the national Grand Prix des Régions awards held by French transport sector magazine Ville, Rail & Transports.

    The awards, now in their fourth year, recognise the country’s very best regional transport projects. The “Passenger service” category recognises new services benefiting TER passengers. The award was presented to Gilles Bontemps, Pays de la Loire’s Vice-President for Transport, on 13th May 2014.

    [icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] Read more about the winners of each category on the Ville, Rail & Transports website

    [icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] Read more about Pays de la Loire’s work within Citizens’ Rail