Citizens' Rail

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  • Dear Hunter – tracking down people’s views

    Dear Hunter – tracking down people’s views

    An innovative community engagement project is underway in our German partner city, Aachen. A pair of architects are living in containers next to Aachen West station to immerse themselves in the life of the neighbourhood and hunt out people’s views about how to improve the station.

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    The Dear Hunter team, made up of Marlies Vermeulen and Remy Kroese, will be interviewing passers-by, students and local residents throughout May and June, and even inviting members of the public to stay the night in their temporary hunter’s lodge.

    Funded through the Interreg IV A Dear Euregio project, their findings will be reported back to Aachen City Council and will help to inform the development of the station and the surrounding university quarter.

    When deciding where on campus to host the project, Aachen West was selected as the exact location so that the results could complement the city’s existing involvement in the Citizens’ Rail project. Since 2012, Aachen West has been one of three target areas within the city where communities have been consulted and station improvements planned.

    Kai Mohnen of Aachen City Council (pictured third from the right below) said:

    “With this unconventional form of participation we will get to know what young people and students in particular think of Aachen West – and what their needs and wishes are when it comes to future improvements.”

  • Dutch development comes to fruition

    Dutch development comes to fruition

    In exciting news from the Netherlands, the development project at one of Citizens’ Rail’s target stations is rapidly becoming a reality.

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    The neighbourhood around Kerkrade Centrum station, located just south of Heerlen, is the focus of a development plan that will see the arrival of Creative City – comprising a technical museum, “earth theatre” and Red Dot Design Laboratory. The attractions are anticipated to attract more than a million visitors per year, and are now scheduled to open in autumn 2015.

    To complement this, as part of Citizens’ Rail local residents and businesses have been working with their regional authority, Parkstad Limburg, to plan improvements to the station. The end of 2015 will see work begin on car parking improvements, a level crossing between the car park and Creative City, and a new design to provide a bus stop, Kiss & Ride and taxi rank in front of the station.

  • European Conference on Mobility Management

    European Conference on Mobility Management

    Citizens’ Rail’s academic team gave a presentation today at the European Conference on Mobility Management (ECOMM 2015) in Utrecht.

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    In a positive example of transnational working, Nick Davies (University of Central Lancashire, UK), Marco Trienes (RWTH Aachen University, Germany) and Dominik Elsmann (formerly of RWTH Aachen University, now at Aachen’s transport authority, AVV) spoke on the topic of “Understanding Citizens’ Rail: how marketing and social outreach can encourage involvement by the public in their rail services and change attitudes towards rail” (see slides below).

    Their key messages included the need for less complex, more flexible ticketing, more human presence at stations, the success of the marketing of interventions (75% of respondents had heard of the local improvements taking place as part of the Citizens’ Rail project), and the importance of involving people in local railways.

    The presentation formed part of the “Understanding the user” session at the conference.





    And here is some reaction on Twitter from a Belgian attendee at the conference:




  • Presentation to UK Rail Minister

    Presentation to UK Rail Minister

    Citizens’ Rail was in the spotlight this week at a Community Rail Marketplace event at the UK’s Department for Transport.

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    Richard Burningham, manager of our lead partner the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, delivered a presentation about the Citizens’ Rail project to an audience including high level Department for Transport officials and national and local representatives from the community rail sector.

    The Rail Partnership also had a stall at the event, promoting Citizens’ Rail and other projects, which was visited by Rail Minister Claire Perry and Clare Moriarty, Department for Transport Rail Director General.

    The Marketplace brought together Community Rail Partnerships from across the country as part of the Department for Transport’s Learning at Work Week. The Marketplace was organised by Kul Bassi, Community Rail Team Leader at the Department for Transport and aimed to raise awareness of the Community Rail world among civil servants.

  • Presentation to UK Rail Minister

    Presentation to UK Rail Minister

    Citizens’ Rail was in the spotlight this week at a Community Rail Marketplace event at the UK’s Department for Transport.

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

    Richard Burningham, manager of our lead partner the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, delivered a presentation about the Citizens’ Rail project to an audience including high level Department for Transport officials and national and local representatives from the community rail sector.

    The Rail Partnership also had a stall at the event, promoting Citizens’ Rail and other projects, which was visited by Rail Minister Claire Perry and Clare Moriarty, Department for Transport Rail Director General.

    The Marketplace brought together Community Rail Partnerships from across the country as part of the Department for Transport’s Learning at Work Week. The Marketplace was organised by Kul Bassi, Community Rail Team Leader at the Department for Transport and aimed to raise awareness of the Community Rail world among civil servants.

  • Presentation to UK Rail Minister

    Presentation to UK Rail Minister

    Citizens’ Rail was in the spotlight this week at a Community Rail Marketplace event at the UK’s Department for Transport.

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

    Richard Burningham, manager of our lead partner the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, delivered a presentation about the Citizens’ Rail project to an audience including high level Department for Transport officials and national and local representatives from the community rail sector.

    The Rail Partnership also had a stall at the event, promoting Citizens’ Rail and other projects, which was visited by Rail Minister Claire Perry and Clare Moriarty, Department for Transport Rail Director General.

    The Marketplace brought together Community Rail Partnerships from across the country as part of the Department for Transport’s Learning at Work Week. The Marketplace was organised by Kul Bassi, Community Rail Team Leader at the Department for Transport and aimed to raise awareness of the Community Rail world among civil servants.

  • Booklet to promote the Riviera Line

    Booklet to promote the Riviera Line

    A new booklet has been produced as part of the Citizens’ Rail marketing campaign to promote travel on the Riviera Line between Exeter and Paignton.

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    The free booklet has been produced by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership and brings together ideas for great days out in Exeter, Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot and along the English Riviera. Walks from stations are also featured including the Exe Estuary Trail and Agatha Christie Mile in Torquay. The booklet also promotes South Devon events along the Riviera Line in 2015 including the Dawlish Arts Festival, Dawlish Air Show, Carnivals at Teignmouth and Paignton and the Dartmouth Steam Railway’s Beer Festival.

    105,000 copies of the booklet have been produced. Copies are now available at tourist information centres and in libraries throughout South Devon. Rail company First Great Western are helping by distributing them via stations across their network, including London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads as well as local Devon stations.

    Celia Minoughan, the Partnership’s Riviera Line Project Officer said “The booklet is a great companion for people to explore South Devon and gives inspiration for the attractions and activities which can be reached on a Riviera Line scenic train journey.”

    Ian Mundy, First Great Western’s Station Manager said: “Taking the train along such an iconic stretch of railway is the ideal way to explore the many hidden gems in the area and this booklet is a great guide for both locals and visitors to the area.”

    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.

    Download the free booklet (PDF).



  • Booklet to promote the Riviera Line

    Booklet to promote the Riviera Line

    A new booklet has been produced as part of the Citizens’ Rail marketing campaign to promote travel on the Riviera Line between Exeter and Paignton.

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

    The free booklet has been produced by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership and brings together ideas for great days out in Exeter, Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot and along the English Riviera. Walks from stations are also featured including the Exe Estuary Trail and Agatha Christie Mile in Torquay. The booklet also promotes South Devon events along the Riviera Line in 2015 including the Dawlish Arts Festival, Dawlish Air Show, Carnivals at Teignmouth and Paignton and the Dartmouth Steam Railway’s Beer Festival.

    105,000 copies of the booklet have been produced. Copies are now available at tourist information centres and in libraries throughout South Devon. Rail company First Great Western are helping by distributing them via stations across their network, including London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads as well as local Devon stations.

    Celia Minoughan, the Partnership’s Riviera Line Project Officer said “The booklet is a great companion for people to explore South Devon and gives inspiration for the attractions and activities which can be reached on a Riviera Line scenic train journey.”

    Ian Mundy, First Great Western’s Station Manager said: “Taking the train along such an iconic stretch of railway is the ideal way to explore the many hidden gems in the area and this booklet is a great guide for both locals and visitors to the area.”

    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.

    Download the free booklet (PDF).



  • Booklet to promote the Riviera Line

    Booklet to promote the Riviera Line

    A new booklet has been produced as part of the Citizens’ Rail marketing campaign to promote travel on the Riviera Line between Exeter and Paignton.

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

    The free booklet has been produced by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership and brings together ideas for great days out in Exeter, Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot and along the English Riviera. Walks from stations are also featured including the Exe Estuary Trail and Agatha Christie Mile in Torquay. The booklet also promotes South Devon events along the Riviera Line in 2015 including the Dawlish Arts Festival, Dawlish Air Show, Carnivals at Teignmouth and Paignton and the Dartmouth Steam Railway’s Beer Festival.

    105,000 copies of the booklet have been produced. Copies are now available at tourist information centres and in libraries throughout South Devon. Rail company First Great Western are helping by distributing them via stations across their network, including London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads as well as local Devon stations.

    Celia Minoughan, the Partnership’s Riviera Line Project Officer said “The booklet is a great companion for people to explore South Devon and gives inspiration for the attractions and activities which can be reached on a Riviera Line scenic train journey.”

    Ian Mundy, First Great Western’s Station Manager said: “Taking the train along such an iconic stretch of railway is the ideal way to explore the many hidden gems in the area and this booklet is a great guide for both locals and visitors to the area.”

    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.

    Download the free booklet (PDF).



  • Burnley gets direct trains to Manchester

    Burnley gets direct trains to Manchester

    Complementing Burnley Manchester Road’s new station building, funded by Citizens’ Rail, the town now has a direct rail service to Manchester for the first time in four decades.

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    Following a multi-million pound investment and almost a decade of partnership work between Burnley Council, Network Rail, Lancashire County Council and Northern Rail, on Sunday 17th May 2015 the direct Blackburn to Manchester via Burnley service returned to the region.

    Northern, a Serco and Abellio joint venture operated the historic first train, over 40 years after the closure of the Todmorden Curve in 1972, following the completion and opening of the line by Network Rail. This morning there was a community celebration at Burnley Manchester Road and Accrington stations to herald a new chapter in rail travel and the start of a range of benefits for the two communities.

    Commuters were welcomed with tea, coffee, muffins and a ‘goodie bag’ at Burnley Manchester Road and Accrington stations, handed out by teams from Northern, Burnley Council, the East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership and Lancashire County Council.

    The scheme was part-funded from the government’s Regional Growth Fund. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said:

    “This government is committed to transforming rail services across the North of England as part of our ambitious plans to build a Northern Powerhouse. Todmorden Curve is an example of the significant investment being made in the region’s rail network, in order to provide more seats, more services and better journeys for passengers. It will make a real difference by opening up better access to job opportunities, helping to secure economic growth.”

    Alex Hynes, Managing Director of Northern Rail, comments:

    “We would be delighted to welcome our local community to our stations to help us and our partners celebrate this milestone in railway history. We’re committed to bringing better services, improved stations and a wealth of local opportunities to the region and this new service is a positive step in the right direction for all concerned.”

    County Councillor John Fillis, Lancashire County Council cabinet member for highways and transport, said:

    “It is a fantastic achievement by everyone involved to re-establish the direct service from Burnley to Manchester which will extend opportunities for local people and have a real impact on the economy. It shows what can be achieved when partner organisations are clear about their priorities and work closely together to deliver them. The working relationships established will be instrumental in the ongoing transformation of rail services in East Lancashire. I look forward to the service being a great success, paving the way for better trains and faster journey times in the future.”

    Councillor Mark Townsend, Leader of Burnley Council, said:

    “We’re delighted to have a direct service to Manchester from Burnley once again. It will bring clear benefits to our economy in terms of access to the job market and establishing Burnley as a commuter town. Our outstanding countryside is even easier to reach for visitors. It’s a real milestone in our continuing success story and one we wish to celebrate.”

    Terry Strickland, area director for Network Rail, said:

    “The reopened Todmorden Curve is a significant improvement to the railway in this part of the country and will allow services to run directly between Manchester Victoria and Burnley Manchester Road for the first time since the 1960s. We have worked closely with Burnley Council, Lancashire County Council and Northern Rail to make this happen and it is an excellent example of partnership working to help deliver a better railway for passengers.”

    Get train times and tickets on Northern Rail’s Burnley-Manchester mini-website.