The Yorkshire Coast Community Rail Partnership (CRP) has worked with Northern and the Friends of Hunmanby Station to host a special journey along the North Yorkshire coastline as part of a programme designed to rebuild travel confidence in older generations.
The aim of the trip was to help break down perceived barriers to accessing the rail network and assist participants in learning about the different types of tickets and how to navigate stations.
The trip follows the publication of Age UK’s ‘Ageing in coastal and rural communities’ report, highlighting key areas in which action is needed to support older people. These include:
- Gaps in public transport provision
- Gaps in support for carers and people with dementia
- Loneliness and digital isolation
- The digital divide
- A lack of support networks among people who move to rural and coastal communities
It is hoped that activity such as the ‘travel confidence’ day out will help address these issues, including tackling loneliness in coastal communities by providing an opportunity for participants to meet other older people from the local area.
Rachel Osborne, Yorkshire Coast CRP Secretary, said: “We are proud to support initiatives like this which help bring people together, tackle loneliness, and build confidence in using the railway.
“Many thanks to Northern and the Friends of Hunmanby Station for helping to arrange this trip.”
Kerry Peters, Regional Director for Northern, said: “This was a great opportunity to demonstrate the accessibility of our services and help rebuild the group’s confidence in using the railway.”
Keep up to date with future news, projects, and events from the Yorkshire Coast CRP via their website.
