Hello everyone. We hope, as always, that this bulletin finds you well.
Awards
Entries are now open for the 2025 Community Rail Awards, headline partnered by Lumo. To assist the planning of your entry, read our entry booklet, take a look at our 2024 winners for examples, watch our webinar on how to submit a great awards entry, or take advantage of our drop-in support sessions. We can’t wait to receive all your fantastic submissions!
Public Ownership Bill in Parliament
The Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill continued its passage through the Commons yesterday, described by the Government as ‘putting railways back in the hands of passengers.’ Transport Secretary Louise Haigh MP also announced the launch of Shadow Great British Railways, bringing together leaders from the Department for Transport, Network Rail and publicly owned operators. The Government said Shadow GBR would pave the way for Great British Railways – a new unified arm’s length body responsible for bringing track and train back together and overseeing both services and infrastructure. You can read further details on the announcement from the DfT here.
Engaging with train operators’ business planning
The annual business planning process for train operators in England is soon to be underway. We expect train operators will receive their requests for business plans by the end of September, and they will have around two months to submit their draft business plans. Business planning is vital to ensuring that community rail has the support it needs in 2025-26 and enabling community rail to fulfil its role of providing communities with a voice, and we know that many train operators already have well-established mechanisms for gathering community rail input. As always, we strongly urge CRPs to reach out to main contacts at all your partner/funder train operators to check how you can be involved and offer your input both on community rail support and wider rail plans. If you need advice from us on engaging with business planning, or funding and finance generally, speak to your usual support & development team contact.
Meet our corporate partners
Members are invited to join this online networking session on Tuesday 17 September, 10am-12pm, to meet representatives from TeamBA, SLC and Eversholt Rail, to find out how these organisations can offer tangible and valuable support to your CRP or station group. Book your place.
Getting involved in your Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans
Members are invited to our online session on Thursday 26 September, 11am-12pm, to hear from Sustrans and Active Travel England on how community rail partnerships and station groups can get involved in your Local Cycle and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIP), feeding into the consultation process, and being involved longer-term. Book your place.
If you have any news stories, please email our communications team on news@communityrail.org.uk. See here for guidance on submitting stories.
Your next bulletin is on 18 September. Keep up-to-date in between on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.
Best wishes,
Jeremy and Jools
- How community rail can get on board with Catch the Bus Month this September
- Independent review outlines bold vision for future of UK’s rail and urban transport
- National Travel Survey shows increase in number of trips made
- Register now for the rail industry’s biggest health and wellbeing event
- Bolster conservation in your community with TCV Community Network resources
- Webinar series explores how to develop integrated public transport systems
- ‘Carnival Train’ supports communities to attend Notting Hill Carnival by rail
- Heart of England CRP launches ‘Rail Tales’ creative writing competition
- South Asian women’s group enhance and brighten Accrington Station
- Annual bumblebee safari returns to Hadfield Station
- Platform Rail reflects on educational achievements of 2023-24 academic year
- Purbeck CRP showcases activity-filled days out accessible by rail
- Annual report highlights community rail impact across Conwy Valley & North Wales
- Uncover Britain’s hidden history with ‘Open Days’ festivals this September
- Take the train and bus for a winning combination this Catch the Bus Month
