Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail

You will be aware of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail announcement two weeks ago, with its commitments to strengthen the role of rail within our communities, and recognition of community rail’s importance (read our summary here). We have had enquiries from members as to what the plans mean to them. We’d like to reassure you that we are liaising with the Department for Transport to ensure that community rail is represented, and opportunities maximised, as more detailed plans are developed. We’ll update further over the coming months.

Community Rail Awards open for entries – Monday 14 June

Now is a good time for community rail partnerships and station groups to be thinking about your Community Rail Awards entries. The online entry system for this year’s awards opens at 9am, Monday 14 June, which will be accessible from our Community Rail Awards webpage.

To assist you with submitting a great entry, and answer any questions you have, we’ll be running seven weekly online drop-in surgeries from Monday 28 June, via Zoom. See our surgery schedule.

Reducing loneliness, promoting inclusion

The message highlighted for this year’s Loneliness Awareness Week (14 – 18 June) is #LetsTalkLoneliness. The Marmalade Trust has produced a range ofresources to help get the message out to partners and supporters, that there is no stigma or shame in discussing loneliness. Also, take a look at our community rail-specific resources on social inclusion here for inspiration and ideas for your own future social inclusion projects.

We’ll be highlighting examples of community rail projects and activities to reduce loneliness and social isolation, on our social media feeds throughout the week. If you have activities you’d like to share, contact Nik.

Supporting tourism and leisure

With lockdown restrictions easing and many people planning UK holidays, this is an important time for community rail to gear up for encouraging rail-based sustainable tourism and leisure. Our team, including our dedicated tourism officer Alice Mannion can advise, and we have a range of tourism and marketing resources to assist you with your planning and developing your approach.

We are also monitoring the situation and are mindful of the possibility of changes to the plans to lift restrictions on 21 June, which may affect our plans to launch our #BetterByRail campaign 30 June; we will continue to keep members up to date, but in the meantime do let Alice know if you’d like to discuss your involvement.

Clean Air Day

Clean Air Day, taking place on Thurs 17 June, is the UK’s largest air pollution campaign, engaging thousands of people at hundreds of events, and reaching millions more through the media. A range of resources are available to support the day including a great air pollution calculator, to work out your individual contribution to air pollution in the UK. Use this day to show how community rail sustainability projects on your social media feeds using the hashtag #CleanAirDay.

From Jools

(Richard Burningham is on leave)

Your next bulletin is on 23 June. Keep up-to-date in between on Twitter and Facebook.

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News from our partners

• Station adopters rise by a third in a bumper year for community spirit on East Midlands Railways
• Volunteer group training available from Communities Prepared
• Transport Focus Covid-19 return to rail – latest research summary

News from our members

• Community rail volunteer groups honoured with Queens Award for Voluntary Service
• New rail exhibition highlights Workington’s industrial heritage
• Gobowen Station Cafe celebrates reopening
• Surrey Hills to South Downs CRP launches new website
• Commerorative bench in memory of Captain Sir Tom Moore unveiled at Millbrook Station
• Iconic 100 year old Norfolk railway structure on Bittern Line restored to former glory
• Rail users take notice at East Sussex’s Crowborough Station