A big thank you to everyone who participated in Community Rail Network’s membership survey for 2024. We received responses from community rail partnerships and station/community groups spanning Britain, and as ever, have carefully analysed the results to help inform our planning for the next year and beyond.

The survey provides us with some member satisfaction measures which helps us to assess and reflect on what we are doing well and what we need to improve. In addition, it allows us to create a more detailed picture of your future priorities and challenges, which ensures our work continues to respond to your needs and provides support for the growing community rail movement.

Headline figures for 2024:

• 95% said they received value for money from their membership, compared to 91% last year;

• 89% say we communicate well (very or reasonably) with members, compared to 86% last year;

• 85% received direct support from across the year, compared to 77% last year;

• 80% attended some form of event/training course/webinar, compared to 82% last year

• 78% of CRP respondents got involved in at least one of our campaigns in the past year, compared to 84% last year

Top priorities for members over the coming year

CRPs:

1. Developing stronger links with and engaging your community;
2. Promoting tourism and leisure travel by rail;
3. Promoting rail travel and increased rail usage.

Station/community station/other groups:

1. Recruiting volunteers/developing volunteer activity;
2. Developing stronger links with and engaging your community;
3. Arts/creative/history projects, and promoting rail travel and increased rail usage (joint 3^rd)

Most important issues for the new member support strategy to address

CRPs:

1. Working to simplify the processes involved in station buildings projects;
2. Improving the accreditation process;
3. Supporting the development and expansion of integrated sustainable travel programmes.

Station/community station/other groups:

1. Improving grants processes, and working to simplify the processes involved in station buildings projects (joint first);
2. Supporting the development and expansion of integrated sustainable travel programmes;
3. Supporting the development and expansion of education/youth engagement programmes.

Funding and fundraising

• 55% of CRP respondents said they had been affected by cuts to community rail budgets (down from 63% last year), as well as 14% of station/other group respondents (same as last year);

• More than half (56%) of CRPs have made, or are making, plans to explore/access new funding sources, with some having already been successful, currently bidding, or changing governance/structure to help access new funding;

• 53% of CRP respondents said they had been asked by funders to provide information on the social value of their activities (up from 36% last year), alongside 11% of station/other group respondents (same as last year).

The results of the 2024 membership survey will be used to underpin Community Rail Network’s planning processes over the coming months, and will be crucial in informing our new member support and development strategy. We will also feed back the results to key rail industry and government partners in England, Scotland, and Wales.

The next survey is due to take place in Autumn 2025, however, we really value your input and suggestions, and would encourage you to feed in comments and ideas at any time through your regular Community Rail Network contact(s), on social media, or via e-mail to info@communityrail.org.uk.       

A big thank you again from all the Community Rail Network team.