Transforming communities
Communities across our network use the railway on a daily basis; getting to work, travelling to school, family days out or visiting a friend. Our network also brings people together in more way that one. Our stations also play an active role in uniting people in local communities.
Many of our stations host local organisations or volunteer groups; providing opportunities for people to come together to improve the station environment.
There’s a great variety of projects across our route, but all are designed to benefit the community, the station and our passengers.
Examples include:
- Improving the look of a station through a gardening project
- Adding extra colour through community artwork
- Introducing a book swap
Community rail partnerships
Community Rail Partnerships (CRPs) are not-for-profit organisations that connect the railway with the communities they serve. They were initially set up to encourage people to use their railways, especially during off-peak times.
Today, CRPs works closely with train operators across the country, developing stations and supporting local economies.
We’re proud to provide support and core funding for 8 Community Rail Parnerships across Great Northern, Southern, and Thameslink.
What do Community Rail Partnerships do?
Each CRP has a steering group made up of local stakeholders, who agree an activity plan for their partnership. Their activities often include:
- Encouraging and supporting station partners
- Working with us to promote Try a Train days
- Work with us to promote local tourism
- Other initiatives that promote rail travel and the possibilities it offers
We have eight community rail partnerships across our network, you can find out more about your local one here.
