Community Rail

Community rail is a growing grassroots movement made up of community rail partnerships and groups across Britain. The partnerships engage communities and help people get the most from their railways, promoting social inclusion and sustainable travel, working alongside train operators to bring about the best they can from the railway.

Community Rail Network aims to play an important role in social inclusion, community wellbeing and economic development and promotes rail as a key part of sustainable, h ealthy travel.

There are over 70 community rail partnerships (CRPs) and that number is growing all the time, with three more CRPs added to the Kent family this year. To see where these lines have been established explore all the regions on the CRN’s Scenic Rail Britain website. The CRN provides support and advice to all members of the community rail movement through their membership options. They share good practice and connect CRPs and groups together, while working with the government, the rail industry and the wider voluntary and community sector to champion community rail.

A key element of the work is encouraging communities to adopt stations. With more than 1,000 adoption groups nationwide, this involves volunteers undergoing an initial health and safety training at the station, then finding time to carry out small tasks to make stations more welcoming, attractive spaces, or might involve organising events or workshops to draw attention to rail travel. These can be great bonding experiences and very much help to benefit the community as a whole. READ MORE

Community Rail Network logo
Sevenoaks Station Image of train and platform
Otford station platform view with canopy