Community rail volunteers support recovery in Suffolk

Figures show over 260 volunteers in the East supporting stations.

Published 4th Apr 2021
Last updated 4th Apr 2021

The Community Rail Network is a grassroots movement across Britain working towards a greener transport future.

The network involves working with train operators, local authorities and other partners to bring improvements to rail services and stations.

They engage communities and help people get the most from their railways, promote social inclusion and sustainable travel, work alongside train operators to bring about improvements and bring stations back to life.

Figures show over 260 volunteers in the East giving over 12-thousand hours annually to support their local railways.

The groups help to make local stations a safe and attractive environment for passengers by doing things like community gardening, food growing and biodiversity projects on station land, creating heritage boards and creating community artwork.

They also work with rail partners to make improvements at the stations including better access, shelters and signage.

During the first lockdown, the Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership also created a railway walks booklet encouraging people to get outdoors and use the train to explore areas within reach of their local line once they could travel.

Jools Townsend, chief executive of Community Rail Network, said:

"Community rail works to make our railways as inclusive as possible, and promotes sustainable travel by rail, bringing people together and bolstering local pride and wellbeing. In the East, community rail partnerships and groups have adapted and responded, supporting communities through the pandemic, maintaining positivity, and advising rail partners on shifting local needs.

"As our communities start to rebuild from Covid-19, within the community rail movement, and across our railways, we will be redoubling efforts, to create confidence and togetherness, and play our part in enabling more people to get around socially and environmentally responsible means. Community rail is all about communities and connectedness, and people working together to make things better for each other and our shared future - that couldn't be more important right now."

Robert Nisbet, director of nations and regions at the Rail Delivery Group, said:

"The railway is at the heart of local communities and the fantastic initiatives by community rail volunteers in the Midlands and East of England play to its strengths, connecting people up and down the country. As we recover from the pandemic, getting more people back on trains will be vital to boost local economies and the environment, so the support of community rail will be more important than ever."

You can find out more, including how to be part of the Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership on their website.

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