Natural England

Boost for Rural Railways - 23 August 2000

Rail services for rural communities are to benefit from new funding announced today for the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACORP). The Countryside Agency is providing £161,000 of funding for ACORP over the next 3 years, boosted by further contributions of £37,500 from the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority and £25,000 from the Esmee Fairbairn Charitable Trust - a total of £220,000. These funds will be used by ACORP to appoint a full time development officer who will promote the creation of partnerships that will help to develop quality local rail services.

Margaret Clark, director at the Countryside Agency, said: “Rural railways are extremely important - they form the spine around which integrated transport can be built. It is vital that sustainable local transport networks, integrating rail links with buses, cycling, park-and-ride and walking, are developed. The community-rail partnerships provide an ideal vehicle for such networks by bringing together train operators, Railtrack, local authorities, passenger groups and the wider community to make best use of rural railways and to link them with other local transport services.”

The development officer will use a wide range of initiatives such as school projects, work with tourism agencies, music trains and guided walks to educate the public about the rail links available to them and the benefits that such links bring to a community. This will also help to strengthen the relationship between the railway industry and local communities.

Over the past year the Countryside Agency has funded two research projects examining best practice in providing rail services for rural communities. The provision of this funding is the Agency’s first step in putting some of the findings of this research into practice.


Notes to editors

For further information please contact Julia Cropley or Nigel Ellway on 020 7340 2909/2907 or email: julia.cropley@countryside.gov.uk 

ACORP is the federal body for over twenty community-rail partnerships across the UK, and is resourced by Transport Research and Information Network (TR&IN) based in Huddersfield. Members include the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, Bittern Line Partnership and Penistone Line Partnership.

The Countryside Agency is responsible for advising government and taking action on issues affecting the social, economic and environmental well-being of the English countryside.