Community Rail Partnerships

Community Rail Partnerships

Community rail partnerships (CRP's) are a means by which the various interested parties along a rail corridor can play an active role in the development of a good quality rail service.  Partnerships bring together local individuals, train operators, Network Rail, local authorities, community organisations, businesses, development and tourism agencies and other locally based bodies.

In Lancashire there are 2 CRPs: The East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership, which is in its early stages of formation. This will concentrate on the Blackburn to Colne section of track. The second is the West of Lancashire Community Rail partnership, which has been established since 2000 and has already been involved with the recent refurbishment of Parbold railway station, the development of a new Interchange at Burscough Bridge and the introduction of a new Sunday service at Gathurst station and later evening service from Manchester to Southport.

The West of Lancs CRP concentrates on the following sections of tracks: Southport to Wigan, Ormskirk to Preston. To view the Lancashire rail network map click here

Other organisations involved with Community Rail include: Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP) Founded in 1998, the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP) is a national federation of over 50 local rail partnerships spread across the UK. CRP's are a means by which the various stakeholders and interested parties along the rail corridor can play an active role in the development of responsive and good quality rail services. ACoRP is a non for profit organisation which aims to provide impartial support, advice and guidance to anyone who is involved with rural, semi-rural and local rail services. Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) Their aim is 'putting local and rural railways on a sustainable basis for the long term, so that they can continue to offer a vital service for passengers and freight and can contribute more to the local economy, as well as to meeting Government targets on accessibility, the environment and social inclusion'. The SRA have developed ' The Community Rail Development strategy'(PDF 633KB) which looks at principally local and rural lines and provides a broad framework within which they can be developed. The strategy lists 56 roues which the SRA propose to designate as Community Rail lines. The characteristics of these lines vary, but all have scope for development with community support. Achieving the objectives of the strategy depends on local involvement from a variety of stakeholders With support it is hoped that these Community Rail lines become more sustainable for the future.

The development of Community Railways is endorsed by the Government and is included in the White Paper The Future of Rail, published in July 2004. "The Department for Transport will continue to develop the SRA's draft Community Rail Strategy. The Strategy is a flexible one, which aims to put rural community routes on an improved financial footing."