Community Rail in Wales - status and plans

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TRANSPORT for Wales has launched a brand-new Community Rail Strategy, putting the needs of local areas at the forefront of its plans.

The vision, which launched at Llandudno Station on 16 May by Transport Minister Ken Skates AM, will see new Community Rail Partnerships set up across the entire Wales and Borders network to promote and encourage rail use in communities.

More than £600,000 will be invested every single year, with 22 new community ambassador roles created alongside marketing roles which will focus on promoting regional tourism and local economic growth.

The vision will also target station adoption, with plans to get 90 per cent of our stations adopted within four years, creating better links with the communities they serve.

Colin Lea, Customer Experience Director for Transport for Wales, said:

“We know the invaluable role our community rail partnerships play in the cities, towns and villages we serve. Our new strategy will take community rail to the next level and put Transport for Wales as the leading advocate of Community Rail in Britain.

The railway exists to work for those communities, so by creating more partnerships, developing station adoption, working closely with rail user groups and employing community ambassadors, we can build better and closer relationships with those communities.”

This is the "Colin Lea" who spoke to us yesterday afternoon in Cardiff at the RailFuture AGM^▸ - though looking at things from a (valleys mostly) rail development angle rather than a Community Rail Angle. But we have noted on the forum in the past the shortage of station friends groups in South Wales.

Perhaps there is a connection to make? As Reading preparations (Community Rail in the City) were underway, I dropped a note to South Western Railways, to Cross Country Trains, and to Transport for Wales, inviting them as operators from that station or natural destinations for days out onto community services to have a presence / involvement. Polite decline (but in such a way that future co-operation could be very much on the cards) from XC^▸ and SWR^» ; zero response from TfW. But then - until yesterday - I didn't have the right name at TfW, I don't think.

In researching my comment above, I've learned of Brunel's connection with Wales from an old BBC^» British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) blog ...