Frequently Asked Questions
There are many individuals, organisations and groups that may become involved in community railways. Below are answers to your most frequently asked questions…
An overview of Community Rail
Why define a Community Railway separately?
What is the Community Rail Development strategy?
What is a Community Railway?
What is a community rail partnership, a railway development company or a station friends group?
Where does the idea of Community Railways come from?
The creation of a Community Rail line
What is Community Rail designation?
Our railway is being designated. Who will own and operate it?
How does the process for designation work?
Who starts the process?
What does designation mean for our railway?
Does this mean downgrading these lines, or running them down, with a risk of subsequent closure?
Where do we find more information?
Working with the rail industry
How do community rail partnerships relate to rail user groups?
We are a Station Friends group – how do we work with Network Rail?
As a community group we want to work on the station. Can we?
Where do we find out more information about being a Station Friends Group or station adopter?
We are a community group and we would like access to some disused property on our local station – how do we go about it?
Who can we contact at Network Rail to obtain advice or to make a complaint?
How does Network Rail manage the interface with heritage railways?
Who provides funding for community railways and groups such as community rail partnerships?
Community Railways - looking forward
How does the Community Rail Development Strategy fit into the complex rail planning strategy?
Network Rail keeps saying that it is not funded for ‘enhancement schemes’. Why is this an issue?
How does our group go about reopening a closed line?
How does our group go about reopening a closed station?
Further information and copies of the Community Rail Development Strategy can be obtained from the Department for Transport. Their guidance should be sought in case of doubt. ACoRP can offer guidance on wider community rail issues.
An overview of Community Rail
What is a Community Railway and why define it separately?
Community railways refer to local and rural railways serving local communities.
What is the Community Rail Development Strategy?
The Community Rail Development Strategy is based on the wishes of the communities served to remain connected to the national rail network; it is based on the concept of a different category of local railway, separately specified, with standards appropriate to its use; and it builds on the wishes of local communities to be actively involved in the development of their railway.
Essentially, it is about putting these lines on a sustainable basis by bringing costs and income closer together. It recognises that continued subsidy will be required, and that it needs to be commensurate with the value of the railway to the community in terms of economic development, accessibility, social inclusion and the environment, as well as fitting with spatial development plans and fulfilling its role as the backbone of the public transport network.
The Department of Transport is working with the industry and other stakeholders to develop Community Railways. The Community Rail Development Strategy has three key aims:
- Increasing passenger and freight use and revenue
- Managing costs down
- Involving the local community more closely in the development of their railway
The strategy fits with the 4 priority outcomes shared between local and central government to reduce congestion, increase accessibility, road safety and air quality. Associated objectives include contribution of the railway to the local economy as well as social inclusion and environmental objectives.
Parts of this Community Rail Development Strategy are applicable to all local and rural lines – but for the purposes of managing the infrastructure, Community Railways have to be more narrowly defined ensuring a clear definition and distinction. The strategy is not designed to promote the opening of new lines or stations.
What is a Community Railway?
For the purposes of managing the infrastructure, Community Rail lines are those designated as such following consultation. They will be typically local or rural routes, single or double track with normally one operator, or a single passenger operator plus freight. The process for designation is described below.
In general, they will not include lines with significant freight flows (significant means a freight service where a combination of speed, tonnage and frequency means that maintenance standards will be dictated by the freight flow rather than by the passage of passenger trains).
They normally serve the areas covered by just one or two local authorities with transport planning responsibilities. They are not:
- Lines that form part of the Trans European Network (TENs routes); or (except as shown) that are designated as part of the Trans European Rail Freight Network (TERFN);
- Multiple track lines (more than two tracks);
- Lines with a speed limit in excess of 75 mph;
- Nor intensively used lines forming part of radial commuting networks to principal cities.
Community Rail services are trains that operate on Community Rail lines and may also operate over the conventional network to other stations. Community Rail services are supported by a community rail partnership or a railway development company.
Many parts of the rail network will not be designated as Community Rail lines. On those, partnership stations will exist where the involvement of the community is sought through station adoption, or through the community use of station buildings, or through the support of a ‘friends’ group. In these cases the terms of involvement may reflect the different operational and safety circumstances such as working alongside high speed railways. This does not require formal designation of these stations and no change is proposed to the safety requirements governing access to them.
Whilst elements of the Community Rail Development Strategy may be applicable on other non designated lines, the focus of implementation, especially in respect of managing down costs, will be on lines either designated or proposed for designation.
What is a community rail partnership, a railway development company or a station friends group?
Community Rail Partnerships
These are not-for-dividend organisations whose members may include local authorities, community groups, rail user groups, TOCs and sometimes Network Rail. Some include other bodies such as national park authorities, town or parish councils and businesses. They are established by mutual agreement and are typically staffed by a paid officer supported by a committee of stakeholders. They are funded by the partners who will then typically seek additional funding to support their activities.
Partnerships may exist on lines which are not designated as Community Rail lines. Network Rail will work with these partnerships – but may not be able to implement cost reduction measures that could be possible on designated lines.
Railway Development Companies
Two of these have been established, one for the Settle & Carlisle Line (set up over ten years ago) and the second now established for the Esk Valley Line. Others are in development. They have more extensive responsibilities than community rail partnerships. They are companies that can employ staff, lease or own property and undertake trading activities in a way which may not be possible for voluntary groups or for local government officers. They may undertake support services such as ticket selling, catering and retailing at stations or on trains, and property restoration and management. They can also provide ancillary services such as running community bus services, but do not undertake safety-critical tasks which remain the responsibility of the duty holder – the train operator or Network Rail. Both railway development companies and community rail partnerships can also provide an effective local management presence for the railway within the community.
As with community rail partnerships, railway development companies may exist on lines which are not designated as Community Rail lines. Network Rail will work with these partnerships – but may not be able to implement cost reduction measures that could be possible on designated lines.
Station friends groups and station adopters
Local groups may be formed to support their station. Working principally with the Train Operating Company (TOC), their activities will range from reporting problems and maintenance issues (such as the cleanliness of the station) to the TOC through developing station gardens to promotional activities such as station galas. Many TOCs actively encourage station adoption.
If a friends group identifies an issue requiring rapid attention by Network Rail, they should contact the Network Rail Helpline on 08457 11 41 41. For non urgent items, initial contact should be via the TOC. Stations can be adopted or have ‘friends’ groups on any line – whether designated or not.
Where does the idea of community railways come from?
The Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP) actively promotes the partnership principal on the national network. Their activities cover the full range of community rail partnerships and station adoption groups. Over the years, they have looked at a number of overseas models of community based rail activity and promoted these ideas in the UK.
The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) built upon the practical experience of a number of well established UK partnerships and the ideas promoted by ACoRP to develop their strategy for community railways. The development of the strategy showed a group of lines and services that are important to the communities they serve, and with considerable potential for development.
Research by the Institute of Chartered Accountants shows that three-quarters of their members thought their local railway was important to the business economy of their region, while two-thirds said they were reliant on their local rail service – the same weight as they put on intercity links.
The Authority pointed out that too many empty seats are running up and down Britain’s branch lines safely and reliably… but expensively. Even if they were filled, they suggested, the lines would still require substantial levels of subsidy. The strategy identified ways to both to grow income and to reduce costs so that the subsidy levels could be reduced by a third, and the subsidy per passenger could be halved.
The creation of a Community Rail line
What is Community Rail designation?
The purpose of designation as a Community Rail line is to:
- Change the approach to franchise management giving more weight to local views expressed via the TOC and Partnership - this could be reflected in changes to fares or timetables where the net impact is an improvement in the financial performance of the service
- Identify the line as one needing particularly attention to the appropriate application of standards and value for money approach to maintenance. Network Rail already applies differentiated standards according to traffic and methods of maintenance have also been changing over the last few years. Designation emphasises the need to review what is being done to the line and how - it is also intended to take the line out of the scope of EU regulation related to the Conventional Network (subject to future directives)
- Reinforce the role of the community rail partnership in bringing together local stakeholders in developing the line.
Benefits of designation could include:
- Bespoke solutions for Community Rail lines
- Greater involvement of the local community (through the CRP) in the timetable
- Greater involvement of the local community (through the CRP) in determining local fares and ticketing
- Connections policies may be decided locally (through the TOC)
- Separate specification to determine the appropriate standards to be applied to the maintenance and renewal of infrastructure, to help put the lines on a sustainable footing for the future
- Development of lower cost solutions making station development easier and cheaper and more appropriate to the local environment
- Minor changes to stations, such as relocation of facilities, not necessarily to go through the closure procedure
- Development of lower cost solutions making provision of disabled access to stations easier and cheaper for all with access issues
- Risk-based approach to infrastructure enhancements to find lower cost solutions
- Removing the requirement for infrastructure to meet European interoperability standards
Designation will encourage:
- A focus on local promotion, marketing and (if appropriate) branding, to raise the profile of the railway within the local community
- Higher profile of these lines within the rail industry – in particular, it should prompt the industry to challenge conventional wisdom or current norms in seeking low cost solutions to problems
- Partnership working between train operators, Network Rail, local authorities and the local community such as business and tourism groups, to make the most out of the local railway and achieve their shared objectives
- Higher priority for revenue collection on these lines (with simplified ticketing or operating procedures possible to assist this)
- Integration with other modes of transport
- The long term success of the lines
- Development of redundant and underused property on the lines
In addition to providing clarity over what is expected from the railway and ensuring that the standards are appropriate, designation will bring changes to the way that the line is managed. In particular more power will be devolved to TOC management working with the community rail partnership or railway development company. This will give more freedom in respect of:
- The timetable (changes to times will be easier provided that there is no negative impact on the rest of the network and no increase in the requirement for subsidy from the DfT)
- Fares levels (changes to fares levels will be easier – again there will be limited restrictions as with timetables)
- Contractual change – the DfT will lift any unnecessary contractual requirements that may be driving costs greater than benefits on the lines covered.
Designation will be reversible. Periodically (about every 3 years) the designation may be reviewed and if there is a significant demand, then the consultation on designation can be repeated.
As described elsewhere in this document, elements of the Community Rail Development Strategy can be implemented on lines which are not designated as Community Rail lines.
Our railway is being designated, who will own it and operate it?
There is no change to the ownership of all infrastructure assets: they remain with Network Rail. Ownership of the trains will usually be with one of the ROSCOs (rolling stock leasing companies) but designation will encourage a creative approach to this issue where costs can be reduced. For example, on the Lymington Branch in Hampshire the train operating company (TOC) has already bought the rolling stock for the branch.
Operation of the stations and trains will generally be by the TOC who holds the franchise in that area, but a number of different solutions are being considered such as local management or even separate small train operating companies.
Maintenance and renewal of the infrastructure is expected to remain a Network Rail responsibility (other options are being considered) whilst day-to-day maintenance of the stations remains the responsibility of the TOC. The TOC may decide to sub-contract this activity to a railway development company if this shows cost savings.
How does the process for designation work?
Designation will involve the production of a simple Route Prospectus for the line (including identification of the constraints and opportunities for the line). It will be accompanied by a specification of passenger services to be provided on the line.
These documents must be fully aligned with the appropriate Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS). ‘Route’ in this case may mean a group of lines or in the case of some of the main lines a route from A to B.
Route Utilisation Strategies (RUS) seek to balance capacity, passenger and freight demand, operational performance and cost, to address the requirements of funders and stakeholders.
Network Rail is developing Route Utilisation Strategies to cover the different routes across the rail network, in conjunction with rail industry partners and wider stakeholders. These Route Utilisation Strategies will then inform the development and delivery of timetables, infrastructure maintenance and renewals for the network.
The documents must also be aligned with Route Plans which describe future development of the ‘route’ necessary to deliver the outputs described in the RUS. The Prospectus will reflect the local nature of the line and the Specification will drive any move to differentiated standards on the line which will be designed around ensuring that it is “fit for purpose” – no more (which would push up costs) and no less (which would frustrate the delivery of the passenger and/or freight service).
Stage One – Declaration of intentions and seeking of views
This will be done by an announcement on the DfT Web Site. This will include an estimate of the date that consultation will take place and a request for short submissions of views to be taken into consideration when considering the formal consultation documentation.
Given that there is already a list of lines being considered for Community Rail designation in the strategy, there is generally no need for a high profile announcement of this part of the process.
Stage Two – Production of Route Prospectus, Specification of Passenger Services and Pilot Line Remit where appropriate
The DfT will produce templated documents based on the information already to hand, existing plans and initiatives likely to be value for money revealed by Stage One. These will then be sent out for consultation.
Stage Three – Local consultation
Consultation will take place with the following stakeholders prior to designation:
- County councils, district councils and unitary authorities associated with the line
- Metropolitan borough councils and PTEs served by the line
- Where a community rail partnership (CRP) or railway development company (RDC) exists, these will be consulted
- Where there is no CRP or RPC, any relevant user group will be consulted
- The Rail Passenger Council (which may also take into consideration the views of any rail user group who are not formal consultees)
- All TOCs associated with the line
- All FOCs
- Network Rail
- ORR.
6 weeks will be allowed from issue of documentation to closure of the formal consultation.
The local MPs will be informed for the plans, but will not be formal consultees.
Stage Four – Revision of Route Prospectus, Specification of Passenger Services and Pilot Line Remit (where appropriate) in the light of consultation feed-back and designation if sufficient local support
The documentation will be revised in the light of the consultation, and following consideration by the Community Rail Development Steering Group. Designation under the revised documentation will take place provided that there is clear local support (even if this is not unanimous). This will be by DfT Rail Executive Group.
Designation (or rejection of designation) will be confirmed in writing to all consultees.
Review of Designated Status
After designation takes place, it is not expected that this will be reviewed for at least 3 years
If there is a significant demand to review, then the designation process will be repeated as described above.
Who starts the process?
The DfT through the Community Rail Development Steering Group has identified a preferred order for future designations. That order may change if there is a particular requirement to bring a line forward for designation.
It should be remembered that it is generally a requirement for designation that there is a community rail partnership or railway development company in existence before designation will be considered.
What does designation mean for our railway?
Designation brings the opportunity for the partnership to work on service improvements such as enhancements to stations, changes to the timetable, new fares structures and promotional activity, within the community rail framework and therefore with greater flexibility to deliver change. This should make changes happen faster and should ensure full involvement of the local community through the partnership.
Designation does not come with any funding but it is hoped that the partnership approach will enable funders to come forward.
Does this mean downgrading these lines, or running them down, with a risk of subsequent closure?
No, the intention is to run these lines cost effectively, reducing the drain on taxpayer’s money. The strategy seeks to find ways that designated lines can be run to standards appropriate to their current levels of rail traffic and that they are appropriately specified for any future development: if light weight passenger traffic is all that is running, the line does not need to be engineered for heavy freight trains. As noted elsewhere, the strategy also gives the opportunity for local innovation and for service developments that meet local needs.
Where do we find more information about community railways and community rail designation?
DfT website http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_railways/documents/divisionhomepage/039382.hcsp
The ACoRP website www.acorp.uk.com provides much useful information on community rail activities. ACoRP can also provide a number of helpful toolkits including station adoption and freight on community railways.
Working with the rail industry
How do community rail partnerships relate to rail user groups etc?
Rail user groups are often members of a partnership. Partnerships are not intended to be campaigning groups in the way rail user groups often are. Partnerships are expected to work together to deliver improvements to rail services and improve the financial viability of the service. Potential improvements might be identified by the partnership or they might be identified by rail user groups or campaigning groups.
We are a Station Friends group – how do we work with Network Rail?
For station friends and station adopters, contact is usually managed by the train operating company (TOC), who has day-to-day management and safety responsibility for the station.
Any issues that cannot be resolved by the TOC would normally be referred subsequently to the Network Rail Helpline on 08457 11 41 41 which will then escalate to the Account Director Community Rail if necessary, contact details below. The same Helpline contact should be used for any matters requiring the immediate attention of Network Rail, rather than the TOC.
As a community group we want to work on the station, can we?
The first question that must be answered is “which part of the station”. The TOC will be able to give guidance, but if the area is part of the station they lease from Network Rail, then it is for them to give permission and to work with groups.
If the area is outside the ‘TOC lease area’, this means it is not only owned by Network Rail but also controlled by them. Network Rail is developing ways that, when appropriate, community groups can gain safe and controlled access to these areas to carry out environmental improvements. These arrangements are not yet in place and will not be applicable in all circumstances.
For more substantial works, such as building work, both the TOCs and Network Rail must be involved in any station project. Normally, the TOC will agree to a scope of work with the community group for which they will then seek ‘Landlord consent’ from Network Rail. Where the works may impact on the operational railway, this might require direct management by Network Rail of all or part. At the very least, ‘asset protection’ will be required to manage the interface with the operational railway and check that appropriate arrangements are in place to manage the safety of the railway and anyone working on or near it.
For such larger schemes, the initial point of contact (if there is no relationship established) is generally through Account Director Community Rail. If the project is sound, then he will pass it to the relevant property manager to work up. There are no changes to existing arrangements where processes are already in place such as with the Passenger Transport Executives (PTEs) in metropolitan areas.
Where do we find out more information about being a Station Friends Group or station adopter?
ACoRPs website can help – www.acorp.uk.com
We are a community group and we would like access to some disused property on our local station – how do we go about it?
Network Rail would like to see railway buildings being used – particularly by local communities where a commercial let has proved elusive. Working with ACoRP and CRPs around the country, we are taking some positive steps to address a number of empty properties.
If we can identify suitable properties and suitable community-use tenants, Network Rail will make it as easy as possible to ‘do the deal’ to put these buildings back into productive use. This may mean less commercial lease terms in some instances that recognise the constraints that community groups work under.
We are working with ACoRP and Central Trains on their project to get some of Central’s ‘TOC lease estate’ that falls into this category into community use. We hope this will act as a pilot for similar work with Network Rail’s estate.
We are developing guidelines on how to identify suitable properties and suitable users.
In the first instance, speak to the TOC responsible for the station. If the property is outside their lease area they will pass you on to Network Rail’s estates teams. ATOC’s National Rail website (www.nationalrail.co.uk) lists all stations and which TOC runs them.
If you feel you have not got the response you hoped for, you should contact the Account Director Community Rail. He will be unable to assist you if the enquiry is commercial in nature and you should follow the advice given in the Property section of Network Rail’s website.
Who can we contact in Network Rail to obtain advice or make a complaint?
This rather depends on what advice is required or the nature of your complaint. Day-to-day enquiries about issues and problems on Network Rail’s infrastructure are best dealt with through the Helpline, call 08457 11 41 41.
If the matter relates to community railway development, please contact the Account Director Community Rail.
How does Network Rail manage the interface with heritage railways?
Heritage railways are not generally part of the national network. They are owned by a number of different bodies and companies and exceptionally by Network Rail. See the Heritage Railway Association website (www.heritagerailways.com) for links to operating railways. In all cases, the first approach for any initiative should be to the company or group managing the line who in turn will contact Network Rail if appropriate.
The Account Director Community Rail will initially work with any heritage railway that needs to deliver a new scheme which impacts on the national network. Once the scheme is clearly developed, its outputs clearly defined and if there is a reasonable prospect that the resources needed can be secured, it will be passed across to a Scheme Sponsor who will take the scheme forward through the various stages of Network Rail’s GRIP process – GRIP (Guide to Railway Investment Projects) is the company’s structured project development and delivery process.
Who provides funding for community railways and groups such as community rail partnerships?
Funding for community railways is no different from anywhere else on the network. Network Rail is paid by the train operating company for ‘access’ to the network, a contractual agreement for the number, timing and type of train the operator wants to run.
The operator receives income through the fares that passengers pay and from support grants made either by central government or sometimes by local authorities and passenger transport executives that want to support particular loss-making services.
Network Rail also receives some direct government support for particular projects.
Support to the national rail industry currently runs at around £87m per week. Government targets seek to reduce this level of subsidy.
Community rail partnerships and other groups are funded by a number of different routes. Department for Transport has provided some grant funding whilst the Countryside Agency supported several partnerships: it is hoped the DEFRA (Department for Rural Affairs) will follow on this funding. Regional development agencies (RDAs), county and district councils, passenger transport executives in their areas, all continue to contribute to various schemes and groups around the country. Train operators and others in the rail industry make cash contributions or contributions in kind. Finally, some groups seek public subscription or act as sub-contractors to the industry to support their activities.
Community Railways – looking forward
With local transport plans, route utilisation studies, regional spatial strategies, and government targets to name but four, how does the Community Rail Development Strategy fit into the complex rail planning matrix?
On the face of it, the planning matrix is very complex, but it does follow a natural progression from high level targets to detailed implementation plans.
The process starts with government, who identify targets that they wish to see delivered. For rail these include amongst others our contribution to high level targets on CO2 emissions, reduction in road traffic, increasing passenger numbers and freight carried and reduction in rail subsidy.
Regional spatial strategies set out plans for future land use and plans to meet government targets on employment and housing for example. Clearly transport plays an important part in this process since for a strategy to be successful, people have to be able to get to work, goods need to be moved, and people must be able to access services such as hospitals, schools and shops.
Local transport plans put more ‘meat on the bone’, setting out more detailed plans that deliver transport solutions across all modes, road, rail, bus, water and air. Local transport plans are prepared at county or PTE level and set out a 5 year spending programme: government then decides on the level of support it can make to these plans. DfT guidelines specifically refer to inclusion of community rail schemes if they meet local authority objectives.
Rail plays a role of varying importance in these plans. For some authorities, rail is seen as a playing a pivotal role in delivering transport targets, for other authorities it is less central.
Route utilisation strategies are now prepared by Network Rail (they were the responsibility of the SRA). They look at the current infrastructure and its ability to deliver the current timetable. They draw together the future business plans of both the passenger and freight train operators, they pull in local transport plans, regional spatial strategies and the requirements of stakeholders for improved rail services to develop a picture of the route’s current capacity, its ability to deliver stakeholder aspirations with current capacity and the enhancements necessary to deliver their full aspirations. In this process, compromises need to be identified since some requirements will be contradictory and some will have no business case: they will either not generate enough extra business to cover their costs or they will not produce enough benefits to society at large to warrant the expenditure.
Whilst the Community Rail Development Strategy and community railways will not feature heavily in the RUS process (they are generally not driving capacity constraint issues), they will be taken into account. Community rail routes often end on parts of the core network and their ability to deliver can be constrained by that network. Enhancements to community rail lines can, in the longer term, possibly contribute to the reduction of capacity constraints in some parts of the network, and whilst their contribution is generally small, they can contribute to the overall delivery of government targets.
Network Rail keeps saying that it is not funded for ‘enhancement schemes – why is this an issue?
Enhancement schemes are those projects that deliver increased ‘functionality’ on the network. This functionality ranges at one end of the scale from providing a new station seat to, at the other, providing additional track and junctions to enable more trains to run on the network or a new station.
Through the access charges review process Network Rail is funded to deliver a defined set of outputs. Generally this means that we are funded to operate, maintain and renew the network at the lowest cost possible whilst maintaining the required capability.
We also have a responsibility to seek to grow the value of the railway, and where analysis and consultation demonstrates that better value for the available funds would be obtained by changes to the required outputs we would discuss this with our industry partners. There may be circumstances where the preferred option would necessitate enhancing the capability of the network. In these cases we would discuss funding options with ORR and possibly DfT or the Scottish Executive.
In order to deliver improved train services, not only may additional rolling stock and staff be required but enhancements to the infrastructure may be needed, so funding must be found from outside Network Rail.
Network Rail has Licence Condition obligations to facilitate enhancement schemes proposed by its customers. Such schemes become a ‘reasonable requirement’ (i.e. something we must use all reasonable endeavours to do) when they meet the SMART F Stewardship Criteria. This means they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Required, Time-bound and Fundable.
Network Rail has been working on ways of making the delivery of these projects easier and of managing the risks so that everyone involved takes a reasonable proportion of the risks in any project. It has also been working on ways to hold-harmless other parties involved in the project where the risks arise from railway operation unconnected with the project.
Our group is interested in re-opening a closed line in our area. How do we go about it?
ACoRP can supply a toolkit on rail re-openings – this is something not for the faint-hearted! There have been many schemes, but few succeed. As Network Rail has taken over some of the Strategic Rail Authority’s responsibilities for development of the network, they are the next port of call for any serious enquiries. If there is a realistic prospect that a line could be re-opened, and the funding to do so could be available (Network Rail is not funded for rail re-openings), our Route Enhancement Managers would consider the next steps.
Contact can be arranged through the Helpline or through the Account Director Community Rail. Whilst Network Rail is keen to see the network develop in order to address current and predicted capacity issues, and in order to assist the delivery of government targets on cutting pollution and improving access, it should be noted that in recent years there have been limited successful re-openings on the national network. There is considerable activity in Scotland and there has been some re-opening in Wales but in England those that have taken place, such as the Wensleydale Railway, have been in the independent sector.
Our group is interested in re-opening a closed station in our area. How do we go about it?
As with line re-openings, you should not expect a quick result. There are many issues to consider, finance being just one. Stations have an impact on line capacity (he number of trains that can operate is reduced because of trains stopping at stations), and additional stations on some routes may not be possible.
You also need to consider the effect on the train service. Additional stops will extend journey times, and may increase the number of trains required to operate the service. Extra passengers require extra seats, so the costs involved, may not just be that of the station itself, but of leasing extra rolling stock. A longer journey time may also make the service less attractive to passengers from other stations on the route.
One of the first deliverables that will be required is a feasibility study into the proposal to look at the overall impact on the network, on train services and to demonstrate that there is, or will be, a demand for the station. As promoter, generally you will need to pay for this study.
Contact can be arranged through the Helpline or through the Account Director Community Rail.