Members of a grassroots rail movement have continued to strive for England’s northern communities and work towards a greener transport future, despite the pandemic, and are looking forward to supporting local recovery.

Figures from Community Rail Network’s Community Rail in the North report – sponsored by Rail Delivery Group - highlight that more than 3,000 volunteers give 140,000 hours annually to support social inclusion, sustainable and healthy travel, wellbeing, economic development, and tourism in their local area, valued at £11.7 million.

Making up 20 community rail partnerships and 350 station groups from across northern England - from the Tyne Valley in Northumberland to Crewe in Cheshire - they engage local people with their railways and stations, working with train operators, local authorities, and other partners.

Across the north, groups are involved in community gardening, food growing and biodiversity projects on station land; the creation of heritage boards or community artwork to help people learn about and take pride in their area; volunteering at stations to create a safe and attractive environment for passengers; work with rail industry partners towards improvements, such as better shelters, signage or pedestrian and cyclist access.

Community rail across the north is now looking forward to playing a pivotal role in building back better from Covid, and helping our railways to be a vital component of a greener, more inclusive way forward as part of a ‘green recovery’.

Locally, Tyne Valley Community Rail Partnership has been striving to understand barriers to rail use and sustainable travel, particularly among groups with additional needs.

Working with a special school and two charities supporting adults with learning difficulties and isolation issues, they ran song writing sessions to explore views on rail travel through music, with each group writing and recording an original song that identified the challenges and joys of rail travel.

The findings allowed the partnership to set objectives to reduce barriers and feed in ideas to rail partners.

Jools Townsend, chief executive of Community Rail Network, said: “Community rail works to make our railways community-minded and inclusive, and promotes sustainable travel by rail, bringing people together and bolstering local pride and wellbeing. In the north, community rail partnerships and groups have adapted and responded, supporting communities through the pandemic, maintaining positivity, and advising rail partners on shifting local needs."