Community rail and other local partnerships a) What opportunities are for Community Rail Partnerships and other local partnerships to expand their role and range of activities to support local communities, businesses and other organisations? TravelWatch SouthWest is an enthusiastic supporter of the work of our colleagues in the Community Rail movement, noting their very real achievements throughout the South West in working with the region’s principal train operating company to deliver immense service quality improvements and remarkable increases in patronage cost-effectively. We would encourage support for the creation of additional partnerships covering the Salisbury–Exeter route in particular. The principles underlying Community Rail may lend themselves to other applications in the transport sector to community bus partnerships and to – community support for the improvement of, and engagement in the use of, station facilities as with ACoRP’s Community Stations scheme. We consider the latter to be of particular value where stations may not be staffed all day. Above all, we see that strong community engagement can lead to the delivery of innovative rail services better suited to passengers’ needs, as is evidenced by the achievements of the Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership and the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership in cooperation with supportive train operating companies. The successful bidder should be obliged to earmark funds for further partnership development. The Great Western Railway Direct Award included a commitment to a Customer and Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF). The South Western Franchise should make a similar commitment and support the extension of the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership to cover relevant sections of the West of England Line (with a contribution commensurate with those made by GWR.) Line The Island Line lays outwith the franchise territory with which TravelWatch SouthWest is actively engaged. Third party funded changes Are you aware of any proposals for third party funded changes?
Community rail and other local partnerships a) What opportunities are for Community Rail Partnerships and other local partnerships to expand their role and range of activities to support local communities, businesses and other organisations? TravelWatch SouthWest is an enthusiastic supporter of the work of our colleagues in the Community Rail movement, noting their very real achievements throughout the South West in working with the region’s principal train operating company to deliver immense service quality improvements and remarkable increases in patronage cost-effectively. We would encourage support for the creation of additional partnerships covering the Salisbury–Exeter route in particular. The principles underlying Community Rail may lend themselves to other applications in the transport sector – to community bus partnerships and to community support for the improvement of, and engagement in the use of, station facilities as with ACoRP’s Community Stations scheme. We consider the latter to be of particular value where stations may not be staffed all day. Above all, we see that strong community engagement can lead to the delivery of innovative rail services better suited to passengers’ needs, as is evidenced by the achievements of the Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership and the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership in cooperation with supportive train operating companies. The successful bidder should be obliged to earmark funds for further partnership development. The Great Western Railway Direct Award included a commitment to a Customer and Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF). The South Western Franchise should make a similar commitment and support the extension of the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership to cover relevant sections of the West of England Line (with a contribution commensurate with those made by GWR.) Line The Island Line lays outwith the franchise territory with which TravelWatch SouthWest is actively engaged. Third party funded changes Are you aware of any proposals for third party funded changes?
The-Other-HalfCCI.SWRailFranchise.201501.09.docx