Community Railway Lines
Nine Community Railway lines have been designated so far:
- St Erth to St Ives in Cornwall
- Liskeard to Looe in Cornwall
- Plymouth to Gunnislake (The Tamar Valley Line) in Devon & Cornwall
- Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey (The Abbey Line) in Hertfordshire
- Huddersfield to Barnsley (The Penistone Line) in Yorkshire
- Middlesborough to Whitby (The Esk Valley Line) in North Yorkshire
- Matlock branch to Ambergate Junction in Derbyshire
- Falmouth branch to Truro in Cornwall
- Barnstaple branch to Cowley Bridge Junction in Devon
The Lymington Branch has been approved for designation but is currently ‘on hold’
Services on the Grantham to Skegness Line (The Poacher Line) in Lincolnshire and the Newquay branch to Par in Corwall have been designated as Community Rail Services
Community Railways
Community Railway schemes are designed to involve local people in the development of local and rural rail routes, services and stations
Network Rail works with local authorities and over 60 community rail groups to provide the rural and local railways that are so important to the communities they serve. Together, we aim to increase passenger numbers and freight use, and improve the revenue from and efficiency of services. Network Rail also works with heritage railways to develop new opportunities on Britain’s railways.
Community Rail is a Government strategy supported by the rail industry. Network Rail believes that it is one of the tools that will help to provide a long-term future for our railways and is working with stakeholders to implement this strategy.
In most respects, community railways are no different from the rest of the railway. The Community Rail Development Strategy is based upon the wishes of the communities served to remain connected to the national rail network but seeks to deliver that in a more sustainable way.
It offers the concept of a different category of local railway, separately specified, fit for purpose, but with standards appropriate to its use. Importantly, it actively involves the wishes of local communities in the development of their railway.