The Community Rail Development Strategy is intended to help put rural and local railways on a more sustainable financial footing. Railways as a whole consume a large amount of public funding and it is essential to demonstrate value for money. We aim to significantly increase the number of passengers using the line while decreasing reliance on government subsidies.
The north of England is on the verge of a rail revolution. When one looks at the forthcoming refranchising of the Northern Rail and Trans Pennine services, along side the political devolution and its effects upon transport planning. The rail industry will fundamentally change over the next five years.
With this background the role of Community Rail has never been more important. Giving passengers and other stakeholders a platform (pardon the pun) to express their needs to the rail industry.
