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1 Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines

Final Mile – best practice guidelines

Bath Spa railway station 2 Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines 3

Contents Introduction Encouraging more overseas visitors to explore Britain is a top priority; it spreads the economic benefit across nations and regions beyond , and supports growth, job creation and retention. The recent government Action Plan (launched in August 2016) supports this ambition and identifies rail as a key enabler to persuade overseas visitors to travel beyond London.

What is the The Final Mile refers to the distance from a train station to Final Mile? an attraction. It could be within walking distance, or have a connecting bus service. But lack of detailed information, represents a barrier and may cause international visitors to opt for easier alternatives.

Why is the final mile so important 4 Focus: Train Operating Companies 6 The challenge Most overseas visitors have limited understanding of Britain Casestudy - 8 beyond London. There are language differences, and fears of driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road1. Lacking the Casestudy - London 10 confidence to explore the wider scenic beauty, heritage and and Village culture offering, independent travellers can be daunted Borders Railway 12 unless they are part of an organised tour, or have prior Focus: Destination Management 14 knowledge of travelling by rail in Britain Organisations (DMOs) Gateway’s of England 16 The solution Repeat visitors are more willing to explore further afield2, Tourism 18 therefore encouraging travel beyond London requires flexible Focus: Attractions 20 and imaginative solutions. The availability of up to date and easy to access information will increase confidence and Casestudy - 22 encourage greater use of rail services to explore all areas Casestudy - Penguin Navi 24 of Britain. Casestudy - Mountain Goat 25 This guidance looks at how destinations, train operators Attractions Website: Getting here template 26 and attractions can overcome Final Mile challenges (real and Contributor details 28 perceived). There are examples of innovative practice capable of adoption or adaptation, along with suggestions, support and advice.

1. Trains, the gateway to beyond London? report for Visit England 2016 2. https://www.visitbritain.org/sites/default/files/vb-corporate/Documents-Library/ Snowdon Mountain Railway, North Wales documents/foresight_149_-_frequency_of_inbound_tourism_to_britain.pdf 4 Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines 5

Why is the final mile so important?

Inbound tourism is the fastest It’s not a level playing field though. London train from London to (4hr 20m) accounts for 54% of all inbound visitor or six hours to (2hr 05m). At Zurich railway station, all growing travel sector with spend spend, the rest of England 34%, Scotland 8% and Wales 2%3. Research shows that Simplifying access to the right journey information, including timetables, by international visitors expected many of the UK’s international visitors have information, tickets and prices is available in four languages. to increase year on year. The outdated perceptions and are unwilling to (ideally seamless and translated) will Lisbon uses a system of contactless 4 number of visits in 2016 grew by explore the unknown . help to facilitate progress. smartcards to link trains, buses and tram services. Larger hotels in 4% to a record 37.6m, responsible Across Britain’s mature inbound markets, The Final Mile looks at some practical 40% think a good public transport system and workable solutions used to address have display screens for a 2% increase in spend of contributes significantly to a destination the challenge of keeping inbound tourists showing live departure times and £22.5bn. The number of visitor being great5. informed and feeling confident about platform numbers at the city’s main their choices. railway station. nights spent in the UK also However, many struggle with understanding the distances involved to the time required, increased by 2% in 2016 to 277m. believing it takes over nine hours to travel by www..org/2016-snapshot 3. https://www.visitbritain.org/visitor-economy-facts 4. Trains, the gateway to beyond London? report for Visit England 2016 5.Trains, the gateway to beyond London? report for Visit England 2016 6 Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines 7

Travellers from overseas represent a significant growth opportunity. As regional airports attract more flights, (Manchester welcomed 2.2m inbound visitors in 2016) there are opportunities to encourage greater use of connecting railway services and the wider train network to reach chosen destinations. For many of the UK’s core inbound markets, travel by train is part of their daily routine. Train Operating Companies

Virgin Trains

Ways to bridge the Final Mile: • review the ease of access around stations Take a train into any major hub • strategic priorities should recognise and for people with suitcases and clearly BritRail Passes and M-ticketing account for the significant growth potential identify the left luggage facilities or airport station and the volume BritRail Passes6 have existed since the of suitcases and backpacks is offered by overseas visitors (See GWR case where provided; study p.8); 1960s, providing easy and cost-effective quickly evident. Overseas visitors • review directional signage around rail travel for a single fixed price. They bring luggage so adequate • work with major attractions along your routes stations and onboard so that facilities enable international visitors the flexibility storage solutions are needed. to jointly address opportunities for seamless such as information, catering and to travel across Britain, using unlimited ticket offers (See West Somerset Railway case toilets are simple to follow and find; trips on a travel day. A choice of seven study p.22 and GWR case study p.8); different passes is available; one covers the • increase onboard luggage capacity where whole of Britain while others cover specific To encourage travel around Britain using • translate simple information announcements possible and ensure new carriages have the rail network, try to simplify terminology, geographic regions. They are only available and brochures into the most common sufficient provision – this assists all to international visitors and cannot be review wayfinding at stations and form languages used by your passengers passengers, not just those with luggage; partnerships designed to minimise the number purchased in Britain. (see London Marylebone and Bicester Village of transactions visitors must make. case study p.10); • include country of origin in your feedback questionnaires for deeper analysis; As part of a Discover England Fund project, • simplify language used in announcements – the BritRail England M-Pass covering overseas visitors will not understand terms • tailor questionnaires for overseas stations in England has been launched in such as ‘alight here’; tourists; their needs are very different April 2017. This will change the paper ticket to those of domestic customers. to a smartphone or tablet QR code and • allocating Global Distribution System (GDS) will improve the overall user experience. codes to train stations so overseas customers Already in the first quarter (April 17 – June can book rail via airlines; 17) 35% of BritRail England consecutive passes are M-Passes.

6. http://www.britrail.com/ 8 Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines 9

Case study

Mind the Gap saving e.g. Singapore to Swansea tickets GWR operates passenger rail services consisting of flight and two rail journeys Great Western Railway (GWR) ( to and between London and tourism hotspots in – pioneering customer-friendly through-ticketing solution South West England, South Wales and The Paddington to Swansea). Cotswolds. The company recognised the business opportunity of offering through- GWR started offering through-tickets in ticketing, where travellers purchase one 2013 and currently works with six airline ticket for a complete journey that passes partners: British Airways, Avianca, Cathay through a number of different transport Pacific, Royal Brunei, Oman Air, and networks. Through-ticketing is standard Singapore Airlines. practice worldwide, especially within Europe, and is perfectly suited to both Through-ticketing now offers passengers leisure and business travellers. better choice and easier connectivity beyond London into the regions. With GWR saw the potential to make train GWR train services entered on the GDS services from London available as ‘airline system, any airline can use them, though add-ons’ to flights arriving and departing some are more proactive than others. from . The through- Train seats go on sale at the same time as tickets needed to include travel on the airline seats, up to 11 months ahead. Heathrow Express, which directly links Heathrow to London Paddington station, Success for GWR will be measured and GWR’s train services. through expansion in the network of airlines using through-ticketing, leading Bridging the Final Mile to increased sales. The service is already showing steady growth through airline GWR acquired an airline Global promotion. Meanwhile, the original Distribution System (GDS) code to through-ticketing partnership with enable reservation agents to book and Heathrow Express and Singapore Airlines issue tickets as one seamless customer won the Integrated Air Rail Partnership at transaction, with an associated cost the 2014 Global Air Rail Awards7.

www.accesrail.com/products/great-western-rail/

Great Western Railway (GWR)

Great Western Railway (GWR) 7.https://www.gwr.com/about-us/media-centre/news/2014/may/rail-fly-partnership-wins-international-award 10 Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines 11

Case study

Mind the Gap The train company makes onboard Bicester Village, Oxfordshire’s luxury announcements in both languages as London trains approach Bicester Village, and retail shopping outlet, is attracting increasing numbers of international Arabic and Mandarin signs have been and Bicester Village visitors who pass through London installed at the station. Marylebone station. Believed to be the – adding multi-lingual communication and luggage facilities in line UK’s most visited attraction by Chinese Measures to assist Mandarin and Arabic speakers at London Marylebone with customer needs holidaymakers (after Buckingham Palace), Bicester Village also draws large numbers complements existing multi-European of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) visitors language announcements made onboard from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Heathrow and trains, Arab Emirates. Indeed, eight out of 10 as well as the service, helping Chinese tourists that travel to London overseas visitors to travel to and from as part of their UK holiday visit Bicester London with more confidence. Village. Since opening in October 2015, Bicester Village station has served Bicester Village 1.6m passengers. In response to the issue of luggage storage, they offer a drop off and pick Bridging the Final Mile up service at the Bicester Visitor Centre or the Information Hub next to the train London Marylebone Station station. This enables customers to enjoy In April 2017, , manager the experience with knowledge that their of London Marylebone station, introduced luggage is safe and secure throughout the platform announcements in Mandarin and visit. Furthermore, they offer a London Arabic. The announcements were same-night delivery service, whereby recorded by native-speaking employees, shopping will be delivered to central and new members of staff fluent in the London hotels on the same evening. languages will be employed to assist on the station concourse.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/dec/13/why-bicester-is-one-of-britains- top-tourist-attractions

Marylebone station Bicester Village 12 Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines 13

Case study

Mind the Gap Borders Railway The Borders Railway, the UK’s newest ScotRail have created dedicated Borders railway and part of Scotrail’s Great Railway offers made available to – opportunities for tourism on one of the Great Scenic Rail Scenic Rail Journeys opened in 2015 customers including partnerships with Journeys of Scotland representing an exciting new tourism Abbotsford House, the home of Sir Walter opportunity for the Scottish Borders, Scott, Floors Castle, National Mining Midlothian and Edinburgh. Museum Scotland and Go Ape. Scotrail have also developed a range of tourism Running between Edinburgh and ticket offers across its network including Tweedbank, the journey takes less than the ‘Spirit of Scotland Travel Pass’. an hour and makes it easier than ever for visitors to explore the regions connected Run by part of City Sightseeing by the new railway line. This new line has Worldwide, and operated by Borders helped transform the tourism economy Buses, new open top tours ‘Hop on, Hop and support the ambitions for growth, off’ have been launched in summer 2017 reconnecting the south east of Scotland and will allow visitors the opportunity to to a UK-wide rail network. explore the region. The tours will include stops at Galashiels and Tweedbank Bridging the Final Mile railway stations. In identifying opportunities for the A recent report9 has revealed that tourism tourism industry VisitScotland developed has received a major boost since the a strategic plan working closely with introduction of the Borders Railway. key stakeholders. Activity included Success has included a 16% increase in developing story ideas, securing press trip visitor spend generating an 8% increase participation, developing media collateral in employment related to tourism in the and creating a marketing campaign. 8 Scottish Borders and a 12.3% rise in the Using a Borders Railway Toolkit the number of visitor days in hotels and B&Bs tourism industry are encouraged to use in Midlothian. their own platforms to spread the tourism message far and wide.

http://www.bordersrailway.co.uk/ https://www.scotrail.co.uk/scotland-by-rail/great-scenic-rail-journeys

Borders Railway, one of the six Great Scenic Rail Journeys of Scotland

Abbotsford - the home of Sir Walter Scott 8. http://www.visitscotland.org/business_support/advice_materials/toolkits/borders_railway_toolkit.aspx 9. http://www.bordersrailway.co.uk/news/tourism-visitor-figures-boost-attributed-to-borders-railway/ 14 Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines 15

Wayfinding information should be simple and – suggest overseas visitors use Trainline informative. There is a middle ground between for timetables and best rate point to point providing too much detail, and not enough, tickets, as individual train websites is Destination both of which can lead to confusion. too confusing. Already operating in 20 countries, many international visitors will Some urban destinations have implemented be aware of Trainline, and have the app on legible city wayfinding10 – with larger scale their smartphones; 15-minute ‘finder’ maps as well as a five- Management – promote BritRail Passes to encourage minute radius map. These encourage longer walking journeys beyond e.g. a transport hub, overseas visitors to explore regions outside and enable visitors to set out with confidence. of London, with clear and concise benefits explained. One ticket that covers all travel Ways to bridge the Final Mile: is preferred by overseas visitors and avoids Organisations (DMOs) complicated ticket machines, queuing etc.; • Build partnerships – with other destinations and attractions – navigation to the journey planner / how to Sometimes the Final Mile challenge is simply lack of awareness. on strengths or common themes that get here section should be possible within Why would I go there? What else is there? How easy is it to will strengthen the appeal and desire of two or three clicks from the home page; international tourists to visit (see North – consider adding an interactive map of get there, and to get around once I am there? To understand Wales Tourism case study p.18 and p.19); journey times from main transport hubs international visitors, and tailor destination products and – with transport operators, to make it easier and key local attraction easily navigable messages accordingly, these questions must be addressed. for the international tourists to reach you via rail to convey information visually in (see Gateways of England case study p.14 numbers, making it easier for visitors who and p.15). don’t have English as their first language.

• Website information • Arrange workshops for local attractions – provide detailed information on all public with a focus on finding ways to overcome transport options; Final Mile challenges using best practice examples, e.g. where a cluster could develop – list travel times from major UK hub cities a solution which works for them all and is near your region eg London, Edinburgh, financially viable. Manchester and ; – mention the frequency of daily services for • Promote shoulder/off-season activities to weekdays and weekends; encourage visits when transport operators, attractions and accommodation are quieter – where there is more than one railway and actively looking to grow business. station, differentiate journey times into the relevant station e.g. Paris has seven stations and indicates which station is required for different destinations (ideally it would also give guide travel times);

“Two years ago, we became part of Team Europe, promoting Conwy to the Japanese as one of 30 beautiful European town and village destinations. We’ve attended trade shows, translated websites, information and itineraries, and hosted fam trips. We’ve now seen an 84% increase in Japanese visitors.” Jim Jones – North Wales Tourism

Lake District 10. http://www.bristolnpn.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/16-07-12-Legible-City-presentation.pdf 16 Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines 17

Case study

Mind the Gap Bridging the Final Mile ‘Gateways of England’ ‘Gateways of England’ is a Discover London & Partners and Marketing England Fund year one partnership Manchester have teamed up with dnata – developing two-centre holiday packages which address travel project to encourage Gulf Cooperation travel services, the world’s largest air Council (GCC) visitors to travel to London travel service provider and specialist and beyond to Manchester for a twin-city in Middle East markets. dnata, or their holiday, using open-jaw ticketing (flying ground handler service, will facilitate into one destination and out of another) and sell packages that include flights, and offering the option of using train transfers, hotel, connectivity between travel between cities. both cities (rail, car hire or flight) and a range of experiences and attractions Middle Eastern markets don’t generally within each city. choose rail as their first mode of transport, however it is becoming The packages will be flexible, with product more popular. To connect the two cities, and transport options added/selected customers will be offered the onward in line with customer wishes e.g. family- travel option to fly, self-drive or travel friendly activities, shopping or sports. by train. Success for the Gateways of England Airline carriers and operators have partners will be measured by growth in reacted extremely positively to the holiday duration and expenditure in the London and Manchester partnership, UK. This will be evaluated by the number which is designed to encourage tourism of packages sold, nights stayed in London dispersal across England. and Manchester and the extra product purchased pre-travel through dnata. The campaign increased total deal sales for London & Manchester YOY.

Additionally, open-jaw ticketing will help to fill seat capacity on flights in to, or out of, Manchester.

London The primary barrier for using trains for many inbound travellers is quite simply that they do not know where to take a train to and from London – a gap in product knowledge – and they are unsure where they can find information11 .

Manchester 11. Trains – the gateway to beyond London? – report for VisitEngland 2016 18 Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines 19

Case study

Mind the Gap collective buy-in, where existing assets North Wales Tourism Despite a great visitor offering, North can repackage themselves and work Wales was overshadowed by larger together to target overseas markets. – strong partnership raising international profile destinations, and perceived as being Collectively they create marketing too far from London, despite taking momentum as a ‘world first-class just 2hr 30min to reach. It lacked the destination’, to increase profile, leverage international profile needed to benefit funding, and support lobbying activity. from direct flight routes into gateway The company is a partner in Growth airports at Manchester and Liverpool, Track 360, which calls for substantial or the excellent mainline train services rail investment in the cross-border North to nearby cities including Chester. Wales and Mersey Dee area. It maintains a high-profile presence, visible at both Unfortunately, connecting local train Manchester and Liverpool airports, and services into North Wales are currently is gaining increasing amounts of organic disjointed, complex, and unable to cope media endorsement. It features on Lonely with increasing demand. Not only that, Planet’s Best in Travel 2017 list and but it is likely to remain this ineffective TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice ‘Top Places until a new rail franchise comes into to Visit in the UK’ – to name just two. Local effect in 2018. lobbying activity has created a dialogue where a bus company has agreed to scope Bridging the Final Mile out the possibility of creating bus routes to service attractions throughout the North Wales Tourism, a private Conwy Valley. membership company and destination organisation, has overseen the region’s Success for North Wales Tourism is reinvention. Local, private, and public already measured through increased sector investment from activity media and travel trade recognition. attractions like Surf Snowdonia, ZipWorld The addition of buses serving Conwy and Bounce Below has emerged to Valley tourist attractions, and a new rail complement the natural attractions franchise in 2018 investing in local train of Snowdonia, a designated Dark Sky services, will make future access to Reserve, and established resorts like the area easier, enabling a projected Conwy and Llandudno. Thematic years, growth of 6-8%. promoted by , encourage www.Gonorthwales.co.uk

North Wales North Wales 20 Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines 21

Regular trains run from London Marylebone to Vale Parkway station, which is the closest station to Waddesdon Manor. They are now providing a free shuttle bus that links with the train arrival time and takes customers directly to the attraction. Also, customers travelling by train can download a 2for1 grounds admission Attractions voucher to use on arrival. For more information - https://waddesdon.org.uk/ your-visit/getting-here-parking-access/ Waddesdon Manor

Most online review sites show The provision of clear, accurate and up to Ways to bridge the Final Mile: overseas markets the local destination questions from overseas visitors date travel information is vital. Make it easy • include detailed public transport option organisation can advise (see London for visitors to find and follow directions with information on your website and test it Marylebone station and Bicester Village asking how to get to attractions confidence, or they will go elsewhere to first-hand - make the journey and follow case study p.10); by public transport. You may have spend their time and money. the instructions for clarity and accuracy • work with a local (see example template on page 26); to arrange a one-ticket solution where the most marvellous collection, It’s no longer enough to say you can travel • offer incentives to visitors using public appropriate; (see West Somerset Railways wonderful location or provide a by this or that method. To plan their visit case study p.22 and p.23); effectively, visitors require detail of how to transport, including BritRail 2for1 offers fantastic fun day out; but if overseas get their, including how long it takes and – they reduce pressure on car parks and • join or form a marketing consortium for visitors can’t find you they will choose approximately how much it costs. support local services; overseas markets, turning ‘competitors’ • take online credit card bookings so into partners to offer critical mass and an alternative option. overseas travellers can commit to the reciprocal deals (see North Wales Tourism visit pre-arrival; case study p.18 and p.19); • translate information into other • in relevant rural areas consider applying 12 languages – if unsure of your main for LEADER grant , e.g., wayfinding, GPS app etc 12. LEADER funding provides smaller amounts of funding to local businesses through the 80 LEADER action groups that have been established across the country - http://www.leader-programme.org.uk/. www.britrail.com/be-inspired/britrail-2for1 22 Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines 23

Case study Mind the Gap enabling passengers to book a seamless England’s longest heritage railway runs on journey from their station of origin 20 miles of a former branch line, carrying through to Minehead, inclusive of the West Somerset Railway 200,000 visitors per year between bus connection. The one-price, one-ticket Bishops Lydeard station and the coastal solution represents a 19% saving against – one-ticket solution encouraging day trips from London resort of Minehead. Most visitors arrive buying the separate components for those at the attraction in their cars, which puts travelling from Taunton. strain on already limited parking facilities. However, travel via public transport meant GWR also removed peak-time restrictions visitors arrived by mainline train services on the early London to Taunton service, into Taunton, then had to use a local enabling visitors to enjoy West Somerset scheduled bus service to transfer Railway as an affordable day trip from to Bishops Lydeard before they reached London. GWR provides the booking the attraction. process and also carries out much of the marketing. Recognising the challenge of this multistep, multi-ticket process, West GWR intends to extend tickets sales, by Somerset Railway enlisted the help of offering and selling the through-ticket their destination organisation, Visit option to international visitors (see case Somerset, to meet Great Western Railway study on page 8). (GWR) and bus operator Buses of Somerset, to discuss a solution. Success for Visit Somerset, based on similar through-ticket examples, is Bridging the Final Mile predicted to see an increase of 60,000 visitors and a £1million boost to the local All partners were receptive to a one-ticket economy over a five-year period. solution. Journey times and prices from West Somerset Railway service were added to GWR’s computerised system,

West Somerset Railway

www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk West Somerset Railway www.gwr.com/destinations-and-events/heritage-railways/west-somerset-railway 24 Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines 25

Case study Case study Penguin Navi Mountain Goat – innovative directional app where people follow penguins – local knowledge-driven service solutions for global operators

CD/鈴木克彦CW/佐々木圭一PL/深澤 拓哉 PL/德久 真也AD/永井貴浩 Sunshine Aquarium, Tokyo Mountain Goat, Lake District

Mind the Gap At the nearest train station, visitors Mind the Gap Bridging the Final Mile Tokyo’s 35-year-old Sunshine Aquarium download the app to their smartphones, Already an established provider of rural Mountain Goat set out to build relationships was experiencing a significant reduction in prompted by signboards with a QR code, transport services around the Lake District, with the global tour operators selling the visitor numbers as it struggled to compete and follow virtual penguins directly to the Mountain Goat saw increasing numbers Lake District. There are no shortcuts to with other attractions. Located in a dense aquarium entrance. of travellers were arriving with limited working with the travel trade and, as such, part of the city, and 1km from the nearest awareness of the area’s geography and the company invests in attending the major train station, managers realised that many Penguins are a popular feature at the transport options. travel trade shows and events. Using their potential visitors were having difficulty Aquarium, especially with families, and local knowledge and tour operator licence, finding the aquarium, and losing their the campaign motto was ‘Let penguins The company started providing visitor- they can offer packages which are tailored way en route, thus missing out on the bring people’. focused daily guided sightseeing tours, to international visitors, and provide attraction altogether. walking guides, and the ‘Cross Lakes cost-effective services for tour operators, Success was immediate. Attendance at the Experience’ bus service. The number of including transfers from Manchester and Bridging the Final Mile aquarium increased by 152% on the previous overseas visitors continued to grow and Liverpool airports. month, despite no change in exhibits. Working with a marketing agency, Sunshine the company recognised a great business Research showed 93% of users planned opportunity to provide local expertise and Success requires an understanding of Aquarium launched Penguin NAVI, an to recommend it to friends and family. The innovative app which combines GPS specialist ground-handling services for the market needs, and for providers to take campaign also won a Silver Lions Award at Lake District. the time to build strong trade relationships. navigation, motion sensors and augmented Cannes for best use of technology, giving the reality technology. Over 10 years they have seen a 30% increase Aquarium an international profile. in overseas visitors.

www.sunshinecity.co.jp/aquarium www.youtube.com www.mountain-goat.co.uk/ 26 Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines 27

The purpose of your website travel page is to provide clear, accurate and up to date information which reassures Attraction visitors and helps them to plan effectively.

website: Assembling the detailed information might Getting here by bus take a few hours of your time, however visitors - From [name] rail station, you should take may give up, become confused or not bother bus service number [7] or [27]. The bus stop ‘Getting Here’ travel page template in the first place, so it is time well spent. Make is located at [the station/ stop H /outside the information easy to find and to follow, so shop]. Tickets can be purchased from the that more visitors are encouraged to use it. driver or from the ticket machine at the stop. You will need the exact amount as no change Best Practice is given. Since all attractions are different, this - The bus journey takes [15] minutes and costs template focuses on suggestions which can [£2.30 single; return fare £4.50]. be adapted to local circumstances. - Buses run approximately every [30] minutes, 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, and hourly at weekends. Content – focus on all areas of transport – rail, - Include a link to the local bus service bus, car, cycling where appropriate. This will provider website or national website serve as a useful on-going reference source www.traveline.info/ for you.

Navigation – keep it simple, intuitive and Getting here by taxi available within two or three clicks of the - There is a taxi rank outside [name] home page. rail station. - Provide some local taxi company numbers. Getting here by train - The taxi journey takes [10] minutes and costs - The nearest train station is [name]. approximately [£7.50]. - Mainline services run from London (2hr 25m); - If no taxi service is available it’s best to say so. Manchester (1hr 30m); Leeds (45m). - Journey times and prices vary according Getting here on foot to the time of day – please check train - From the rail station / bus stop there is a timetables [link to Enquiries [1km] walk [describe terrain e.g. flat, gentle website, telephone +44 8457 48 49 50]. Or incline, steep] which takes approximately download an app such as Trainline.com or [15] minutes. Rome2Rio from your smartphone app store. - Follow directional signs marked [name - Upon arrival at [name] station you should of attraction] (include a picture of the sign follow the bus/taxi/walking instructions if possible). given below. - Provide a map with directions and walking distances – ideally easy to download and print. Include post codes for users of online map apps e.g., Google.

North Yorkshire Moors National Park 28 Final Mile - Best Practice Guidelines

Contributor details

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the Best Practice Guidelines and if you would like more information on final mile solutions see below for contact details.

Gateways of England Great Western Railway Eliza Ferguson David Gardner Senior Marketing Manager Head of Sales & New Business London & Partners Great Western Railway [email protected] [email protected]

Mountain Goat Visit Britain Stephen Broughton Charles Wilde Managing Director Rail Project Manager [email protected] [email protected]

North Wales Tourism Live Tourism Jim Jones Jackie Ellis, Copy Editor Managing Director Associate [email protected] [email protected]

West Somerset Railway Visit Scotland Colin Howard Gordon Smith Head of Commercial Services National Partnerships Manager [email protected] [email protected]

Phil Silk Freelance Designer studiounite.com

West Highland Line, one of the six Great Scenic Rail Journeys of Scotland