EAST MIDLANDS COUNCILS CONSULTATION RESPONSE Q1 How do you think closer co-operation between staff in Network Rail and the operator of the next East Midlands franchise can be achieved? A1 Your view: The railway in the UK is split between those who provide and maintain the tracks and those who operate the services, these organisations need to operate alongside the government bodies responsible for the economic and transport strategies and the Department for Transport (DfT) who procure the services. In balancing the needs to maintain and improve the infrastructure and operate the services it is essential that DfT make clear that safety and passenger needs must be given the highest priority. We wish to see a franchise which delivers continued performance improvement, provides a passenger focused approach to service delivery as well as maintenance and enhancement works, and is motivated to support economic growth and the local communities adjoining and served by the franchise. This means there needs to be a very close alignment between all parties to ensure that the services provided supports the economic growth ambition and transport strategy objectives, by providing the right rail infrastructure for the services to meet the community need. The right standard and capacity of services operated to the right timetable and all provided at a price that Treasury can afford. Regular meetings between the winning Train Operating Company (TOC), Network Rail, DfT and East Midlands Councils (EMC) is strategically important to build alignment. EMC can provide the strategic position for the East Midlands Region, as well as being best placed to provide the bridge to local authority partners within the region. Bidders also need to propose how best to engage with and support the communities around and served by the franchise. We consider that it would be helpful if there was a formal and on- going role for East Midlands Councils within the franchise management. Decisions on investments like electrification should be taken in the light of local views, not simply led from London or decisions driven by safety or cost alone, this is because there are a significant number of rail jobs located in the East Midlands, especially focused around Derby. This includes over 100 companies directly working within the rail industry, Network Rail have recruited 300 jobs in the region to work on electrification, and these businesses and jobs will in turn support other local enterprises. EAST MIDLANDS COUNCILS CONSULTATION RESPONSE Q2 How can the operator of the next East Midlands franchise engage with community rail partnerships or heritage railways to support the local economy to stimulate demand for rail services in the region? A2 Community rail partnerships to support the local economy to stimulate DEMAND for rail services in the region? Engagement between the railways and community should be beneficial to both, but should be Community led, rather than rail imposed. For the railway industry community engagement can lead to increased patronage and income, reduced costs, and improved safety etc. For the community, involvement can lead to, community pride, reduced anti-social behaviour, the creation of jobs, community cohesion, reduced isolation and improved awareness of and access to adjoining communities etc. Community involvement in the railway needs to consider community in its widest definition, including rail users, future rail users, neighbours, stakeholders as organisations and individuals etc. and reflecting and embracing the diversity of each local community. Through these people and those employed staff, funded by the DfT/TOC, the community resource should mobilise local business and the wider community in support of both community and rail objectives. We wish to enable the community to have the widest role in supporting local lines and stations, at larger stations this will be more of a supporting role. Community involvement does not ordinarily replace the responsibilities of the Train Operator or Network Rail, but properly supported and encouraged they can supplement this resource and make a real difference. The DfT/TOC’s role is therefore one of providing resource and leadership in partnership with the community. INTRODUCTION We support community engagement in rail. Community Rail Partnerships (CRP’s) add value to the rail industry, they promote and market the rail offer and do much more. DfT’s National Community Rail Steering Group research suggests that CRP’s can increase annual rail patronage by 2.8% (above the equivalent annual background rail growth). Station supporter/friend groups and CRP’s can also help make the railways safer and more welcoming. We see community engagement in the active running of the railway taking a number of forms, the more formal of which include the following: 1. Community Rail Partnerships (CRP), are typically a not for profit, community based and organised group promoting a line of route(s), usually with support from the TOC and other local partners, and typically in a semi-formal relationship governed by a Service Level Agreement or similar. Such groups are EAST MIDLANDS COUNCILS CONSULTATION RESPONSE encouraged to be affiliated with ACoRP and are normally supported by Community Rail Partnership Officer staff resource, these being paid posts providing guidance and administrative support. See below for more details on CRP’s. 2. Community Rail Partnership Officers (CRPO) – typically funded by the TOC/DfT or in some case the Local Authority (examples in Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire – relevant in the context of the transferring CRP). These posts help drive forward the work of CRP’s and provide staffing support by managing and coordinating the work of the CRPs and the relationship with the TOC. Bidders discuss the future funding with the relevant Local Transport Authority, CRP and ACoRP. This will allow them to make a decision whether or not to underwrite the post funding. These officers have a key role in driving forward the work of CRP’s and helping them plan and achieve the maximum benefit. 3. Station supporters (or adopter or “Friends of station”), these individuals or groups typically aim is to improve the ambience of their local station(s) and its environs; thereby making it safer, more secure and more attractive and encouraging more people to use. This can be through a range of activities including: planting, landscaping, building restoration and use etc. We expect the winning TOC to support station supporter including meeting essential funding needs, but we see the work of these groups being essentially voluntary. As at the date of this paper EMT have 60 adopted stations (out of a total of 90 EMT managed stations), supported by 266 station adopters. Again, Community Rail Officers are well placed to provide advice and support to station adoption groups, and ACoRP offer resource on their web site too. Station supporters are community based and independent of the TOC, they can operate in isolation or alongside a CRP. By way of example 80% of stations within the High Peak and Hope Valley CRP area have Friends groups. 4. Community use and redevelopment of disused and dilapidated station buildings and adjoining land, we believe that there is an important role to which CRP’s and the community can undertake in bringing station buildings and environs back into life. As well as creating a community asset and life at the station, this increases a stations welcome and perception of safety. Investment in stations can also attract other uses to the station (rail or commercial) which can bring a new revenue stream to the industry and new community facilities. Ideally the use of station buildings will add value to both the station user and the community (for example: coffee shop, post office or corner shop etc.), alternatively some other community benefit derived (community group meeting place, art or library use, Scouts/Guides etc.). Equally the station may be brought back into use as a work place, office, other shop etc. that creates jobs. ACoRP manages a DfT funding resource targeting community engagement, marketing, education, advising on the maintenance, restoration and use of station buildings for community and social use. EAST MIDLANDS COUNCILS CONSULTATION RESPONSE CRP’S AND COMMUNITY RAIL PARTNERSHIP OFFICERS Focusing on CRP’s in more detail, in the current East Midlands Trains franchise there are four CRP's added to which will be a fourth transferring from Northern into the new EM Franchise, these are: Poacher Line CRP – EMT provide funding Derwent Valley Line CRP – EMT provide funding North Staffordshire Line CRP – EMT provide funding A CRP has recently been forming known as the North Notts and Lincs CRP Barton line CRP (transferring from Northern with provide funding) Additionally: The EM Franchise also passes along the High Peak and Hope Valley CRP line (supported by Arriva Rail North) but only has the most limited stops at intermediate stations between Sheffield and Manchester. Community Rail Derbyshire – this covers the Derbyshire area and should be treated like a CRP. Hereward CRP based in East Anglia, including the Norwich to Liverpool service – supported indirectly by EMT The direction of the collective Community Rail Partnership Officer resource could help bring consistency of approach and guide the CRPs they support to even greater effectiveness and expand the number and geography of CRP’s, including: The potential for further CRP’s along the Robin Hood Line or Erewash lines. Community Rail Partnership Officer resource would be needed to set and provide assistance with governance and help access to funding. Aspirations to extend the Poacher Line CRP to include the Red Wing line between Peterborough and Lincoln via Sleaford (indeed it is already within the current CRP specification). See the annex to this paper on the expected support CRPO’s are to provide to CRP’s and the sorts of measures already being undertaken by the regions existing CRP’s.