Southeast Communities Rail Partnership 2020 Annual Review WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP connecting communities with places and opportunities SOUTHEAST COMMUNITIES RAIL PARTNERSHIP Patrick Warner Chair of SAB Welcome to our review of 2020 Welcome to our look back at 2020. function well. This meant staff every six months to support and Like everybody else, we had a very learning new skills, coping with advise the SCRP. We have continued demanding and challenging year. new technology, and the SCRP with our successful Go-Learn and Tim Barkley But thanks to the commitment of facing unexpected IT costs (virtual Active Access for Growth projects Chair CIC our staff, partners and volunteers we meeting software) which we and have added value to both were able to continue to support our achieved whilst maintaining a projects by developing new ways of local communities. healthy financial position. delivering them. More detail is set into this important piece of work. It has certainly been another very Importantly the year saw further out in this review. A key area of work last year was busy and productive year and in this investment in the SCRP by several We were delighted that in June the development of days out guides review you will see fine examples of Train Operating Companies. A new the Department for Transport for each of our CRPs together projects and events which our staff Community Rail Line was launched reaccredited us for another year. with the preparation of a brand have been able to achieve whilst in the Autumn on the Hastings to This was an important milestone for new Thameslink guide which was grappling with new ways of working Tonbridge route with the support the SCRP, and we wish to place on developed in partnership with and limited access to stations and of Southeastern Railway which has record our thanks to those partners colleagues from the other CRPs the rail network. been named the 1066 Line. The new who supported us through this covered by the Thameslink services. A major milestone was changing Community Rail Partnership (CRP) process. This confirmed the value This important area of work will our company name last summer held its first meeting in December and importance of our ‘golden enable us to be ready to promote to better reflect the geographical and we are pleased that the chair of thread’ from the SCRP business plan travel by public transport when we spread of the company. We remain the new Line, James Abbott, is now a to consultation with stakeholders are able to. SCRP CIC, but we are now Southeast volunteer director on the SCRP Board. and line groups to action plan We developed new ways of working Communities Rail Partnership We benefited from new support priorities. It remains an ongoing with our partners and stakeholders Community Interest Company. from Cross Country Trains and South learning and refining process for us to remain engaged with passengers. as we take account of feedback. By moving meetings online, finding Western Railway, strengthening our We have produced films showcasing new ways of maintaining close work on the North Downs Line. The Looking forwards the Board has the new 1066 Line CRP and how contact with local communities, SCRP is proud to now be working developed a new business plan which to travel safely on trains. Our films partners and key stakeholders, with five train operating companies. will guide our work for the next few have had over 600 views on social investing in technology and, a major These new partnerships have added years. The plan was developed in media. The films have been picked updating of our website we ensured strength to our stakeholder advisory consultation with our key partners up by mainstream media, shown at that the SCRP could continue to board which continued to meet and we are grateful for their input several events and shared with Line 2 3 SOUTHEAST COMMUNITIES RAIL PARTNERSHIP Groups. We are hoping for more to welcome the community back Working with Southern/GTR on the provision collaborations like this in 2021. on board. of the Passenger Benefit Fund project: We said goodbye to Kevin ‘Taff’ On behalf of the Stakeholder Barry, our Marshlink line officer, Advisory Board, the volunteer The £15m Passenger Benefit Fund (PBF) was established to provide during the year, with sincere thanks directors, and staff, we would like to “tangible improvements for passengers” across the GTR network. for all he has done, and welcomed take this opportunity to thank all our SCRP has worked with the Harry Sievewright to our family. community groups, volunteers, and PBF team during the extensive partners for their continued support. The major challenge we face in 2021 consultation period to ensure This support is key in helping us to is getting passengers back to using enhancements are appropriate for the rail and bus services. The SCRP continue to successfully deliver the local needs and some examples is ready to support a marketing wide range of projects and activities of our engagement with them are campaign once conditions are right to our communities. included in this review. Amberley shelter renovated and is now looking very nice. Rowena Tyler, Line Officer explains “Arun COMMUNITY RAIL PARTNERSHIP RE-ACCREDITATION Valley Line Group members, Amberley museum and South Amberley Station – Arun Valley Line In June Southeast Communities Rail Partnership was pleased to be Downs National Park Authority are accredited for the second year by the Department for Transport (DfT). working together to supply heritage Accreditation is formal recognition by the DfT that a community rail source material for artwork for the District Cycling Forum who were partnership (CRP) operates to a high standard and that its objectives shelter and the front of the station. able to advise on the requirements. It will be installed later this year.” and activities are supported by Government. Later, when land ownership Another example on the Arun needed to be established, planning Valley Line is at Littlehaven where Accreditation should provide assurance to others, including permission sought and on-going there was a scheme to ‘Refurbish potential funders and partners, that the CRP operates to high maintenance agreements secured and Expand the Cycle parking, standards of governance and financial propriety; adopts a (as the land it outside GTR’s lease) on Rusper Road adjacent to the collaborative approach; is worthy of trust by Horsham District Council who have entrance to Platform 1 (North side). others; and is a suitable entity for receiving public representation on the Arun Valley funds. It means government considers it a good The SCRP introduced the Passenger Line Group stepped in to ensure representative of the local community. Benefit team to the Horsham and things went smoothly. 4 5 SOUTHEAST COMMUNITIES RAIL PARTNERSHIP The installation of the new cycle The reinstatement of the old parking is anticipated this year. platform waiting room, following Paul Devereux, GTR Contract Project up funding opportunity from the Manager, Passenger Benefit Fund said: Railway Heritage Trust. Importantly there has been close engagement “It has been extremely rewarding with the Parish Council which working with SCRP Line Groups, resulted in extra funding and a whose members and Line Officers beautiful mural painted by a have brought local knowledge to local artist. help inform and enhance projects The local collaboration with the at stations.” PBF team also has resulted in the Artwork at Penshurst station Artwork donated by the Parish Council Sharon Gray, the Community use of heritage colour scheme and on display at Eridge station. Rail Line Officer for the Tonbridge, station partner Spa Valley Railway Redhill & Reigate line and the providing access to their photo Uckfield & East Grinstead Lines archive for historic photo display has worked closely with the PBF and from the Railway Heritage team and this is exemplified by the Trust, original plans for the Another example of our close It has been a pleasure and very work at Eridge Station. Here the station buildings which have working with the PBF team is at useful working with Sharon and scheme includes: been reproduced for display. Penshurst station where Sharon the local community groups”. Gray’s detective work and community Another good example is the work knowledge resulted in engagement that Catherine Simmons, Line with a local art collective who Officer for the Seaford to Brighton have provided the most amazing line has undertaken at Glynde. collaborative art project to decorate Here Catherine worked with The the waiting shelter. Friends of Glynde Station run by Max Kenna GTR Contract Project Helen Sadler for around two years Manager said ”Sharon Gray’s supporting the station adoption and knowledge of the local station plans for creating wildlife gardens at communities and local contacts has the station. In the PBF consultation proved invaluable in helping improve Helen proposed various arts/history and shape several of the projects. projects which would be welcome. Amberley shelter before and after 6 7 SOUTHEAST COMMUNITIES RAIL PARTNERSHIP After the local primary school ran Active Access for Growth Programme a competition for railway art, we chose the winners which were to be This is a project which the SCRP has A summary of the outcomes of created in metal work by Thomas carried out over the last four years this Independent Train Travel Gontar at the local forge (thought working with ESCC, Sustrans and Training (ITTT) 2017-20 to be the oldest running forge in Living Streets. The Active Access programme is set out below. the country!). Working together for Growth Programme encourages Key impacts with Paul Devereux and the PBF rail and sustainable transport use. • Participants felt more confident installation teams the artwork has As part of this programme SCRP to travel by train and would now been placed at the station and offered Independent Train Travel choose to do so in the future.