PROGRESS REPORT Published February 2019 Linking local communities with the rail industry To Cardiff Gloucester To Birmingham Severn Pilning To Cardiff Beach Welcome to the Severnside Community Yate Rail Partnership’s 2019 Progress Report Patchway To Swindon To Swindon Cam & Dursley St Andrew’s Road The Severnside Community Rail Partnership Our rail familiarisation programme for year-six To is the link between local communities and the primary school pupils is designed to ensure Bristol Parkway Cardiff Filton Abbey rail industry. We cover the network of routes those attending a school within walking Avonmouth Wood radiating from Bristol, bounded by Gloucester, distance of a station experience at least one Sea Mills Bath/Freshford, Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, rail journey so they have confidence to use the Pilning and the Severn Estuary; this includes the local railway independently, as they progress Shirehampton Montpelier Severn Yate To Swindon branch line to Severn Beach. to secondary school. We also negotiated an Redland Stapleton Road Beach innovative, low cost season ticket scheme for Bristol Parkway We work with local communities and a range of some secondary school pupils. Bristol Clifton Down Lawrence Hill partners to Toidentify andSwindon implement measures to Bristol Temple Meads To Swindon ensure that access to local stations is easy and A top prize-winning Partnership Temple Meads that stations are safe and welcoming. Many of our schemes have won Awards – Parson Street Bedminster Nailsea & Keynsham We have sponsored, organised and arranged Backwell and last October the Partnership’s work was Yatton Oldfield Park funding packages for community-based recognised nationally when we received the Worle Bath Spa improvements at over half the local stations. top award for our “Outstanding Contribution Western Freshford To Westbury & These include a complete rebuild of Severn to Community Rail”. Milton Western- Southampton Beach station – the first and, Super-MareKeynsham so far the only, local station in the West of England to have been completely rebuilt. Highbridge We recently developed and & Burnham implemented, with the local Oldfield Park community, a plan and funding package for a comprehensive Bridgwater improvement of Avonmouth Bath Spa station, transforming a derelict eyesore, and run To Reading down environment, with new Freshford facilities and a community To Exeter garden – which will play a part Taunton Supported by presenting a more attractive public transport entrance to the Enterprise Area. Both these major schemes were delivered on time The Partnership is a Community Interest and below budget. Other local stations have Company. The running costs of the Part- been transformed, considerably assisted – nership, including the post of Partnership Our principal funders and sponsors on a voluntary basis – by young people and Manager, receive significant funding by way local communities. Schools display their of grants from Great Western Railway, Cross artwork on the platforms and community Country Trains and local authorities. Without groups tend the gardens, many of which have their support and encouragement, we could received “outstanding” in the RHS It’s Your not operate and deliver the considerable Neighbourhood Awards. benefits which are being achieved. Under As well as station-based schemes, our Great Western and Cross Country Franchise emphasis is also on improving social arrangements, there has been a much wel- Severnside Community Chairman: Keith Walton inclusivity and access to the local railway, comed increase in funding for specific Com- Rail Partnership c.i.c Email: [email protected] Tel: 07740047812 including facilitating free-of-charge rail visits munity Rail projects, and this is supplemented c/o GWR, Temple Meads Station, Partnership Officer: Heather Cullimore for disadvantaged communities. Special by bids for specific grants from local authority Bristol, BS1 6QF Email: [email protected] Tel: 07795562311 events are also held on trains for hard-to-reach and other sources. www.severnside-rail.org.uk groups. During the journey, participants are encouraged to socialise and participate in an Severnside Community severnsidecommunityrailpartnership @SevernsideCRP activity such as creative artwork. Keith Walton, Chairman 2 Rail Partnership 2 3 Some of the Partnership’s Achievements in 2017 Safer & More Welcoming Local Partnership’s region and included clearance of The rail transformation programme 2018 Bristol. Launched during Bristol Walk Fest in Stations vegetation, horticultural activity, litter picking saw an unprecedented number of temporary May 2018, the programme is open to all and and support to volunteer groups entering the line closures. Cotham School students rounded off with a visit to Yatton on a sunny The Severnside Community Rail Partnership It’s Your Neighbourhood Award competition. turned communications experts scripting October Sunday. has a tradition of successfully engaging and starring in a film informing passengers schools, community groups and individual Incredible Edible how to use rail replacement buses. The film Supporting the Local Economy volunteers in projects to enhance their local amassed substantial views across social Our partnership with Incredible Edible The Partnership encourages enterprise at local stations, ensuring their stations provide both media platforms and YouTube. Designed for Bristol is now in its fourth year and brings stations and is proud of the small businesses a welcoming environment for passengers and a teenage audience a volunteer working party to tend station operating from station buildings at Yatton an attractive gateway to the neighbourhood. but equally relevant planters each month. Everyone is welcome and Redland. We were pleased to support for adults, it was also and the working parties create a very local traders by funding poster cases and the It’s Your Neighbourhood Scheme used as a training friendly, diverse group of volunteers which printing of maps to promote local Business tool for GWR, NR and Voluntary groups tending gardens at Yatton frequently includes students studying at Improvement Districts. agency staff assigned and Oldfield Park stations, along with the the local universities. Produce grown in the to supporting whole of the Severn Beach line, were thrilled designated edible station planters is available passengers to retain a much deserved “Outstanding” to the whole community – be it local resident Awards Success during periods status in the Royal Horticultural Society or commuter - to pick and enjoy. It’s Your Neighbourhood Award Scheme of rail replacement. January brought award success at the which recognises Community participation, youtube.com/ National Rail Business Awards with environmental responsibility and gardening Involving Young People watch?v=3WxZIcnQIEo our Partnership with GWR and Cotham achievement. Every station’s volunteers Bold community art schemes at local stations Under funding from A Forgotten Landscape School winning the Safety and Security must be applauded for their contribution and are nothing new and it has been long proven Heritage Lottery funded project and the Excellence Category. commitment throughout the summer of 2018 that where quality art is installed it deters Partnership, the 63rd The Association of Community Rail which will be remembered for being one of mindless graffiti tagging. In March 2018 Bristol Scouts took a Partnerships’ annual award ceremony the hottest on record. Tremendous community we embarked on our most ambitious art journey of discovery held on Glasgow brought further efforts ensured plants were watered regularly scheme to date – a mural covering a 50 metre along the Severn Beach recognition with the “Fearless” and not lost to the drought. long wall on the approach to Montpelier line and recorded their Montpelier Mural winning first place station. Incorporating ideas received during findings. The in the Community Art Schemes a community consultation, the design film promotes (permanent) category. We took by Bristol artist Silent Hobo reflects the the line the second prize in the Involving neighbourhood, its flora and fauna and carries beautifully Young People category for the the Crimestoppers charity “Fearless” logo. and the Scouts’ Cotham School Rail Replacement Students from the Kingsweston campus efforts were youtube.com/ Film and also second prize in the of City of Bristol College and pupils from rewarded with an watch?v=lWaWJh0nF6E Best Community Engagement Dolphin Primary school received a street Entertainer badge. art masterclass and contributed to actual Category for ‘On the Move Events’. painting. The art and landscape integration is Walking for Health Furthermore, the Severnisde impressive and the mural Community Rail Partnership was Community Payback Our “walks from the rail” programme offers a widely praised. announced the overall winner receiving Local stations benefit from offenders change of scene and great company. Groups the “Outstanding Contribution to spending their unpaid work hours improving Scan QR code or visit of up to 20 walkers enjoy guided walks led Community Rail Award” with the youtube.com/ the station environment. A qualified by qualified Walking for Health leaders. The judges acknowledging the efforts supervisor, employed by the Partnership, watch?v=NQ8AJDVsjOE package includes rail travel from Bristol to watch of the whole team in creating safer, brings small groups of offenders to local Temple Meads to either Severn Beach,