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Community Railways Initiative

Answer

Community Rail Partnerships (CRPs) are at the heart of the Government’s Community Rail Development Strategy, which seeks to make it easier for the rail industry and local communities to work in partnership to do more to ensure the long term health of local services. ‘The Value of Community Rail Partnerships and the Value of Community Rail Volunteering’ report published in January 2015 has shown that CRPs pay for themselves, adding economic, social and environmental value whilst passenger use on community rail lines grew by an additional 2.8% each year compared to the national rail network or regional services. There are 39 community rail partnerships supporting 74 local rail lines in the UK.

Funding for individual partnerships is provided through a number of sources including private donations. Departmental funding for individual partnerships is provided through the franchise process. We cannot provide the annual cost to the public purse as the data which we hold does not differentiate between contributions made to cover core running costs of individual partnerships or those that are used to deliver projects on community rail routes. Additionally many partnerships receive funding from their local authorities in recognition of the innovative work they do supporting local objectives.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

2546

Session

2015-16

Grouped for answer

Yes

Subjects

Community railways initiative

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk