Schemes from across South West Trains and the Island Line have been short-listed in eight of the 16 categories at this year’s Community Rail Awards.
The awards, to be held in Plymouth this September, attract entries from across the country in a host of categories, ranging from best station garden to best marketing plan.
This year Swaythling Station in Hampshire has been short-listed in the most enhanced community/heritage station category, reflecting the substantial improvement works carried out by a partnership of South West Trains, Southampton City Council, Network Rail, Railway Heritage and the British Transport Police.
In the outstanding railway staff contribution, Ian Macavoy and his team at Brockenhurst, have been short-listed for the hard work they have put into improving the station, including making and planting window boxes for the station platforms, painting the toilets and waiting rooms and making historical displays.
Some of the Brockenhurst staff joined other South West Trains’ employees when they donned fancy dress for a children’s charity weekend featuring the Dream Train, which is itself short-listed in the best marketing event category.
Further down the line the Friends of Christchurch Station have been short-listed in the best station adoption group section. The Friends, formed last year through the Christchurch Community Partnership, have done a huge amount to make the station a more welcoming gateway to the town, including introducing additional security checks, coffee mornings, litter picking and station painting.
There is also good news for the Isle of Wight Community Rail Partnership, with the group’s Community Rail Officer Bobby Lock (Mrs) among the finalists for the outstanding community rail partnership officer contribution.
The IoW CRP is also recognised in the community art schemes section for the mural at Sandown Station, produced by youngsters from nearby Sandown High School; who were also involved in the Travelsafe project – short-listed in the Passengers Matter category.
Bobby Lock worked closely with the school and British Transport Police to create a poster and leaflets to promote safe and increased use of public transport for young people on the Island.
The original poster, designed by the students, used the medium of photography to depict the six transport providers and promote safe responsible behaviour in transport terminals, at stations, and on public transport itself. The leaflets also feature details of website and telephone numbers for “Parent Line” supporting anti bullying, and the Lucie Blackman Trust “Safety Text”.
Last, but not least, the Isle of Wight CRP’s work on integration has made the finals of the Local Transport Integration category.
To assist pupils with the transition from junior to middle school and beyond, Helen Stichbury, of Isle of Wight Council, brought together Wightbus and Island Line to educate pupils on how to purchase tickets, and catch the bus and train.
Groups of pupils from St Helen’s School caught the bus from their homes and travelled to Ryde St Johns Road Station. There they met station staff who explained how to use the train safely. The children then travelled by train to Shanklin, where they were met by Wightbus and taken back to their school.
The bringing together of the rail and bus companies was a first on the Island and showed how partnership working between transport providers can benefit the community through transport integration.
Jane Lee, Head of Public Affairs for South West Trains and the Island Line, said:
“It is great news that so many projects and individuals have been recognised in these awards. It is proof of the exciting partnerships developing in our local communities to the benefit of all public transport users.”
The winners of the awards will be announced at the 2008 Community Rail Awards to be held in Plymouth on September 19.