Progress Report of the North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership

2011/2012

“I’m pleased toreport anothersuccessful year forthe Partnership. Inthese difficult

economic times it is harder to find funding forresources and services, but stations can stillbe made more attractive with the help ofvolunteers. Indeed there has been acontinued government call for ‘big society’volunteers to help sustain public services. Wehave responded strongly under the expertdirection of our Partnership Officer, FayeLambert, and now have 42 volunteersrecruited – that’s the largest group for a routeon East Midlands Trains’ (EMT’s) network.Considering that five years ago the volunteernumber was zero – you have to beimpressed!

“Furthermore, 17 of these volunteers werethis year awarded EMT long servicecertificates for 5 and 3 years of service.

Considering that each volunteer worksaround 2 hours each week, that’s almost4,500 hours per year the Partnership hasgarnered for the route – a considerable extraresource. This says nothing of the wealth ofenvironmental improvements that have beenachieved at almost every station along theline – stations in which communities nowtake a pride, and which do undoubtedlyadd to the pleasure of travelling by train forpassengers using them.

“We are seeing that growth in passengernumbers is levelling out due in part tocapacity issues; the single car 153s,although nicely refurbished, are becomingvery overcrowded at peak times whereservices cannot be strengthened to 2 carunits. This is due to a national shortage ofrolling stock and the priority given by the DfTto routes which are considered in greaterneed. We will continue lobbying for theextra rolling stock the route clearly requires.

“My thanks to all our volunteers – your workis appreciated not just by us but by manypassengers. Thanks also to EMT and its stafffor continued financial and personal supportfor the Partnership and for our volunteers; toCheshire East, Derbyshire, Staffordshire andStoke-on-Trent City Councils for continuedfunding in difficult times; and especially toFaye Lambert, already mentioned, who doesso much, not just in recruiting and sustainingvolunteers, but in keeping the wholeCommunity Rail Partnership on the rails andin its place as one of the most successful inthe country. You will read of other gratefulacknowledgements in the pages that follow.”

Michael WillmotChair, North Staffordshire Community RailPartnership

An introduction to the report fromPartnership Chairman, Michael Willmot

Michael

Seven years of achievementsHere are just some of the achievements that have been made by thePartnership towards developing and promoting the North Staffordshire Linesince the Partnership was formed in 2005• Over £750,000 of investment for the route has been raised by successfulPartnership bids to schemes like Access for All, North StaffordshireRegeneration Zone and other funding bodies• This capital has funded major improvements at intermediate stations (themajority of which are unstaffed), including the provision of anti-vandalshelters, CCTV, Customer Information Systems (CIS, with public address system)and improved lighting• A total of 42 station volunteers have been actively recruited by the Partnership across the route, with whose support wehave improved the station environment for passengers, transforming station gardens and delivering many other projects,such as improved passenger information and station artwork• We’ve secured the support and involvement of numerous schools and community groups, individuals, organisations andbusinesses including Parish and Town Councils, Civic Societies, Tesco, JCB and the British Transport Police to improve the routethrough events like Station Community Days and community art and gardening projects. These initiatives have served toreduce anti-social behaviour at stations so creating a more welcoming environment that passengers are pleased to use• Our on-going promotion of the route through dedicated marketing, including an annual line visitor guide with localattractions discount vouchers plus on-going press campaign, together with the aforementioned station improvements, hashelped to increase passenger growth (i.e. ORR Lennon data comparing 2007 to 2010 shows a 17.5% increase).

Improved facilities at Longport station

2 Working in partnership to develop the North Staffordshire Line

Community rail rewardsAfter receiving a record six nominations in the annual NationalCommunity Rail Awards (2011), we came away with a clutch ofCertificates of Excellence in the categories Best Community RailImage, Best Community Rail Event and a well-deserved Runner-Upaward in the Best Station Adoption Group category for theKidsgrove Station volunteer team.

Chuffed with train refitTo celebrate the refurbishment of the 153 rolling stock usedon the North Staffordshire Line, our Train Operator EastMidlands Trains treated us and our many station volunteersto a special trip to Derby in one of the newly refurbishedunits. We were even served up afternoon tea on route andEngineering Director Tim Sayer paid a special vote of thanksto the volunteer team and the Partnership for theirsupport.

With passenger numbers on the route rising, in spite ofASLEF strike action, 6.7% (based on East Midlands Trains’Lennon data September ’11 – June ’12), the improvements areespecially welcome. We continue to lobby for additional stockto strengthen peak time services and better accommodatethe greater passenger base.

Flower power for Jubilee andOlympic yearAt intermediate stations all along the route fromAlsager to Tutbury & Hatton, the colours of the UnionJack cheerfully bloomed thanks to the support ofstation volunteers. We provided both funding, plantsand assistance for the patriotic flower displaysvolunteers created to help passengers celebrate theyear of the Diamond Jubilee and London Olympics.

Sandra and Elsie' members of the award−winningKidsgrove team' at a Station Community Day

Blythe Bridge volunteer Chris says“Cheers to Community Rail!”

3 Working in partnership to develop the North Staffordshire Line

Alsager is aBest KeptStation .“superb” saysMPIf you’re a visitor toAlsager station and enjoythe lovely feature gardensat this country station,then this will come as nosurprise. In 2011, the volume of community involvement at Alsager,which has been garnered through the Partnership and station‘Friends’ volunteers, was recognised by The Cheshire Best KeptStations initiative. Alsager made the shortlist and it wascelebrations all round in January 2012 when the station took thesponsor’s (Roberts Bakery) Frank Roberts Award for Best Newcomerto the competition. A delighted Peter Smith (station Friend, left),Faye Lambert and Neil Roberts of Cheshire East Council (Partnershipmember) are pictured receiving the award, which now takes prideof place at the station.

The much-improved Alsager station proved a hit with local MP Fiona Bruce too. Shegot in touch to arrange a visit to meet the Partnership and volunteers and was duly welcomed to the stationin November, where she was given a guided tour of the gardens and new facilities including the solar HelpPoints and Cycle Pod bike storage. Fiona’s verdict? “I am thoroughly impressed by the work you do…thestation looks superb and it is wonderful to see such community spirit.”

Community art enhances AlsagerIn another project to celebrate 2012 as a landmark year, wefunded a colourful new community mural for Alsager station. Theintricate design, which has transformed the plain external brickwall of Platform 1’s waiting shelter, features views of the stationpast and present, including rolling stock of then and now.

The mural also reflectsthe vibrancy of thetown and its people,through views of TheMere, Milton Park and thebusy market, all set against a countryside background illustratingthe town’s rural location. The mural was painted by professionallocal artist Anthony Hammond (who has worked with the Partnershipon a number of station art projects for the route including a 120’mural for Uttoxeter station), based on ideas put forward by thestation Friends volunteer group.

4 Working in partnership to develop the North Staffordshire Line

Sharing good practiceWith our successful roll out of the StationCommunity Day initiative and recruitment ofvolunteer support, the Partnership was asked toshare this good practice with community rail acrossthe UK by penning special briefing papers on thesetopics. These were written by Faye Lambert for theAssociation of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP)and disseminated through their website and events.Faye also presented on Volunteer Recruitment andRetention to UK Community Rail Officers and has alsogiven advice and support on writing press releasesand press liaison.

An ACoRP Briefing Sheet

Recruiting and Retainin

Volunteers

The value of volunteers to community

Whether they are working at stations tending gardens or

distributing guides and linking with schools and other org

rail projects, we all know volunteers can prove to be wort

Their support is especially useful to the often lone, often

support your marketing activities, and those who help m

social behaviour, with the knock-on effect of cutting sta

use of the service.

All ery positive outcomes that can easily be achieved o

i wn right5 Working in partnership to develop the North Staffordshire Line

Blythe Bridge art attackThis year, 10 and 11 year olds from Forsbrook Primary Schoolsupported us by getting their paints and easels out to designpaintings of trains and stations for their favourite station,Blythe Bridge. The artwork, displayed in poster cases donated byEast Midlands Trains, fills the wall on Platform 1. As a thank you,we arranged for them to take a research trip, courtesy of EMT,to Derby to prepare for a further station art project. There theywere given a tour of the station by Duty Manager John Kilroy andshown different types of rolling stock and all the variousoperations that go into managing this busy mainline station.

*Every Little Helps’the PartnershipWe were delighted to secure the support of Tesco for ourprojects this year. Local Tesco stores in Longton and Kidsgroveanswered our call for help with Station Community Day events atthese stations, and turned out in numbers to work alongsidethe Partnership, East Midlands Trains, British Transport Policestaff, Network Rail, ACoRPmembers and stationvolunteers to springclean these stations.

Tesco also kindly donatedrefreshments includingcakes, sandwiches, fruitand soft drinks tosustain everyone helpingon the day. Cheers Tesco!

Kidsgrove children arepicture perfectChildren from St Thomas’ Primary School, Kidsgrove,who tend seasonal planters at the station entrance,have continued to support their local station thisyear by creating new poster artwork for display .The posters feature trains, passengers and stationswith messages encouraging people to use the train to ‘Save thePlanet’, ‘Save Petrol’ and ‘Make our City Greener.’

The poster by 11-year-old Matthew Birchall, is a clever collage of usedrail tickets, which he has saved over the years from his rail travels,in the form of the rail symbol. As well as local destinations such asCrewe, Derby, Longton and Manchester, Matthew’s collage showshow holiday resorts and places much farther afield – Lincoln, Rhyl,Southport and Windermere – are within easy reach by rail from theStaffordshire station. A great advertisement for rail travel fromyour local railway station!

Businesses supportPartnershipWe’ve always enjoyed great support from localbusinesses and tourist attractions for our projectsand also passenger offers, the latter being especiallyuseful as a feature in our route Visitor Guide. Thanksto Crewe Heritage Centre, Portmeirion, Longton’sGladstone Pottery Museum and Tutbury Castle foroffering discounts this year. We also had furthersupport from Westfield Derby, offering passengersfree Kiddy Car Hire at the shopping centre, and fromRedfern’s Cottage Museum, Uttoxeter, a 2 for 1 onadmission.

DISCOUNTVOUCHERS

INSIDEplus see theStaffordshireHoard exhibit

NorthStaffordshire Line

to the

Crewe -Stoke-Derby

6 Working in partnership to develop the North Staffordshire Line

More new volunteers join our teamThe station volunteer team for the North Staffordshire Line is now 42strong in number. We’ve welcomed eight new volunteers this year,including: Gill Boughey – Alsager (pictured top right)Stan Lawrence – Longport, pictured opposite, on the left, during astation gardening eventJoy McKenna – Longton, pictured bottom right, centre, at LongtonStation Community Day

Uttoxeterteam noweight strongOur largest recruitmentpush has been atUttoxeter to helpfledgling volunteersMaureen, Janet andAndrew give the carpark beds a majormakeover. Local

residents Dave White, Ian Henderson (pictured), Cathy Kerrigan, RichardSmith and Michael Eyre are now helping to get the station noticed for allthe right reasons.

Blythe Bridge still blazing a trailBlythe Bridge station, first ever winner in2010 of East Midlands Trains’ Best SmallStation Award, still has strong communityand volunteer support. The station wasour first to be adopted and this year thevolunteers celebrated their 5th anniversaryby modelling our new North StaffordshireLine Station Volunteer T-Shirt.The adoption project, led by ForsbrookParish Council, has helped transform thestation gardens, adding great value to thepassenger facilities improvements wefunded, including waiting shelters, CIS and CCTV.

In June, we were delighted to receive additional support for Blythe Bridgefrom Staffordshire County Councillor Bill Day. Bill is pictured here with oneof the planters he donated, ably planted by long-serving volunteersNorah and Graham Stanier. Another example of the great communitysupport won for the station is passenger Bob Hall, who, as thanks forhow much the station has improved, has donated plants for a prettywoodland garden there in memory of his wife.

7 Working in partnership to develop the North Staffordshire Line

Sharing good practiceImproved station facilities for passengers

Improved trains for the route

Community support – Paul Williams, British Transport

Police, helping us at Uttoxeter stationEast Midlands Trains supporting our projects

Blooming great station gardens

These pictures tell the story of a ‘Raily Rewarding’ year

Publication date: September 2012

To find out more about the North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership, get in touch with:Faye Lambert

Community Rail Partnership OfficerTel: 01782 232272 Email: faye.lambert@stoke.gov.uk