Peer review: Chris Leech
Lead Corporate Adviser to the Transport Sector, BITC
Community Rail Partnerships are one of the UK’s railway success stories, making a real and tangible contribution to local economies and communities along much of our network. Passenger use on community rail lines has grown by nearly 3% a year on top of the ‘normal’ growth on non-CRP lines, so how can we collectively work together to progress this programme, to match the immediate and long-term needs of both the rail sector and the communities it serves?
Greater expectations, scrutiny and pressures are shining a spotlight on how businesses (especially in transport) make their money, on the impact they have on the communities they serve, and on the importance of creating long-term shared value.
If we are to continue on the trajectory created by CRP ambassadors, we need to develop an overarching strategic policy that can be adopted and integrated into business plans by both train operators and infrastructure companies.
The real social and economic gains of such integration are huge. With our network undergoing expansion not seen since the Victorian era, I believe that by working with CRPs, the industry as a whole could not only address the sustainability agenda, but equally it could create a legacy in a way that demonstrates clear and decisive leadership beyond any other sector at a time when it is needed most.
I believe we are now on the way to creating a responsible business approach. The DfT recently announced that ten apprenticeship places will be created for CRPs across the
network. This small step heralds a fresh new approach by the DfT, which recognises that young people have the biggest social network and often the loudest voices within our community. Their ability to transfer information via peer to peer communication is key to taking this agenda to the next level.
We need innovative thinking such as this in order to fill the skills gap, to meet needs and drive future growth. But this could be accelerated even further if we were to adopt a collective responsibility. For example, if we were to provide these young ambassadors with a 360° view of careers and prospects in the UK rail industry, wouldn’t everyone benefit?
Could we harness their knowledge to influence how stations are used, by going beyond the original design to promote community cohesion and increase footfall. Even better, who knows one day we may see stations being effectively managed by CRP groups themselves… the opportunities are boundless.
I now genuinely believe we have the political will and the passion to match those of our excellent teams within CRPs, and extend this hugely successful programme to the next generation of passengers. And in doing so, we are now in a position to communicate and accelerate total long-term value creation.
Business leaders in the rail sector, must be seen to act and demonstrate their commitment to creating a fairer society and a more sustainable future, by fostering a culture that will encourage innovation, reward the right behaviour and rebuild trust. Where better to start than with Community Rail Partnerships?
