Great Western Coffee Shop

Is this the fifth or sixth in this popular series?   Add this to your calendar, bookmark it, set your phone's alarm or whatever you do not to forget.  This one is going to be very interesting and very SW rail relevant!

On the day that the GW Community Rail Conference was due to take part - what better to look at a subject with the community and rail at its heart?

This will be the 6th next in our WEBINAR SERIES.  Contributions have been incredibly valuable and we are particularly flattered that so many of the esteemed speakers have decided to come back as part of the general discussion group.

SESSION 6
WILL THERE BE A PLACE FOR CRP'S AFTER COVID19
WHAT WILL BE COMMUNITY RAIL'S ROLE AFTER COVID19?

"Community and rail" or "Community Rail" or "Community and sustainable transport"?

How can our community members, groupings and organisations best partner forward?

Vision and versatility could secure a place for Community Rail Partnership in the post COVID 19 environment:
are CRP's aware of the challenge ahead; and can recent events could provide a catalyst for reconsidering the interpretation of the 4 pillars of community rail.

Tickets (free, access code) via EventBrite (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/will-there-be-place-for-community-rail-partnerships-after-covid-19-tickets-108522650168)

Edit to cross out SHOUTED subject line ... see follow up below ...

A year ago, if I had boarded a train wearing a facemask and approached a member of the staff, I would have been asked to take it off. Yet now, were I to board a train without a face mask and approach a member of staff, I would be asked to put one on.

A year ago, advice was to reduce the risk of transmitting babies from one to another by covering one body part. Now couples should have sex while wearing face coverings to reduce the risk of transmitting Covid-19 to one another.

A year ago, if I had learned of a fellow community rail volunteer telling people not to use the train unless it was absolutely essential, I would have sought to help them understand why their advice was probably incorrect. Now I find it's the basis for short term advice I'm having to give out myself.

A lot has changed from last year to this year.

We are unlikely to return to the world as we know it; some things will be changed for ever.   And that makes it a time of great risk, but also of great opportunity.  At the TravelWatch SouthWest Zoom meeting on Friday (sign up via EventBrite (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/will-there-be-place-for-community-rail-partnerships-after-covid-19-tickets-108522650168) if you wish to take part), we'll seed discussions of the opportunities and risks for Community Rail and look forward to hearing member views.   I have been invited to take just a few minutes to introduce the topic and start the ball rolling.

Spoiler alert. Communities and community organisations have more, not less, opportunity at the present time (and looking forward too) to * provide a voice for the community * promote sustainable, healthy and accessible travel * bring communities together, supporting diversity & inclusion and * support social and economic development.   Here on the Coffee Shop, we endorse those objectives, and at the Melksham Rail User Group we endorse them too.  The last three months have been busier not quieter to these ends, and on Friday I'll be sharing and promoting the view that the community has more to do and not less in the future of sustainable transport. Anyone who thinks I would take an opposite view doesn't know me; airing the subject allows us to all gain strength from a wide variety of inputs so we can all be stronger and even more effective in the future than we have in the past.

The original shouted subject line was not mine - though much of the following text was.

Edit - advice v advise correction!

I was thinking yesterday, we have spent years trying to educate people not to hog the seat next to them by putting a bag or other luggage on it.   When this is all over we will probably have to start the process all over again!

The current (main) rail network in the South West (TWSW area) and the Community Rail Partnerships

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/twswrailcrpa.jpg)

I'm doing part of the intro ... some notes I've made as I've been thinking it through ... see some of you there

http://www.passenger.chat/twsw20200612_lead.pdf

TravelWatch SouthWest - Zoom meeting looking at Community Rail - 'risks and opportunities' - 12.6.2020
Chaired by Chris Irwin - admin / assistance - Bryony Chetwode

Notes by Graham Ellis - as I saw the meeting, Errors and Omissions excepted (but please let me know of revisions)

Chris Irwin

Pandemic not a disruption but an eruption. Leaves debris of fertile soil - just don't know what it will grow
UGov poll reports 10:1 (80% - 8%) citing clean air as a gain to be retained
Community Rail / heroes blazed trail
I wonder if this can widen to bus too

Graham Ellis

[self - as pages 2 and 3 of http://www.passenger.chat/twsw20200612_lead.pdf ]

Tim Davis

Marketing via CRPs and Community involvement is crucial
And that has to keep going.
How we build, marketing every year

More involved in the community and not less
Can also be in the development link and wider - cycle, walking, buses
Also look at Hubs

David Redgewell

Top down guidance from DfT concentrates on key workers almost exclusively
Also need to look at social and community lives and Social needs
Examples of horrendous initial services on Weymouth line and on Severn Beach line;

Richard Burningham

Local people / need / want
Big rebuilding job again
Looking at getting projects such as Penmere running again
Encouraging book shops across the region online but then for personal visits as things re-open

Dixie Darch

Concern at Bus routes through newly pedestrian towns. - NEXT WEEK's topic

Chris Dale

Deansgate at Manchester was provided more space on pavements
Not helpful on buses as the stops are moved away and roadside
NB - from CRPs, some of theirs (North West) cover larger stations

Paul Johnson

Local connections / connectivity a big issue [Westbury]
Hard to get inputs into the global scheme
TTs have not been improved.  We need a mechanism.
Demographics tend to be seniors.
Young projects needed.  Hanging baskets do not appeal to that demographic
Looking at projects working with Primary Schools

Nick Farthing

TransDev / now coming back to full buses
Videos and invites to use
Message needs to be "You won't die if you use the train"
Need more positive views

Claire Waters

Tends not to reflect services (what doesn't? - note error)
How do you proved exemption on not wearing a mask on public transport

Chris Irwin

Need wider groups?
New awareness?

Jane Jones

Not straightforward; groups have their own internet groups
LGBT not so hard
CRP is an excellent way in

Heather Cullimore

Low form reps.  Good group links.
Pride shows rail welcome
Forums [like this] daunting for representatives
Frightening

David Redgewell

First as an inclusive culture
Credit Jane Jones and other at First / also such as James Freeman

Bryony Chetwode

How can TWSW seed forward?

Graham Ellis

How to reach inclusive groups where they are a small minority?
Noting that rail users [Melksham arrive / leave] are greater variety proportion
Welcome at BLM demonstration and looking to develop that onwards as a local movement
Keeping rail / MRUG in during lockdown - wider community involvement in recent months
BUT how do the well meaning white old men avoid overpowering help / note HC fears

Claire Waters

We need to go where the people are not expect them to come to us
Faith groups, lunch clubs etc

Chris Dale

Our CRP from leafy Cheshire into MCR.
From typical CRP station through to Levenshulme - group 70% asian

Chris Irwin

Next week - urban and bus lanes v passenger spacing in town centres.

Footnote - I was more involved in talking and replies than usual, so I may have missed some points raised as I made my own notes.

Introductions (a who's who for the above) and public background chat and links.  Introductions via chat are encouraged but not required ... there were around 40 attendees in total.

I have run this through a spell checker and made some modest corrections; readers should appreciated that these comments are made interactively and so are 'immediate' rather than long term policy.

16:02:13    From  Mike Lambden : Mike Lambden - Bus Archive and ex National Express
16:02:14    From  Miriam Ricci : Hi Miriam Ricci here from UWE Bristol
16:02:15    From  Graham Parkhurst : Graham Parkhurst, UWE Bristol
16:02:15    From  mark Shelford : Mark Shelford Deputy Chair of Bath Area Trams Association
16:02:18    From  Andrew.Ardley : Andrew Ardley, Regional Development Manager, South Western Railway
16:02:41    From  Ian Harrison : Ian Harrison from Heart of the South West LEP
16:02:42    From  Heather Cullimore : Heather Cullimore, Severnside Community Rail Partnership
16:02:44    From  Richard Burningham : Richard Burningham, Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership
16:02:50    From  Paul Webster : Paul Webster - Support & Development Manager - Community Rail Network
16:02:52    From  Nick Thwaites : Somerset West and Taunton - Cllr Nick Thwaites, Exmoor
16:03:10    From  Richard Lloyd : Richard Lloyd CPRE Gloucestershire
16:03:11    From  Cllr Tim Dumper : Tim Dumper, Cllr Exmouth Town Council
16:03:39    From  dixie : Somerset West and Taunton - Cllr Dixie Darch, Taunton
16:03:46    From  David Redgewell : David Redgewell Bristol mayor transport board and Bristol disability equality forum trustee and south Gloucestershire council disability equalities forum trustee
16:04:21    From  mark Shelford : But did they also ask in order to do that you will loose your car parking place?
16:04:35    From  Nick : Good afternoon everyone - Chair Nick Farthing Three Rivers CRP
16:04:44    From  Dave Andrews : Dave Andrews from Bath Area Trams Association see https://bathtrams.uk/trams-as-a-central-back-bone-of-citys-transport-integrated-with-buses-enable-cities-to-thrive-again-by-making-them-easy-to-enter-pleasant-places-as-they-once-were-and-often-are-on-th/
16:04:52    From  Chris Dale : Chris Dale from TravelWatch NorthWest just proving that technology has arrived up here.
16:05:47    From  Andy Burkitt - SERA SW : Andy Burkitt - Bristol & SW SERA
16:06:02    From  Dick Daniel : Dick Daniel BATA Bath Area Trams Asso
16:06:12    From  John Hamley : Hello from John Hamley, Melksham Rail Users Group
16:06:14    From  Lucy Travis : Lucy Travis Frome and Villages Bus User Group / Somerset Catch The Bus Campaign
16:09:36    From  Lee Fletcher : Lee Fletcher Great Western Coffee Shop Forum
16:11:17    From  Graham Ellis : Graham Ellis - Melksham RUG and Coffee Shop forum Notes via http://www.passenger.chat/twsw20200612

---

16:16:15    From  Chris Dale : Graham mentioned large stations and community involvement. We have experience with these stations.
16:16:55    From  Mike Lambden : Community bus can link into core bus routes and coach services as well as rail.
16:17:44    From  dixie : How are towns managing the active travel pop up cycle routes which favour cyclists and pedestrians with buses (sorry I know this is about buses not trains!) but it's topical as town centres open on Monday.

16:18:23    From  Paul Webster - Community Rail Network : The 4 pillars of the CR strategy are still very much being met by CRPs. They are listening to local communities as the conduit to TOCs. They are large and they are small. They don't need to form together into large groupings.
16:19:07    From  Paul Webster - Community Rail Network : Yes many CRPs do work with other providers of public transport and we (at CRN) are working with CTA and others
16:19:21    From  Heather Cullimore : Keen to discuss the role of community rail in supporting marginalised groups and particularly BAME communities in having confidence to travel during recovery
16:19:25    From  Dave Andrews : Just pointing out that previously most cities had a tram system to deliver passengers to and from a main rail station. Most car drivers will not use buses but they will use trams. https://bathtrams.uk/evidence-that-car-drivers-will-switch-to-trams-but-not-buses-1/
16:19:44    From  mark Shelford : Has any work been done with the Italian and Spanish rail companies on their actions post lock down?
16:20:11    From  Richard Lloyd : The medium term priority must be in getting back public confidence to use public transport.  Particularly challenging is use for leisure travel and discretionary travel where many of the users are in older age brackets.  Is there a key role for Community Rail Partnerships here?
16:20:33    From  Claire Walters : Pop up lanes are causing issues for people with visual impairments, dementia, learning disabilities and other problems
16:20:53    From  Nick : Interesting point Mark - Belgian govt have offered free travel tickets and wonder how they are managing with social distancing and the like?
16:22:13    From  David Redgewell : we need  make sure  that train and bus services serv local needs to shops hospital key workers local service s bank s post office.
16:22:49    From  Mike Lambden : In answer to Mark
https://www.brusselstimes.com/all-news/belgium-all-news/109080/coronavirus-7-new-rules-of-the-rail/
16:22:54    From  Nick : Perhaps we should take a look at what bus companies are offering? A positive approach to travel and promoting buses as clean and safe as opposed to rail as a possible "plague carrier!" Check out Transdev and Alex Hornby, huge positive approach
16:23:14    From  Dick Daniel : Pop up lanes are hopefully the beginning of permanent implementation of walking & cycling space.
16:23:15    From  David Redgewell : we were  planning school train  but these are on hold to September.
16:23:42    From  Lee Fletcher : The 4 pillars of the current Community Rail Strategy were put in place almost with the thought that the original purpose of Community Rail - Breathing Life Into Local Lines - was "Job Done". However, in the current situation, we need to go back to basics and make Breathing Life Into Local Lines our top priority again, and the Community Rail Network national leadership and DfT need to be lobbied to put that front and centre again.
16:24:29    From  Verona : In Dorset, our CRP seems to have stalled. It should have covered Westbury - Weymouth - towards Bournemouth, but nothing is happening at the moment!
16:24:54    From  Graham Parkhurst : Are their rail initiatives to advertise predicted/actual train passenger loadings, similar to First Bus's new app feature?
16:25:12    From  Bryony Chetwode : Absolutely Paul Webster
16:25:33    From  David Redgewell : the cutting up of roiling stock during Covid is not helpful for extra social distancing with extra roiling stock  .
16:25:48    From  David Redgewell : in the autumn
16:26:03    From  mark Shelford : Its because its so expensive!
16:26:26    From  Andrew.Ardley : Apologies I have to go off to my other meeting
16:27:07    From  David Redgewell : shutting  route s to station is not helpful. whilst keeping walking and cycling  .
16:27:53    From  Claire Walters : Transport interest groups generally have a problem with being full of older white men, I'm afraid, unlike the average public transport user across the UK. Even in bus, which has a far greater diversity among its users, the top layer of management still tends to be regarded as "male. pale and stale"!
16:27:53    From  Dave Andrews : At a webinar organized by DFT yesterday, a question was asked by Christopher Maltin on if the New Beeching Redress money would address also the issue of re-installing trams on the basis that they are essential for re-distributing rail passengers in cities, and he wholeheartedly agreed and said the money could be used for that.
16:28:50    From  David Redgewell : Thank to the department for transport and first group Great western railway and Jane's Jones help we put lot of important local trains in the Bristol travel to work area .
16:29:40    From  Mike Lambden : Picking up Transdev point mentioned earlier, comments that many buses and trains look rather like crime scenes rather than something you would wish to travel on.
16:30:24    From  Dave Andrews : Why are they not looking at installing powerful down draft fans in buses and trains?
16:30:37    From  Dave Andrews : too flush the virus downwards
16:30:45    From  David Redgewell : its interesting  that some look authority have buses running 12  hour a day  the department for transport is funding 7am to 7 30 pm .
16:31:06    From  mark Shelford : Sadly going to have to go to another meeting. Stay positive.
16:31:34    From  Lee Fletcher : Not sure I would completely agree with Paul Johnson's point about CRPs not being representative of their local community. Severnside for example have a huge and diverse wide range of activities involving all sections of their community, as do many other CRPs
16:32:32    From  Heather Cullimore : Dr Miriam Ricci's research Days out By Train in the West of England is a superb example of Community Rail reaching disadvantaged groups https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/886976/days-out-by-train-in-the-west-of-england-final-project-report
16:32:34    From  David Redgewell : so a lot passengers have no evening and Sunday services in Greater Bristol Bath and Weston super mare. on main routes at present
16:32:39    From  Paul Webster - Community Rail Network : From a national perspective CRPs are very good at being part of and engaging with their local communities - Pillar 1 & £
16:32:46    From  Paul Webster - Community Rail Network : Pillar 3 that was
16:32:59    From  David Redgewell : on the bus network at present
16:34:30    From  John Hamley : I've heard several speakers say we must engage the community, such as positive volunteering activities. What should we be doing in this area to raise awareness of public transport. Whatever we think are good projects, there is little point until we can promote their use, something the official policy is only use when essential.
16:34:42    From  David Redgewell : first group are putting  disabled wheelchair space on the app for buses full on Monday 
16:35:49    From  David Redgewell : First group as a company has done a lot  of work  on LGBTQ group s
16:36:26    From  David Redgewell : Bme  is still an issue on public transport system
16:37:50    From  David Redgewell : first group has done a lot of work with  disability group  with Neil Craig at Great western railway and Joe Graham
16:38:46    From  Andy Burkitt - SERA SW : In Bristol we have been trying really hard to get BAME groups involved with ALL local bodies - but it is about one step forward then one back - In Bristol Up Our Street has done a lot but it all went backwards over the Stapleton Road redevelopment that looked a mess and were not brilliant for those with disability
16:41:37    From  Claire Walters : Maybe worth offering speakers rathe than dragging people here
16:43:44    From  Mike Lambden : All sorts of organisations have the same issue about representation. As Chair of a Patient Group we have lots of older white females and males but really hard to get younger people involved from all backgrounds.
16:43:46    From  David Redgewell : we need to invite black south west network
16:44:39    From  David Redgewell : we got station at Lawrence hill Stapleton road and montpellier station are in Bme area s
16:44:44    From  Paul Webster - Community Rail Network : There are Community Rail Partnerships led by young people - 6VT in Edinburgh - https://www.facebook.com/6VTYouth and in West Midlands there are station adoption groups led by young people. Also CR Network are part of a CRPO Education Officers network
16:44:57    From  David Redgewell : on the Severn Beach line
16:45:20    From  Andy Burkitt - SERA SW : Sado Jirde of BSWN has been initiating work & set up a Black Manifesto for involvement throughout Bristol
16:45:35    From  David Redgewell : patchway station Bradley stoke has a Bme community
16:46:24    From  David Redgewell : Lawrence hill has old market with the LGBTQ quarter
16:47:44    From  David Redgewell : British transport police and Avon and Somerset police PCC is doing a lot of work with equalities group s
16:48:13    From  David Redgewell : not arrests in Bristol on Sunday in Bristol
16:48:30    From  David Redgewell : on Black lives matter
16:49:06    From  Graham Ellis : Graham Ellis - Melksham RUG and Coffee Shop forum
Notes via http://www.passenger.chat/twsw20200612
16:49:11    From  Paul Webster - Community Rail Network : BME CR - https://communityrail.org.uk/resources-ideas/case-studies/bonded-together-with-a-prayer-bead/
16:49:15    From  David Redgewell : taunton bus station being  reopening as big issue in taunton with east reach