Greater Anglia has announced that Fenland's Hereward railway line has had it's Community Rail Partnership receive official accredited status from the Department for Transport.
The Hereward Community Rail Partnership was created in 2012 and aims to connect communities with the Hereward stations at Manea, March and Whittlesea and promote local railway improvements.
Managed by Fenland District Council, the CRP is funded by train operators Greater Anglia, Cross Country Trains, East Midlands Railway and London North Eastern Railway.
Under the government's new Community Rail Strategy, community rail partnerships are encouraged to apply for accredited status to demonstrate that they operate to high standards.
The partnership helped to secure the two-hourly services from Manea Station, plus additional stops of the Liverpool-Norwich service at March Station, including a lunchtime service, a later evening stop and also at weekends.
What did the officials say?
Paul Nelson, chairman of the Hereward CRP, said:
“It's great to have our hard work recognised in this way and, with access to a new grant fund, should take us on to do even bigger and better things for the community in the future.”
Greater Anglia's Customer and Community Engagement Manager, Alan Neville, added,
“I'd like to congratulate the partnership on this achievement, which is testament to their efforts in improving the rail service and station facilities and attracting more people to use their local rail line.”
Cllr Chris Seaton, Fenland District Council's Portfolio Holder responsible for transport, said:
“The accreditation of the Hereward Community Rail Partnership is a fantastic achievement. It is recognition of the hard work undertaken by all involved in the partnership, including staff, committee members and volunteers in the Friends of Stations and Street Pride groups.
“Accreditation also opens further funding opportunities which will enable the partnership to develop further projects, which improve our stations and better connect our passengers.”
Where Next?
RailAdvent Plus
Get image downloads, Prints and Streaming Video
News Homepage
For the Latest Railway News
RailAdvent Online Shop
Framed Prints, DVD's / Blu-Ray's and more
LocoStop Community
Come and share your railway pictures
Mainline Steam Info
Upcoming mainline steam tours/loco movements
Greater Anglia
Visit their website
But London North Eastern Railway trains only use the Hereward Line in case of engineering works happening on the East Coast Main Line south of Peterborough.
Or signalling problems or rail fatality on the ECML south of Peterborough.