A one-stop hub for travel and tourism in North Cambridgeshire has been developed after the Hereward Community Rail Partnership (CRP) received a grant from Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Improvement Fund.

The Hereward Line Community Rail Partnership promotes the Hereward railway line between Peterborough and Ely and its stations at Peterborough, Whittlesea, March, Manea, and Ely.

Greater Anglia’s community fund awarded the partnership a grant of over £4,000 towards developing an improved home page and other improvements for its website.

Improvements to the website include better site navigation, drone footage of trains passing through the Cambridgeshire countryside, travel guides and suggested itineraries, interactive maps, and walking and cycling maps.

The fund makes grants to organisations throughout Greater Anglia’s network, including community rail partnerships, station adopters, local authorities, parish councils, community groups, and charities.

The grants are intended to fund projects that benefit local communities and improve the role of rail transport in society.

Greater Anglia’s Partnerships Manager, Scott Dolling, commented that the operator was pleased to support this website upgrade, as it was sure to inspire more people to visit the area and enjoy a day out by rail.

It is always looking to enhance the role of the railway in support of the community it serves, and its new Customer and Community Improvement Fund is a way of supporting further locally focused enhancements in line with community needs.

One of the schemes benefiting from the Hereward Line Community Rail Partnership is ‘Try the Train’, a scheme designed to boost youngsters’ confidence and awareness when they travel by train.

“This funding enabled us to overhaul the whole website, making it more user friendly and providing inspiring information to help people enjoy a day out by rail. Promoting the tourism opportunities to and from our line is essential and our new website is now a fantastic showcase to encourage people to come and visit whilst travelling sustainably and conveniently.”

Wendy Otter, Transport Development Manager, Fenland District Council