The Quarterly Joint Management Group Meeting of the Joint Clitheroe Line & East Lancashire Community Rail Partnerships took place on Wednesday 12th October 2022. The meeting was held online and attend by representatives from Community Rail Lancashire, Northern Railways, Blackburn & Darwen Council, Lancashire County Council, Ribble Valley Borough Council, local Rail User Groups and Friends of Stations.
Melanie Taylor, Chair of the joint CRPs, welcomed everyone to the meeting, and after a round of introductions the minutes from the last meeting were approved and no matters were raised.
Richard Watts, Secretary of the joint CRPs, presented the latest Activity Plan Update and highlighted a number of Points:
Sara Britcliffe MP at the opening of the new accessible ramp at Accrington
+ Noted that on Monday 10th October that the newly refurbished ramp to platform 1 at Accrington station had been officially opened by Sara Britcliffe, MP for Hyndburn. Details of this Access for All scheme can be seen at northern-ramps-up-accessibility-at-accrington/
+ Mentioned that on Tuesday 11th October the last of the old wooden planters on the platforms at Church & Oswaldtwistle have been removed and now awaiting replacement by recycled planters provided by Ark Plastics.
+ Noted that CRL and the four CRPs had a successful re-accreditation meeting on Monday 3rd October and that the Community Rail Network would be recommending that accreditation be awarded for the year 2022/23.
+ Noted that a group has been set up, chaired by Karen Hornby (Calder Valley CRP), that is to look at the problem of anti social behaviour across the Northern area and that a funding bid is to be considered at the next Community Rail Executive Group (ComREG) meeting on 19th October.
+ Spoke about the Community Rail Awards that had taken place last week and the number of entries that had been shortlisted (see https://communityraillancashire.co.uk/news/crl-shortlisted-for-community-rail-awards-2/ for shortlist details and Winners Booklet for all the results)
+ Noted that the usual mini timetables will be produced for the December timetable change and that the missing services on the Preston to Ormskirk route will be reinstated.
+ Noted that CRL had attended the DfT’s ‘Afternoon Tea’ event in London and that Shahiesta Raja had done a presentation on the Refugee Railway Support Programme and that a best practice paper about this project can be downloaded from the CRKL website (Refugee Railway Support Programme).
The full Quarterly Activity Report can be down loaded on this link: CL/ELCRP Activity Plan Update
Owain Roberts & Martin Keating from Northern gave an update including details of post covid demand on the routes, performance, the latest on the industrial action, community rail matters and the launch of Northern’s ‘Blue Plaques Map’. The full presentation can be downloaded on this link: Northern Update.
Although Daniel Fox from Transpennine Express wasn’t present he provided a presentation that can be downloaded on this link: CRP Update October 2022 WOLCRP