In an attempt to make rail more accessible for elderly people and people with disabilities, North Downs Line Community Rail Partnership (CRP) is providing “travel training.” Quadrant Transport explores what the training involves and looks closer at what the partnership aims to achieve.
Online training involves how to plan journeys, purchasing tickets and ways in which you can travel more comfortably. The training hopes to improve the experience for those travelling on the Reading to Gatwick.
Working closely with other local community groups, the North Downs Line CRP’s efforts are designed to promote more accessible travel, bring communities together and economic development.
Accessibility is key for unlocking travel
To make travel more accessible there is also the development of a photographic station and local area walking guides for adults with learning disabilities.
Our work with the community is all about building relationships
Maddy Mills of North Downs Line CRP explained: “Our work with the community is all about building relationships, and that can be tricky when you can’t meet face-to-face, but thankfully Teams and Zoom have come to the rescue. This week, we are beaming into our first cub group meeting, talking with them about how to travel by train with confidence, once it’s safe to do so.”
South Western Railway fully behind the project
It is one of 11 similar organisations in which South Western Railway invested almost £300,000 last year.
Community Rail Manager for South Western Railway, Andrew Harrowell added: “Despite lockdowns, they have hit the ground running since their launch, and we look forward to further working with them and the community.”