31.05.17
ScotRail Alliance launches new Rail74 community rail partnership
A new community rail partnership (CRP) will be officially launched in Scotland this Friday 2 June by the ScotRail Alliance.
The project, called the Rail74 Partnership, will cover the route between Rutherglen and Hamilton Central, with the aim of bringing communities together to improve and promote their local rail line.
The newly formed group said that it has the ambition to act as a bridge between the track and the community around it in order to boost the area’s economy and make it a better place to live and work. And the ScotRail Alliance has supported the partnership heavily, handing £10,000 to the partnership to deliver its plans.
James Ledgerwood, the ScotRail Alliance’s head of economic development, commented that the organisation appreciated how the railway was the “lifeblood of many communities across the country” and wanted to support its engagement locally.
“Community rail partnerships are an excellent way for us to work in partnership with local communities to maximise the wider opportunities our services can bring,” Ledgerwood stated. “Rail74 has some really exciting plans in place, and we look forward to working within them in their delivery. I know they have the drive and determination to make a real difference.”
Rail74 has also partnered with Business in the Community Scotland, which has worked with a number of local groups to establish the partnership.
Jane Wood, director of membership and nations for Business in the Community, added: “We are delighted to see the hard work of our Business Connectors, Diane Whatelely and Suzie McCheyne, come to fruition through this invaluable partnership.
“There is an undeniable role for business within communities, building a fairer society and a more sustainable future for us all, and it’s great to see the ScotRail Alliance, HMRC and Scottish Gas play such an active role in the development of Rail74.”
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