Guidance for promoters | Missing Links | New stations | Register your support
Railfuture campaigns to reconnect people to work, education and a social life via a bigger rail network.
In her oral statement to Parliament in the House of Commons on Monday 29th July 2024, on public spending inheritance, the new Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said this: "… and my RHF will also cancel projects in the “Restoring our Railways” programme which have not yet commenced." Other projects will be reviewed. She also said "So we will use the Spending Review to prioritise specific areas of capital investment that leverage in billions more in private investment." This signals a change in priority for rail extensions from connecting isolated communities to drawing in private investment to drive economic growth.
Campaigns | A better railway | Electrification | Fares | Rail reform | High speed rail | Freight | Fighting Fund | Consultation responses | Our successes
Left photo of Okehampton on first day of Dartmoor Line services, 20-11-2021; right photo of SENRUG Charter 2008 at Bedlington on the Northumberland Line route by John Brierley.
Railfuture campaigns to reconnect people to work, education and a social life via a bigger rail network.
Restoring Your Railway
The Restoring Your Railway initiative was launched in January 2020 following a Railfuture campaign launched less than two years earlier. Successful projects include the Dartmoor Line to Okehampton opening to the public on 20 November 2021, the Northumberland Line being implemented for opening in December 2024 and a new station for Golborne, Wigan fully funded. Links to the lists of bids are given at Reconnect 1 million people.In her oral statement to Parliament in the House of Commons on Monday 29th July 2024, on public spending inheritance, the new Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said this: "… and my RHF will also cancel projects in the “Restoring our Railways” programme which have not yet commenced." Other projects will be reviewed. She also said "So we will use the Spending Review to prioritise specific areas of capital investment that leverage in billions more in private investment." This signals a change in priority for rail extensions from connecting isolated communities to drawing in private investment to drive economic growth.
Agenda for Growth
- Published Mon 05 of Aug, 2024 14:59 BST - (0 Reads)In this briefing, Railfuture Policy Director Ian Brown explains the implications for rail campaigners of the bills identified in the King's Speech and subsequent statements to Parliament. The potential for rail restoration at the Gravity Smart Campus near Bridgwater was a key enabler to leverage massive private investment, including £4Bn for the Agratas battery manufacturing facility, creating up to 4000 new jobs. Image provided by This is Gravity Ltd & LDA Design.
Oxford Metro
- Published Sat 27 of Feb, 2021 18:36 GMT - (3744 Reads)Oxford has ambitions for remodelling the station with additional platforms, and introduction of metro-style services in the area around the city, including to Cowley, Witney and John Radcliffe Hospital.
Reopening campaign success
- Published Sat 23 of Jan, 2021 11:40 GMT - (4394 Reads)Over thirty years of Railfuture campaigning has culminated in success with the award of £794m by the government to construct and reopen East West Rail between Oxford and Bletchley, and to rapidly progress the plan to reopen the Ashington Blyth and Tyne line between Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Ashington. Clearance work on the mothballed section west of Swanbourne. Image by East West Rail/Phil Marsh.
Reconnect 1 million people
- Published Fri 04 of Sep, 2020 19:48 BST - (5978 Reads)Twelve awards have been made so far from the Restoring Your Railway fund. Railfuture has identified a further 30 submissions which have the potential to deliver worthwhile benefits. If implemented, these 42 proposals would together reconnect over one million people to work, education and a social life via the rail network. The Chronicle Live reported a petition to bring the Tyne and Wear Metro to Washington. Photo of Tyne and Wear metro train at Ilford Road station by Klausness, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.
Money for Ideas
- Published Thu 28 of May, 2020 20:10 BST - (5067 Reads)The country may be in dire straits at the moment, but fortunately the government is pressing ahead with its Restoring Your Railway initiative by announcing the ten successful bids in the first round of the Ideas Fund on 23 May 2020. A common factor of the successful bids, if delivered, is that they will connect significant numbers of people to the rail network. Ilkeston Station was successfully reopened in 2017 – after 40 years of Ilkeston being the largest town in England without any train service. Image supplied by Ilkeston Advertiser.
Guidance for promoters
- Our DfT-approved guide Expanding the Railways - How to develop and deliver a proposal (or click to download it) - the process of gaining agreement to a new railway line or station and a must-read.
- Make use of the cross-industry Better Value Rail toolkit - Delivering better outcomes faster.
- A DfT-approved SOBC - see DfT guidance - is the essential pre-requisite to enter the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (published March 2018). Schemes have then been shown at different stages of progress; see RNEP update (published October 2019).
- E-Rail's Land Value Capture model can monetise the added value of rail-connected growth to help finance rail schemes.
- Connecting Communities - Expanding Access to the Rail Network published in June 2009 by the former Association of Train Operating Companies
Missing Links
There are other reopening projects already in progress and Railfuture is campaigning for new rail lines to be opened, to increase capacity, connectivity and resilience in the strategic network by creating alternative routes between major centres, to provide additional metro services for our growing cities, and to connect isolated towns.New stations
As new communities and business locations are created, and established communities aspire to less-congested and carbon-intensive travel choices, so new and reopened stations are needed to serve them and extend access to the rail network.Register your support
As a previous Transport Secretary said, "Entries (to Restoring Your Railawy) have been specifically judged on their ability to deliver real economic benefits and support left-behind communities, with investment targeted at regenerating local economies by: supporting new house developments, opening up access to jobs and education, boosting tourism." If you want lines and stations reopened to achieve these worthwhile benefits please register your support for our campaign.Campaigns | A better railway | Electrification | Fares | Rail reform | High speed rail | Freight | Fighting Fund | Consultation responses | Our successes