Railfuture is frequently quoted by the media in newspapers, transport magazines, online and on radio and television.
Below are some examples of Railfuture being reported during 2021.
Click HERE for more recent examples of Railfuture in the media.
31st December - MyLondon
The website, which is associated with various London newspapers, discusses the possible future of the half mile-long Bromley North branch line. Railfuture gets a mention: "Rail passenger campaign group Railfuture calls for "extension of Overground services from New Cross to Bromley North, creating new journey opportunities between Bromley, Docklands and the City to relieve the route from Bromley South" on its list of campaigns for London and the South East."
31st December - Daily Post
The Cambrian Coast line has reopened after major work on the Barmouth Viaduct. Peter Kingsbury of Wales branch is quoted:
"We welcome the completion of the second phase and the ongoing work to ensure the long term safety and use of the viaduct which is an integral link of the line along the Cambrian coast." He went on to say that Railfuture would ultimately like there to be a north-south railway link between Bangor and Carmarthen.
31st December - Times
Under the headline "Miserable new year for rail commuters via London Victoria amid strikes and cancellations", Railfuture director Neil Hamilton is quoted:
“For most passengers a small but more reliable timetable will be much better because it will enable them to plan. There is nothing worse than arriving at a station to find ‘cancelled’ on the board.”
29th December - Yorkshire Post
Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith writes to the paper to criticize the Integrated Rail Plan. She writes:
"Grant Shapps says that it includes a new mass transit system for West Yorkshire. No, Mr Shapps, it doesn’t. It merely includes £100m seed corn funding. Why did the plan not include full funding for this vital investment? The truth is that the Treasury and its Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, cut the level of funding available for the Integrated Rail Plan because they do not seem to understand that investment yields economic benefits over the long time."
25th December - North Devon Gazette
Railfuture is featured in an article on the progress being made to restore the line between Bideford and Barnstaple. Director Roger Blake is photographed at Bideford station along with several other campaigners.
23rd December - Cambridge Independent
Peter Wakefield, vice chair of East Anglia branch, is quoted in an article on forthcoming fare rises: “We are deeply disappointed at the increase in railway fares announced by the Department for Transport / Treasury... They surely realise that the increase will make it all the more difficult to attract passengers back to the railway post-lockdown at a time we urgently need to to decarbonise our transport network by decreasing the use of motor vehicles."
22nd December - talkRADIO
Covid has caused staff shortages, resulting in a number of cancellations. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson gets ranted at by Mike Graham. Listen here or download here.
22nd December - Telegraph
The paper reports on how staff shortages caused by Covid are forcing the cancellation of several train services. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is anonymously quoted:
“These shortages are tough and you can’t blame the rail operators for coronavirus related illnesses but one would hope they are doing their best to keep the passengers informed and also drafting in as many reserves as humanly possible.”
20th December - The Voice
Tim Steer of Bideford Railway Heritage Centre appears on the North Devon radio station to talk about the reopening of the line between Bideford and Barnstaple. He mentions the support he has received from Railfuture. Listen here or download here.
18th December - Scottish Daily Mail
Railfuture Scotland spokesperson Jane Ann Liston is quoted in an article on fare rises. She writes "...fuel duty for motorists has been frozen for over ten years ... it is difficult to see how people will be persuaded to forsake their fossil fuel vehicles for the more environmentally friendly railway."
17th December - LBC
Fare rises of 3.8% have been announced for March next year. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson talks to Eddie Mair on the drive time programme. Listen here or download here.
19th November - Daily Express
Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson (with a little help from chairman Chris Page) writes an opinion piece for the paper on the Integrated Rail Plan. The 250 word article begins: "There’s a lot to welcome here and electrification of the Midland Main Line and TransPennine routes will bring faster, more reliable and greener trains" and ends: "Northern MPs of all political persuasions are very unhappy. If Boris Johnson can indeed deliver more for less, then so much the better, but it prompts the question of why previous plans were such poor value for money."
19th November - iNews
An article compares the cost of flying with the cost of rail travel to European destinations. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted: “Rail fares are totally within the control of governments. We have been saying for the past 12 years that rail fares should be cheaper but the UK government has frozen fuel duty and now made it cheaper to fly. Rail should be cheaper and flying should be more expensive,”
18th November - BBC Radio Berkshire
Dave Richardson of Thames Valley branch is interviewed on the drive time programme about the local implications of the scrapping of HS2E and the revised rail plans for the North. Listen here or download here.
18th November - talkRADIO
Today sees the release of the integrated Rail Plan with the cancellation of the HS2 Eastern leg and a rescaled Northern Powerhouse Rail project. What will this mean for passengers? Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson talks to Mike Graham. Listen here or download here.
15th November - talkRADIO
Rumours abound that HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail are to be scaled back. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson gives his views on Julia Hartley-Brewer's breakfast programme. Listen here or download here.
14th November - Mail on Sunday
The paper's finance pages offer advice for rail travellers over Christmas. Railwatch editor Ray King is quoted: 'Now is the time to act if you want to see loved ones over Christmas. Hopefully, you can still get a good deal by booking promptly. Start by checking the website National Rail and putting in the specific details of when you hope to travel. Engineering works should show up.'
14th November - Yorkshire Post
Under the title "Why Leeds needs a tram network to prosper", the letters page receives a chorus of response to a previous suggestion that trams were not worthwhile. Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith is amongst them. She writes: "Buses will always be important as feeders to trains and trams, and as the core public transport for less populated areas. But the sad decline in bus use since deregulation in 1985 demonstrates that buses are not an alternative to trams or trains."
8th November - talkRADIO
Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson appears on Julia Hartley-Brewer's breakfast programme to discuss Christmas engineering works. Listen here or download here.
7th November - The Sun, Mirror, Daily Mail
All three papers print a similar story about disruption caused by forthcoming engineering works over the Christmas period. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted: “Works need to be communicated clearly with passengers, so they are aware of timetable changes well in advance and have their inconvenience minimised. But passengers need to remember the end result will be a better railway.”
27th October - BBC Radio York
Following the announcement that the Beverley to York railway feasibility study will be funded as part of the Restoring your Railways fund, Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith is interviewed on the drive time programme. Listen here or download here.
27th October - i news
New budget train operator Lumo may not be offering as many cheap tickets as some have been led to believe. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is anonymously quoted: “It does seem reasonable that if you’re going to advertise £20 tickets, they’re going to be available to a significant number of people rather than just the very, very lucky few who get in early. If other transport operators can’t consistently offer outrageously cheap fares then one wonders how Lumo could do it because they’re in the same industry with the same costs, running trains on the same tracks.”
20th October - BBC Radio Bristol
Railfuture joined several other rail groups to jointly campaign against the withdrawal of direct services from Bristol Temple Meads to London Waterloo. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson appeared in news bulletins and on the breakfast show, along with former Railfuture director Graham Ellis, who organised a protest meeting. Listen here or download here.
Bruce also appears in the bulletins on BBC Radio Wiltshire , and the next day they both appear on the breakfast show. Listen here or download here.
The story is covered on the BBC News website.
17th October - Radio News Hub
Southeastern has lost its contract and operations will be transferred to the state-owned operator of last resort. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson appears on the news bulletins which are broadcast on many stations in the UK and abroad. Listen here or download here.
7th October - MyLondon
"The extra Crossrail line which could link Croydon to Canary Wharf and Stratford" is the title of an article which goes on to namecheck us: "Railfuture agrees with the urgency of making the line a reality. It has named it one of its three transport priority campaigns, pointing out key dates which will affect passengers in the area: "A link a Lewisham would also enable Thameslink 2 to provide extra capacity for trains on the South Eastern route, which will reach the limits of terminal capacity in 2024, providing a direct connection with Docklands avoiding Zone 1 and thereby avoiding the need for an extremely expensive and disruptive expansion of Charing Cross"."
4th October - Yorkshire Post
"Reopen Woodhead Tunnel and these rail routes to ease HGV crisis" says Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith, in a letter to the paper. She goes on: "We need a mass programme of railway electrification, including all freight routes, the connecting of supermarket, logistics, parcels and mail depots to rail wherever possible and a requirement that such new developments are rail-served. We also need to develop parcels hubs in or near all medium-sized towns, and restore the trunk haulage of mail by rail. Doing any of these would reduce the demand for HGV drivers."
29th September - talkRADIO
Southeastern has been stripped of its contract after it was discovered that it had been overpaid to the tune of £25 million. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson offers his thoughts. Listen here or download here.
9th September - BBC Radio Surrey
South Western Railway's new timetable will result in fewer trains during peak and off-peak. Railfuture director Stewart Palmer appears on the breakfast show to give his criticism of these plans, and is later followed by former Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling. Listen here or download here.
21st August - The Courier
The Dundee-based paper reports that "Train journeys between Perth and Inverness were faster in the 19th century and could be about to get slower." It goes on to quote Jane Ann Liston from Railfuture Scotland: “The cost to the tax-payer – and railway passengers are tax-payers too, let us not forget – must be balanced against all the negative consequences if the move back to cars be not reversed.”
21st August - BBC Radio Bristol
Bath resident Sean Dudden is campaigning to reopen Twerton and Bathampton stations. He is interviewed on the breakfast show along with Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson who offers his thoughts on how realistic the proposals are. Listen here or download here.
18th August - Financial Times
The headline is: "Commuters set to suffer sharp rise in UK rail fares next year" and the article picks up on our press release.
The article reads: "Neil Middleton, director of the campaign group Railfuture, said the government would be “missing the point” if it tried to raise fares to fix the industry’s finances."
He is quoted: “At a time when there are so few captive passengers for the railway, with business meetings that can take place on Zoom, and ‘work from home’ as the routine, the reduction in demand from an increased price easily leads to an overall loss of revenue,”
18th August - LBC
The inflation figures for July will determine the level of rail fares for 2022. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is invited to talk about this and other rail issues. Listen here or download here.
8th August - Yorkshire Post
Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith has a letter published under the headline "Rail freight is critical in climate change fight". She writes: "The Government needs to legislate to ensure that all future large warehousing and distribution centres are rail served, given that rail is by far the most climate-friendly form of freight transport. This needs to go hand in hand with a major programme of railway electrification – something on which the Government must stop dragging its heels."
22nd July - Cambridge Independent
Railfuture East Anglia has made the bid to the Department for Transport’s Restore Your Railway fund to re-establish the Haverhill to Cambridge railway line. Anthony Browne, the Tory MP for South Cambridgeshire has pledged support.
"Peter Wakefield, of Railfuture Anglia East, said the organisation was “delighted” with Mr Browne’s support for the bid which, if successful, will enable a full business and feasibility study to be produced."
21st July - Newcastle Chronicle
The paper reports that Dennis Fancett, chair of The South East Northumberland Rail User Group (SENRUG), has won Railfuture's rail campaigner of the year award.
Railfuture director Wendy Thorne is quoted: “The judging panel felt this year’s winner has shown remarkable persistence with over 15 years of campaigning, demonstrated the need to build a coalition of stakeholders, led a long-term campaign and enhanced the profile of Railfuture."
The story also appears in the News Post Leader
13th July - BBC News website
Passengers on Transport for Wales rail services will be asked to continue wearing masks on journeys into England, even when they are no longer mandatory.
Railfuture's "Peter Kingsland" (Kingsbury) is quoted: "The lifting of the legal requirement to wear masks on trains will discourage such people (who are wary of train travel) from returning to rail in England and is to be regretted at a time when rates of infection are increasing. If the choice is between having Wales and England having different polices or Wales removing restrictions to follow the example of England, Railfuture Wales would opt for Wales retaining compulsory mask wearing at this time as this will encourage more passengers to return to rail."
30th June - Cambridge Independent
Cambridge Connect and Railfuture East Anglia have a joint plan for Cambridge, and this opinion piece explains in great detail the potential advantages of a light rail scheme.
"Evidence shows light rail is much more effective at driving change to patterns of travel behaviour on the scale needed than is possible using buses alone. It is a proven yet modern technology, operating in hundreds of cities worldwide. Where adopted, it is universally welcomed as a positive and preferable alternative for many journeys that would otherwise be taken by car."
28th June - Flexi fares
These new fares are introduced today, but how much value do they offer? Railfuture director Neil Middleton gives his views on the BBC Radio Norfolk breakfast show. Listen here or download here.
He later appears on the drive time show on BBC Radio Berkshire. Listen here or download here.
21st June - Transport Network
The website quotes from our press release in an article about the new flexi fares: "Campaign group Railfuture described the launch as ‘one step forward, one step back’, recognising that it provides a nationally available product for the first time but pointing out that the withdrawal of earlier carnet products means that some passengers will now have to pay more."
7th June - Yorkshire Post
Railfuture gets a second chance to promote the idea of a Stocksbridge passenger service when the paper publishes a letter from Mike Rose of Yorkshire branch. He writes:
"The opportunity must be grasped to return this railway to passenger use. This could either be a conventional rail service serving a reopened Sheffield Victoria station and maybe continuing to Chesterfield via Barrow Hill, or to Retford for east Coast Main Line connections. "
The story appears a week later in the Sheffield Telegraph and in the in the August issue of Today's Railways UK, publishedi in July.
5th June - BBC Radio Sheffield
The radio station picks up on our press release on the potential passenger use of the Stocksbridge line, and Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith appears on the news bulletins. Listen here or download here.
4th June - Yorkshire Post
Picking up on our press release, the paper devotes an article to the idea of returning passengers to a freight line. "Railfuture Yorkshire says good transport options are essential for locals in Stocksbridge who may need to look for jobs elsewhere due to the uncertainty surrounding Liberty Steel's plant in the South Yorkshire town."
The same story appears four days later in the Sheffield Telegraph.
4th June - The National
Railfuture goes international as this paper is national to Abu Dhabi. It features a story on the possible reopening of the Waterside Line. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted: “If you want to have successful public transport, it has to be rail. It’s the only way to attract people out of their cars – buses don’t cut it, frankly.”
3rd June - Yorkshire Post
David Pennie of Yorkshire branch has a letter published comparing LNER unfavourably to Hull Trains. He writes: "LNER is not operating any direct services to London on June 5 and 6 as King’s Cross station is closed due to major track remodelling. Yet Hull Trains is running direct services in each direction between Hull and London on both of those days. How can this be? It’s because at times of planned engineering work on the East Coast Main Line, Hull Trains arranges with Network Rail to use the route via Sheffield to London St Pancras."
2nd June - BBC Radio Humberside
The Restoring Your Railways bid to reopen the York-Beverley line is being assessed at the DfT. What are its chances of success? Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson appears on the drive time show. Listen here or download here.
1st June - BBC Radio Shropshire
Midlands Connect has produced a report recommending improvements to rail services in Shropshire. Steve Boulding from West Midlands branch is invited onto the drive time show to give his views. Listen here or download here.
30th May - Oxford Mail
"Network Rail and the Department for Transport (DfT) have been urged to ‘think big’ by campaigning group Railfuture, after funding was announced to redevelop Oxford railway station. "
27th May - Modern Railways
The June issue carries a 'People' report - "Smart move for the RFG" - about Railfuture's East Anglia branch committee member Phil Smart. Noting Phil's appointment to the Rail Freight Group as its new Assistant Policy Manager, working closely with Director General Maggie Simpson, the piece concludes "He has written several policy papers for Railfuture."
27th May - Modern Railways
The June issue carries an article "Selling electrification" by David Shirres, lead author of the Railway Industry Association's prospectus "Why Rail Electrification?" The article includes mention of Railfuture as one of the 17 co-signatories of the open letter to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps calling for a programme of rail electrification to start as soon as possible.
26th May - ITV
Yorkshire branch secretary Stephen Waring is interviewed on the local news programme Calendar, talking about further funding which has been announced for the trans-Pennine upgrade.
24th May - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
Network Rail is consulting on its plans to upgrade capacity in the Ely area. East Anglia branch vice-chair Peter Wakefield is invited onto the mid morning show to give his view. His comments are used again in later news bulletins. Listen here or download here.
20th May - Williams/Shapps review
Railfuture is in demand for comment on this story.
Railfuture director Ian Brown appears on BBC Five Radio Live on the programme Wake Up To Money. Listen here or download here.
Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith is next on BBC Five Radio Live talking to Nicky Campbell. Listen here or download here.
She is then interviewed on BBC Radio York. Listen here or download here.
Her next appointment is on BBC Radio Leeds. Listen here or download here.
Steve Boulding of West Midlands branch appears on BBC Radio Shropshire. Listen here or download here.
David Harby of Lincolnshire branch is featured in the afternoon news bulletins of BBC Radio Lincolnshire. Listen here or download here.
Chris Burton from East Anglia branch is interviewed on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. Listen here or download here. He also appears on the afternoon news bulletins on BBC Radio Suffolk . Listen here or download here.
Dave Richardson of Thames Valley branch appears on the BBC Radio Berkshire drive time show. Listen here or download here. "Dave Richards" also appears on the afternoon news bulletins of BBC Radio Oxford. Listen here or download here.
Railfuture director Neil Middleton and Thames Valley branch spokesman Dave Richardson are both quoted in an article in the Oxford Mail.
The next day, Railfuture director Roger Blake appears on the talkRADIO breakfast show. Listen here or download here.
20th May - Rail Advent
Railfuture's press release is included in coverage of the Williams/Shapps review:
“It seems that the government wants to make rail work to improve the passenger experience and support economic growth.” said Chris Page, chair of the campaign group Railfuture, “But the devil of course will be in the detail, and we have to wait for the White Paper for that. We will be looking for flexibility and responsiveness, a can-do attitude and whether the new structure will create a joined-up railway which works.
“There are many important questions that remain unanswered”
16th May - LBC
It looks like the long awaited Williams review is imminent, and it will confirm the end of franchising and the introduction of more flexible carnet tickets for part time commuters. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson appears on the breakfast show. Listen here or download here.
13th May - BBC Radio Bristol
Great Western has been particularly badly affected by the class 800 crack problem. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is invited onto the drive time programme to comment. Listen here or download here.
10th May - talkRADIO
There's major disruption to inter-city services as cracks have been found on class 800 trains, forcing them to be taken out of service for emergency inspections. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson appears on the morning show to explain what's going on. Listen here or download here.
1st May - BBC news website
The BBC features a story about the need to get people back on trains after the Covid-19 pandemic. Peter Kingsbury of Wales branch gets several mentions: "Mr Kingsbury said the current rail network was "not financially sustainable" and a scheme similar to Eat Out to Help Out could be introduced, with discount fares or even a free journey to get back on board."
29th April - BBC Radio Leeds
The radio station canvassed opinion on what local travellers wanted from the new West Yorkshire mayor. This was broadcast on the breakfast show and included Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith's aspirations for local transport. Listen here or download here.
28th April - Cambridge Independent
Railfuture is given two pages in the newspaper for an opinion piece on East West rail. Peter Wakefield talks up the benefits of the re-established rail link, and argues that the southern approach into cambridge is the right one.
26th April - Surrey Advertiser
"Surrey commuters could reap benefits of new flexible season tickets in summer" is the headline, and Railfuture chair Chris Page gives a cautious welcome to a new discounted ticket for commuters. "What we suggested originally is that actually the flexible season ticket offered should have a shorter validity. Five tickets to be used within two weeks would incentivise people to travel more often, whereas if you've got five tickets and you can use them over a month then some people might only travel one day a week."
15th April - BBC Radio Bristol
Major works at Bristol Temple Meads will mean that services from the South West will have to terminate at the preceding station. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is interviewed on the drive time programme, and clips of his interview appear on subsequent news bulletins. Listen here or download here.
10th April - Yorkshire Post
Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith has a letter published in the paper. Her opening words sum up her argument: "Bradford needs a new city-centre station – not one on the other side of the inner ring road".
6th April - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
The new route for East West rail is being debated, and Chris Burton appears on the breakfast show to argue for the benefits that the line will bring. Listen here or download here.
4th April - Track Record
The newsletter of the Huddersfield Sheffield Penistone Rail Users Association prints our press release condemning inflation-busting fare increases.
27th March - Oxford Mail
Railfuture makes it onto the front page of the paper: " A MAJOR proposal for a new ‘Oxford Metro’ which could see an electric tramway running through the heart of the city to the John Radcliffe Hospital has been unveiled by a UK campaign group. The Thames Valley branch of Railfuture says that it wants to build on the success of the Oxford-Marylebone rail link established in 2016."
25th March - Modern Railways
The magazine reports on a Rail Freight Group meeting: "Speakers from Transport for Greater Manchester, Railfuture and waste and recycling business Suez outlined their perspectives on the role for rail, and the challenges it faces on the congested rail network, particularly around the major conurbations."
8th March - BBC Radio Wales
There has been a massive increase in road traffic compared to the first lockdown. How does this affect the future of rail use? Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is interviewed on the drive time programme. Listen here or download here.
5th March - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
The prospects for Wisbech - March reopening seem to be improving. Chris Burton from East Anglia branch is interviewed on the breakfast show. Listen here or download here.
2nd March - BBC Radio York
Transport For The North has set out its proposals for rail investment. What does Railfuture think? Yorkshire branch chair Nina smith is interviewed on the drive time show. Listen here or download here.
1st March - BBC Radio Berkshire
Dave Richardson of Thames Valley branch appears on the morning news bulletins to comment on the inflation-busting fare rises. Listen here or download here.
He also appears on the evening news on BBC South Today. View the clip on Youtube.
28th February - Rail fare rises
On the eve of rail fare rises kicking in, a number of media outlets pick up on our press release, with railfuture getting mentioned by the Evening Standard, Sky News, Daily Mail, Huffington Post, ITV and many others. The next day we get additional coverage in The Times and on LBC
15th February - BBC News website
Wales will follow England in raising fares by 2.6% in March, and Railfuture Wales are asked to comment:
"Peter Kingsbury from pro-rail campaign group Railfuture Wales said: "Any fare increase above inflation needs to be accompanied by a range of initiatives to encourage the public to start using the trains again"."
14th February - Eastern Daily Press
The paper picks up on our press release, albeit with the rather negative headline "Council leader says railway station proposal is a pipe dream". Nonetheless, the article gives much coverage of our proposals, including this quote from Peter Wakefield, vice-chair of East Anglia branch:
“At 20 miles, the distance between Norwich and Diss stations is the longest interval between any two stations in the East of England. Not only does this mean that many South Norfolk residents have long road journeys before they can even access a station, but there is currently no prospect of developing local rail services in the Norwich area along the Great Eastern mainline/A140 corridor.”
The story also appears in the Diss Mercury.
10th February - Transport Network
The website publishes a story based on our press release under the headline "Railfuture pitches flexiseasons for 2021".
"Rail campaigners are calling for a new type of flexible season ticket that will give part-time commuters the level of discount offered by weekly season tickets. The Railfuture group said the ticket will be needed when larger numbers of people return to workplaces, with many likely to keep working at home for some of the week. It has suggested a mid-2021 launch date."
The same story also appears on railstaff.co.uk and railuk.com.
12th January - Hastings & St Leonards Observer
An article in the paper celebrates increases in passenger numbers in the period leading up to the COVID pandemic:
"Usage for our local East Coastway and Marshlink rail stations has seen more record breaking increases for the year to March 31 2020. They continue to build on the success following the improved Southern rail timetable introduced in May 2018 promoted by the local rail groups such as Ore Transport Group and ‘THWART’ for Three Oaks and Winchelsea, as well as Railfuture."
Click HERE for previous examples of Railfuture in the media.
Apply to join Railfuture now - click HERE.
Below are some examples of Railfuture being reported during 2021.
Click HERE for more recent examples of Railfuture in the media.
31st December - MyLondon
The website, which is associated with various London newspapers, discusses the possible future of the half mile-long Bromley North branch line. Railfuture gets a mention: "Rail passenger campaign group Railfuture calls for "extension of Overground services from New Cross to Bromley North, creating new journey opportunities between Bromley, Docklands and the City to relieve the route from Bromley South" on its list of campaigns for London and the South East."
31st December - Daily Post
The Cambrian Coast line has reopened after major work on the Barmouth Viaduct. Peter Kingsbury of Wales branch is quoted:
"We welcome the completion of the second phase and the ongoing work to ensure the long term safety and use of the viaduct which is an integral link of the line along the Cambrian coast." He went on to say that Railfuture would ultimately like there to be a north-south railway link between Bangor and Carmarthen.
31st December - Times
Under the headline "Miserable new year for rail commuters via London Victoria amid strikes and cancellations", Railfuture director Neil Hamilton is quoted:
“For most passengers a small but more reliable timetable will be much better because it will enable them to plan. There is nothing worse than arriving at a station to find ‘cancelled’ on the board.”
29th December - Yorkshire Post
Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith writes to the paper to criticize the Integrated Rail Plan. She writes:
"Grant Shapps says that it includes a new mass transit system for West Yorkshire. No, Mr Shapps, it doesn’t. It merely includes £100m seed corn funding. Why did the plan not include full funding for this vital investment? The truth is that the Treasury and its Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, cut the level of funding available for the Integrated Rail Plan because they do not seem to understand that investment yields economic benefits over the long time."
25th December - North Devon Gazette
Railfuture is featured in an article on the progress being made to restore the line between Bideford and Barnstaple. Director Roger Blake is photographed at Bideford station along with several other campaigners.
23rd December - Cambridge Independent
Peter Wakefield, vice chair of East Anglia branch, is quoted in an article on forthcoming fare rises: “We are deeply disappointed at the increase in railway fares announced by the Department for Transport / Treasury... They surely realise that the increase will make it all the more difficult to attract passengers back to the railway post-lockdown at a time we urgently need to to decarbonise our transport network by decreasing the use of motor vehicles."
22nd December - talkRADIO
Covid has caused staff shortages, resulting in a number of cancellations. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson gets ranted at by Mike Graham. Listen here or download here.
22nd December - Telegraph
The paper reports on how staff shortages caused by Covid are forcing the cancellation of several train services. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is anonymously quoted:
“These shortages are tough and you can’t blame the rail operators for coronavirus related illnesses but one would hope they are doing their best to keep the passengers informed and also drafting in as many reserves as humanly possible.”
20th December - The Voice
Tim Steer of Bideford Railway Heritage Centre appears on the North Devon radio station to talk about the reopening of the line between Bideford and Barnstaple. He mentions the support he has received from Railfuture. Listen here or download here.
18th December - Scottish Daily Mail
Railfuture Scotland spokesperson Jane Ann Liston is quoted in an article on fare rises. She writes "...fuel duty for motorists has been frozen for over ten years ... it is difficult to see how people will be persuaded to forsake their fossil fuel vehicles for the more environmentally friendly railway."
17th December - LBC
Fare rises of 3.8% have been announced for March next year. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson talks to Eddie Mair on the drive time programme. Listen here or download here.
19th November - Daily Express
Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson (with a little help from chairman Chris Page) writes an opinion piece for the paper on the Integrated Rail Plan. The 250 word article begins: "There’s a lot to welcome here and electrification of the Midland Main Line and TransPennine routes will bring faster, more reliable and greener trains" and ends: "Northern MPs of all political persuasions are very unhappy. If Boris Johnson can indeed deliver more for less, then so much the better, but it prompts the question of why previous plans were such poor value for money."
19th November - iNews
An article compares the cost of flying with the cost of rail travel to European destinations. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted: “Rail fares are totally within the control of governments. We have been saying for the past 12 years that rail fares should be cheaper but the UK government has frozen fuel duty and now made it cheaper to fly. Rail should be cheaper and flying should be more expensive,”
18th November - BBC Radio Berkshire
Dave Richardson of Thames Valley branch is interviewed on the drive time programme about the local implications of the scrapping of HS2E and the revised rail plans for the North. Listen here or download here.
18th November - talkRADIO
Today sees the release of the integrated Rail Plan with the cancellation of the HS2 Eastern leg and a rescaled Northern Powerhouse Rail project. What will this mean for passengers? Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson talks to Mike Graham. Listen here or download here.
15th November - talkRADIO
Rumours abound that HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail are to be scaled back. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson gives his views on Julia Hartley-Brewer's breakfast programme. Listen here or download here.
14th November - Mail on Sunday
The paper's finance pages offer advice for rail travellers over Christmas. Railwatch editor Ray King is quoted: 'Now is the time to act if you want to see loved ones over Christmas. Hopefully, you can still get a good deal by booking promptly. Start by checking the website National Rail and putting in the specific details of when you hope to travel. Engineering works should show up.'
14th November - Yorkshire Post
Under the title "Why Leeds needs a tram network to prosper", the letters page receives a chorus of response to a previous suggestion that trams were not worthwhile. Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith is amongst them. She writes: "Buses will always be important as feeders to trains and trams, and as the core public transport for less populated areas. But the sad decline in bus use since deregulation in 1985 demonstrates that buses are not an alternative to trams or trains."
8th November - talkRADIO
Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson appears on Julia Hartley-Brewer's breakfast programme to discuss Christmas engineering works. Listen here or download here.
7th November - The Sun, Mirror, Daily Mail
All three papers print a similar story about disruption caused by forthcoming engineering works over the Christmas period. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted: “Works need to be communicated clearly with passengers, so they are aware of timetable changes well in advance and have their inconvenience minimised. But passengers need to remember the end result will be a better railway.”
27th October - BBC Radio York
Following the announcement that the Beverley to York railway feasibility study will be funded as part of the Restoring your Railways fund, Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith is interviewed on the drive time programme. Listen here or download here.
27th October - i news
New budget train operator Lumo may not be offering as many cheap tickets as some have been led to believe. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is anonymously quoted: “It does seem reasonable that if you’re going to advertise £20 tickets, they’re going to be available to a significant number of people rather than just the very, very lucky few who get in early. If other transport operators can’t consistently offer outrageously cheap fares then one wonders how Lumo could do it because they’re in the same industry with the same costs, running trains on the same tracks.”
20th October - BBC Radio Bristol
Railfuture joined several other rail groups to jointly campaign against the withdrawal of direct services from Bristol Temple Meads to London Waterloo. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson appeared in news bulletins and on the breakfast show, along with former Railfuture director Graham Ellis, who organised a protest meeting. Listen here or download here.
Bruce also appears in the bulletins on BBC Radio Wiltshire , and the next day they both appear on the breakfast show. Listen here or download here.
The story is covered on the BBC News website.
17th October - Radio News Hub
Southeastern has lost its contract and operations will be transferred to the state-owned operator of last resort. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson appears on the news bulletins which are broadcast on many stations in the UK and abroad. Listen here or download here.
7th October - MyLondon
"The extra Crossrail line which could link Croydon to Canary Wharf and Stratford" is the title of an article which goes on to namecheck us: "Railfuture agrees with the urgency of making the line a reality. It has named it one of its three transport priority campaigns, pointing out key dates which will affect passengers in the area: "A link a Lewisham would also enable Thameslink 2 to provide extra capacity for trains on the South Eastern route, which will reach the limits of terminal capacity in 2024, providing a direct connection with Docklands avoiding Zone 1 and thereby avoiding the need for an extremely expensive and disruptive expansion of Charing Cross"."
4th October - Yorkshire Post
"Reopen Woodhead Tunnel and these rail routes to ease HGV crisis" says Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith, in a letter to the paper. She goes on: "We need a mass programme of railway electrification, including all freight routes, the connecting of supermarket, logistics, parcels and mail depots to rail wherever possible and a requirement that such new developments are rail-served. We also need to develop parcels hubs in or near all medium-sized towns, and restore the trunk haulage of mail by rail. Doing any of these would reduce the demand for HGV drivers."
29th September - talkRADIO
Southeastern has been stripped of its contract after it was discovered that it had been overpaid to the tune of £25 million. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson offers his thoughts. Listen here or download here.
9th September - BBC Radio Surrey
South Western Railway's new timetable will result in fewer trains during peak and off-peak. Railfuture director Stewart Palmer appears on the breakfast show to give his criticism of these plans, and is later followed by former Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling. Listen here or download here.
21st August - The Courier
The Dundee-based paper reports that "Train journeys between Perth and Inverness were faster in the 19th century and could be about to get slower." It goes on to quote Jane Ann Liston from Railfuture Scotland: “The cost to the tax-payer – and railway passengers are tax-payers too, let us not forget – must be balanced against all the negative consequences if the move back to cars be not reversed.”
21st August - BBC Radio Bristol
Bath resident Sean Dudden is campaigning to reopen Twerton and Bathampton stations. He is interviewed on the breakfast show along with Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson who offers his thoughts on how realistic the proposals are. Listen here or download here.
18th August - Financial Times
The headline is: "Commuters set to suffer sharp rise in UK rail fares next year" and the article picks up on our press release.
The article reads: "Neil Middleton, director of the campaign group Railfuture, said the government would be “missing the point” if it tried to raise fares to fix the industry’s finances."
He is quoted: “At a time when there are so few captive passengers for the railway, with business meetings that can take place on Zoom, and ‘work from home’ as the routine, the reduction in demand from an increased price easily leads to an overall loss of revenue,”
18th August - LBC
The inflation figures for July will determine the level of rail fares for 2022. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is invited to talk about this and other rail issues. Listen here or download here.
8th August - Yorkshire Post
Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith has a letter published under the headline "Rail freight is critical in climate change fight". She writes: "The Government needs to legislate to ensure that all future large warehousing and distribution centres are rail served, given that rail is by far the most climate-friendly form of freight transport. This needs to go hand in hand with a major programme of railway electrification – something on which the Government must stop dragging its heels."
22nd July - Cambridge Independent
Railfuture East Anglia has made the bid to the Department for Transport’s Restore Your Railway fund to re-establish the Haverhill to Cambridge railway line. Anthony Browne, the Tory MP for South Cambridgeshire has pledged support.
"Peter Wakefield, of Railfuture Anglia East, said the organisation was “delighted” with Mr Browne’s support for the bid which, if successful, will enable a full business and feasibility study to be produced."
21st July - Newcastle Chronicle
The paper reports that Dennis Fancett, chair of The South East Northumberland Rail User Group (SENRUG), has won Railfuture's rail campaigner of the year award.
Railfuture director Wendy Thorne is quoted: “The judging panel felt this year’s winner has shown remarkable persistence with over 15 years of campaigning, demonstrated the need to build a coalition of stakeholders, led a long-term campaign and enhanced the profile of Railfuture."
The story also appears in the News Post Leader
13th July - BBC News website
Passengers on Transport for Wales rail services will be asked to continue wearing masks on journeys into England, even when they are no longer mandatory.
Railfuture's "Peter Kingsland" (Kingsbury) is quoted: "The lifting of the legal requirement to wear masks on trains will discourage such people (who are wary of train travel) from returning to rail in England and is to be regretted at a time when rates of infection are increasing. If the choice is between having Wales and England having different polices or Wales removing restrictions to follow the example of England, Railfuture Wales would opt for Wales retaining compulsory mask wearing at this time as this will encourage more passengers to return to rail."
30th June - Cambridge Independent
Cambridge Connect and Railfuture East Anglia have a joint plan for Cambridge, and this opinion piece explains in great detail the potential advantages of a light rail scheme.
"Evidence shows light rail is much more effective at driving change to patterns of travel behaviour on the scale needed than is possible using buses alone. It is a proven yet modern technology, operating in hundreds of cities worldwide. Where adopted, it is universally welcomed as a positive and preferable alternative for many journeys that would otherwise be taken by car."
28th June - Flexi fares
These new fares are introduced today, but how much value do they offer? Railfuture director Neil Middleton gives his views on the BBC Radio Norfolk breakfast show. Listen here or download here.
He later appears on the drive time show on BBC Radio Berkshire. Listen here or download here.
21st June - Transport Network
The website quotes from our press release in an article about the new flexi fares: "Campaign group Railfuture described the launch as ‘one step forward, one step back’, recognising that it provides a nationally available product for the first time but pointing out that the withdrawal of earlier carnet products means that some passengers will now have to pay more."
7th June - Yorkshire Post
Railfuture gets a second chance to promote the idea of a Stocksbridge passenger service when the paper publishes a letter from Mike Rose of Yorkshire branch. He writes:
"The opportunity must be grasped to return this railway to passenger use. This could either be a conventional rail service serving a reopened Sheffield Victoria station and maybe continuing to Chesterfield via Barrow Hill, or to Retford for east Coast Main Line connections. "
The story appears a week later in the Sheffield Telegraph and in the in the August issue of Today's Railways UK, publishedi in July.
5th June - BBC Radio Sheffield
The radio station picks up on our press release on the potential passenger use of the Stocksbridge line, and Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith appears on the news bulletins. Listen here or download here.
4th June - Yorkshire Post
Picking up on our press release, the paper devotes an article to the idea of returning passengers to a freight line. "Railfuture Yorkshire says good transport options are essential for locals in Stocksbridge who may need to look for jobs elsewhere due to the uncertainty surrounding Liberty Steel's plant in the South Yorkshire town."
The same story appears four days later in the Sheffield Telegraph.
4th June - The National
Railfuture goes international as this paper is national to Abu Dhabi. It features a story on the possible reopening of the Waterside Line. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted: “If you want to have successful public transport, it has to be rail. It’s the only way to attract people out of their cars – buses don’t cut it, frankly.”
3rd June - Yorkshire Post
David Pennie of Yorkshire branch has a letter published comparing LNER unfavourably to Hull Trains. He writes: "LNER is not operating any direct services to London on June 5 and 6 as King’s Cross station is closed due to major track remodelling. Yet Hull Trains is running direct services in each direction between Hull and London on both of those days. How can this be? It’s because at times of planned engineering work on the East Coast Main Line, Hull Trains arranges with Network Rail to use the route via Sheffield to London St Pancras."
2nd June - BBC Radio Humberside
The Restoring Your Railways bid to reopen the York-Beverley line is being assessed at the DfT. What are its chances of success? Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson appears on the drive time show. Listen here or download here.
1st June - BBC Radio Shropshire
Midlands Connect has produced a report recommending improvements to rail services in Shropshire. Steve Boulding from West Midlands branch is invited onto the drive time show to give his views. Listen here or download here.
30th May - Oxford Mail
"Network Rail and the Department for Transport (DfT) have been urged to ‘think big’ by campaigning group Railfuture, after funding was announced to redevelop Oxford railway station. "
27th May - Modern Railways
The June issue carries a 'People' report - "Smart move for the RFG" - about Railfuture's East Anglia branch committee member Phil Smart. Noting Phil's appointment to the Rail Freight Group as its new Assistant Policy Manager, working closely with Director General Maggie Simpson, the piece concludes "He has written several policy papers for Railfuture."
27th May - Modern Railways
The June issue carries an article "Selling electrification" by David Shirres, lead author of the Railway Industry Association's prospectus "Why Rail Electrification?" The article includes mention of Railfuture as one of the 17 co-signatories of the open letter to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps calling for a programme of rail electrification to start as soon as possible.
26th May - ITV
Yorkshire branch secretary Stephen Waring is interviewed on the local news programme Calendar, talking about further funding which has been announced for the trans-Pennine upgrade.
24th May - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
Network Rail is consulting on its plans to upgrade capacity in the Ely area. East Anglia branch vice-chair Peter Wakefield is invited onto the mid morning show to give his view. His comments are used again in later news bulletins. Listen here or download here.
20th May - Williams/Shapps review
Railfuture is in demand for comment on this story.
Railfuture director Ian Brown appears on BBC Five Radio Live on the programme Wake Up To Money. Listen here or download here.
Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith is next on BBC Five Radio Live talking to Nicky Campbell. Listen here or download here.
She is then interviewed on BBC Radio York. Listen here or download here.
Her next appointment is on BBC Radio Leeds. Listen here or download here.
Steve Boulding of West Midlands branch appears on BBC Radio Shropshire. Listen here or download here.
David Harby of Lincolnshire branch is featured in the afternoon news bulletins of BBC Radio Lincolnshire. Listen here or download here.
Chris Burton from East Anglia branch is interviewed on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. Listen here or download here. He also appears on the afternoon news bulletins on BBC Radio Suffolk . Listen here or download here.
Dave Richardson of Thames Valley branch appears on the BBC Radio Berkshire drive time show. Listen here or download here. "Dave Richards" also appears on the afternoon news bulletins of BBC Radio Oxford. Listen here or download here.
Railfuture director Neil Middleton and Thames Valley branch spokesman Dave Richardson are both quoted in an article in the Oxford Mail.
The next day, Railfuture director Roger Blake appears on the talkRADIO breakfast show. Listen here or download here.
20th May - Rail Advent
Railfuture's press release is included in coverage of the Williams/Shapps review:
“It seems that the government wants to make rail work to improve the passenger experience and support economic growth.” said Chris Page, chair of the campaign group Railfuture, “But the devil of course will be in the detail, and we have to wait for the White Paper for that. We will be looking for flexibility and responsiveness, a can-do attitude and whether the new structure will create a joined-up railway which works.
“There are many important questions that remain unanswered”
16th May - LBC
It looks like the long awaited Williams review is imminent, and it will confirm the end of franchising and the introduction of more flexible carnet tickets for part time commuters. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson appears on the breakfast show. Listen here or download here.
13th May - BBC Radio Bristol
Great Western has been particularly badly affected by the class 800 crack problem. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is invited onto the drive time programme to comment. Listen here or download here.
10th May - talkRADIO
There's major disruption to inter-city services as cracks have been found on class 800 trains, forcing them to be taken out of service for emergency inspections. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson appears on the morning show to explain what's going on. Listen here or download here.
1st May - BBC news website
The BBC features a story about the need to get people back on trains after the Covid-19 pandemic. Peter Kingsbury of Wales branch gets several mentions: "Mr Kingsbury said the current rail network was "not financially sustainable" and a scheme similar to Eat Out to Help Out could be introduced, with discount fares or even a free journey to get back on board."
29th April - BBC Radio Leeds
The radio station canvassed opinion on what local travellers wanted from the new West Yorkshire mayor. This was broadcast on the breakfast show and included Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith's aspirations for local transport. Listen here or download here.
28th April - Cambridge Independent
Railfuture is given two pages in the newspaper for an opinion piece on East West rail. Peter Wakefield talks up the benefits of the re-established rail link, and argues that the southern approach into cambridge is the right one.
26th April - Surrey Advertiser
"Surrey commuters could reap benefits of new flexible season tickets in summer" is the headline, and Railfuture chair Chris Page gives a cautious welcome to a new discounted ticket for commuters. "What we suggested originally is that actually the flexible season ticket offered should have a shorter validity. Five tickets to be used within two weeks would incentivise people to travel more often, whereas if you've got five tickets and you can use them over a month then some people might only travel one day a week."
15th April - BBC Radio Bristol
Major works at Bristol Temple Meads will mean that services from the South West will have to terminate at the preceding station. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is interviewed on the drive time programme, and clips of his interview appear on subsequent news bulletins. Listen here or download here.
10th April - Yorkshire Post
Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith has a letter published in the paper. Her opening words sum up her argument: "Bradford needs a new city-centre station – not one on the other side of the inner ring road".
6th April - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
The new route for East West rail is being debated, and Chris Burton appears on the breakfast show to argue for the benefits that the line will bring. Listen here or download here.
4th April - Track Record
The newsletter of the Huddersfield Sheffield Penistone Rail Users Association prints our press release condemning inflation-busting fare increases.
27th March - Oxford Mail
Railfuture makes it onto the front page of the paper: " A MAJOR proposal for a new ‘Oxford Metro’ which could see an electric tramway running through the heart of the city to the John Radcliffe Hospital has been unveiled by a UK campaign group. The Thames Valley branch of Railfuture says that it wants to build on the success of the Oxford-Marylebone rail link established in 2016."
25th March - Modern Railways
The magazine reports on a Rail Freight Group meeting: "Speakers from Transport for Greater Manchester, Railfuture and waste and recycling business Suez outlined their perspectives on the role for rail, and the challenges it faces on the congested rail network, particularly around the major conurbations."
8th March - BBC Radio Wales
There has been a massive increase in road traffic compared to the first lockdown. How does this affect the future of rail use? Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is interviewed on the drive time programme. Listen here or download here.
5th March - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
The prospects for Wisbech - March reopening seem to be improving. Chris Burton from East Anglia branch is interviewed on the breakfast show. Listen here or download here.
2nd March - BBC Radio York
Transport For The North has set out its proposals for rail investment. What does Railfuture think? Yorkshire branch chair Nina smith is interviewed on the drive time show. Listen here or download here.
1st March - BBC Radio Berkshire
Dave Richardson of Thames Valley branch appears on the morning news bulletins to comment on the inflation-busting fare rises. Listen here or download here.
He also appears on the evening news on BBC South Today. View the clip on Youtube.
28th February - Rail fare rises
On the eve of rail fare rises kicking in, a number of media outlets pick up on our press release, with railfuture getting mentioned by the Evening Standard, Sky News, Daily Mail, Huffington Post, ITV and many others. The next day we get additional coverage in The Times and on LBC
15th February - BBC News website
Wales will follow England in raising fares by 2.6% in March, and Railfuture Wales are asked to comment:
"Peter Kingsbury from pro-rail campaign group Railfuture Wales said: "Any fare increase above inflation needs to be accompanied by a range of initiatives to encourage the public to start using the trains again"."
14th February - Eastern Daily Press
The paper picks up on our press release, albeit with the rather negative headline "Council leader says railway station proposal is a pipe dream". Nonetheless, the article gives much coverage of our proposals, including this quote from Peter Wakefield, vice-chair of East Anglia branch:
“At 20 miles, the distance between Norwich and Diss stations is the longest interval between any two stations in the East of England. Not only does this mean that many South Norfolk residents have long road journeys before they can even access a station, but there is currently no prospect of developing local rail services in the Norwich area along the Great Eastern mainline/A140 corridor.”
The story also appears in the Diss Mercury.
10th February - Transport Network
The website publishes a story based on our press release under the headline "Railfuture pitches flexiseasons for 2021".
"Rail campaigners are calling for a new type of flexible season ticket that will give part-time commuters the level of discount offered by weekly season tickets. The Railfuture group said the ticket will be needed when larger numbers of people return to workplaces, with many likely to keep working at home for some of the week. It has suggested a mid-2021 launch date."
The same story also appears on railstaff.co.uk and railuk.com.
12th January - Hastings & St Leonards Observer
An article in the paper celebrates increases in passenger numbers in the period leading up to the COVID pandemic:
"Usage for our local East Coastway and Marshlink rail stations has seen more record breaking increases for the year to March 31 2020. They continue to build on the success following the improved Southern rail timetable introduced in May 2018 promoted by the local rail groups such as Ore Transport Group and ‘THWART’ for Three Oaks and Winchelsea, as well as Railfuture."
Click HERE for previous examples of Railfuture in the media.
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