Railfuture is frequently quoted by the media in newspapers, transport magazines, online and on radio and television.
Below are some recent examples of Railfuture being reported during 2022.
Click HERE for more recent examples of Railfuture in the media.
26th December - Crediton Courier
Support for Tarka Line extension grows since Crediton council’s backing. Railfuture logo visible in new banner, ACE Rail campaign's affiliation to Railfuture mentioned.
23rd December - GB News
Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is interviewed about the government announcement of rail fare increases of 5.9% in March.
22nd December - Lynton, Lynmouth and Exmoor Advertiser
A Railway for Bideford - article by Tarka Rail Association's ACE Rail project lead Tim Steer with Railfuture's Infrastructure & Networks Director Roger Blake.
15th December - Atlantic Coast Express
Proposed Bideford-Barnstaple and Exeter railway gets £6,500 boost reports the Winter 2022 issue of the Bideford Railway Heritage Centre's magazine, in an article co-authored by Tarka Rail Association's ACE Rail project lead Tim Steer and Railfuture's Infrastructure & Networks Director Roger Blake.
9th December - Mark Hopwood CBE on LinkedIn from Barnstaple station
The Managing Director at Great Western Railway meets the Tarka Rail Association's ACE Rail team and is the first to see the new campaign banner, including the logo of Railfuture as a project partner.
9th December - BBC Radio Shropshire
West Midlands Railway is introducing a new reduced timetable between Birmingham and Shrewsbury. Colin Major from West Midlands branch appears on the breakfast show to offer his thoughts. Listen here or download here.
30th November - RAIL magazine
Brief reference to Railfuture contribution to Initial Business Case for extension of Tarka Line from Barnstaple.
30th November - Community Rail News
Friends of Glossop Station dedicate memorial plaque to Paul Abell, a former Vice-President of Railfuture which part-funded it.
15th November - BBC News
In "Portishead to Bristol rail line gets final approval:" Rail users lobby group Railfuture Severnside said it was "delighted" with the news and praised the contributions made by local MPs and councillors.
1st November - West Highland News
Autumn / Winter 2022 edition of Friends of the West Highland Lines newsletter publicises Railfuture's RUG Awards, with gold award for Best Website going to FoWHL.
27th October - Modern Railways - November
Bideford campaign progress - joint letter from Tarka Rail Association's ACE Rail campaign lead Tim Steer and Railfuture's Director for Infrastructure & Networks, Roger Blake.
19th October - Devon Live
We’re grateful, too, for the guidance and support with strategic advice over the past 18 months from independent national rail development campaign Railfuture, which has also contributed financially. - Mike Day, Chairman of Tarka Rail Association, commenting on GWR's Community Fund contribution to an Initial Business Case for the Atlantic Coast Exeter Railway which was announced by ACE Rail campaign lead Tim Steer during a presentation he made about the project to Barnstaple Town Council. Article includes photos of Railfuture's Gold RUG Award for Best New Group at Barnstaple station and Infrastructure & Networks Director Roger Blake at Bideford's former station.
18th October - The Voice
Barnstaple's local radio station interviews the Railfuture-affiliated ACE Rail campaign lead Tim Steer, mentioning Railfuture's Gold Award for Best New Group 4 minutes into a 10-minute interview.
18th October - RAIL magazine
The magazine reports on the Conservative party conference and a fringe meeting organised by West Midlands branch on the topic of Great British Railways. "And issues with decision-making by the GBR transition team led to concerns raised by Neil Middleton, from Rail Future, (sic) who said: ”There aren’t enough people in Great British Railways making decisions and actioning things,” and suggested that senior people need to come out of train operating companies and join GBR to help with the decision-making process."
14th October - Crediton Courier
Coverage of Great Western Railway press release of 10th October, including reference to Railfuture support from Mike Day, Chairman of Tarka Rail Association.
13th October - North Devon Journal
Coverage of Great Western Railway press release of 10th October, including reference to Railfuture support from Mike Day, Chairman of Tarka Rail Association.
11th October - The Voice
Tarka Rail Association's Railfuture-affiliated ACE Rail campaign lead Tim Steer is interviewed on local radio.
11th October - RailUK and Rail Advent
Carry GWR press release including mention of Railfuture.
10th October - Great Western Railway
“We’re grateful, too, for the guidance and support with strategic advice over the past 18 months from independent national rail development campaign Railfuture, which has also contributed financially." - Tarka Rail Association Mike Day, commenting on GWR's contribution towards funding an Initial Business Case for Bideford-Barnstaple-Exeter.
29th September - BBC Radio Kent
Southeastern is introducing a new timetable in response to changes in work/life habits following the pandemic. Railfuture's Chris Fribbins is interviewed on the breakfast show. Listen here or download here.
26th September - South Wales Argus
The headline reads "Railfuture's support for MAGOR rail campaign" going on to say"Industry recognition for a community group could provide a significant boost for its hopes of seeing a new mainline rail station developed."
Magor Action Group on Rail wants to open a railway station to serve Magor with Undy. and won a commendation in the best campaign category at Railfuture's Rail User Group Awards, as well as a commendation in the best website category.
22nd September - Modern Railways - October
SENRUG scoops four Railfuture Awards for Rail User Groups.
22nd September - Oxford Mail
The paper picks up on our press release calling on the Transport Secretary not to scrap the eastern section of East West rail. Dave Richardson, spokesman for Railfuture’s Thames Valley branch, is quoted:
“Trains from Oxford to Cambridge have not run since 1968, meaning a long detour via London if you want to travel between these two great university cities by rail. Bus links are inadequate and it is vital to have better rail services if we are to hit our carbon reduction targets. East West Rail promised to reconnect the Varsity Line, which would benefit not only travellers between Oxford and Cambridge, but make possible direct trains from Oxford to places such as Leicester, Nottingham, Peterborough and points north. But that is now at risk.”
21st September - talkRADIO
There's been massive disruption to services with overhead line problems. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is interviewed by Mike Graham. Listen here or download here.
14th September - Daily Record
An online petition is calling for the reopening of two stations in Ayshire. Railfuture gets a mention: “Thinktank Railfuture Scotland has included the two towns on a list of 50 stations across Scotland the group believes should be opened or reopened on existing lines in a bid to attract the public back on trains as the nation wants to shift away from carbon-emitting cars.”
14th September - Metro
A football fan found it cheaper to spend £33 on a flight via Dublin than the £389 rail fare to travel from London to Barrow in Furness. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted: "It’s absolute madness that people are priced off one of the most environmentally friendly forms of transport and onto one of the most polluting, They need to follow the German example and offer attractive fares to entice travellers back onto the railways, not price them onto aeroplanes."
2nd September - LBC News
Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is invited onto the breakfast show to talk about the latest round of rail strikes. Listen here or download here.
1st September - Rail Business Daily
Railfuture director and RUG Awards organiser (and LinkedIn subscriber!) Roger Blake is mentioned in further publicity for SENRUG and Railfuture's RUG Awards. The story is also covered in the Northumberland Gazette.
1st September - ITV News website
Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted in an article debating whether it's cheaper to commute or work from home:
"The cost-of-living crisis is bringing home how unreasonable rail fares are. The fares are always above inflation and become progressively more expensive in real terms and are making it progressively less affordable for most people to commute.So, when other prices crunch it is not surprising that people will try and save money in any way they can. It looks like the government has finally succeeded in pricing people off rail."
31st August - Rail Business Daily
Railfuture-affiliated South East Northumberland Rail User Group announce local presentations to winners of two of their four awards from July's national RUG Awards.
18th August - Talk TV
Railfuture chair Chris Page is interviewed on the breakfast show about the current rail strikes. Watch here.
17th August - Telegraph
The paper considers the cost of season tickets with an RPI-based fare increase. Railfuture spokesman Bruce WIlliamson is quoted: “Any rise to ticket prices should be capped at the rate of CPI. Using the RPI is obsolete and it’s long overdue that it’s consigned to the history books.”
17th August - Daily Mail
The Mail and many other papers pick up on our press release regarding inflation and fare rises. Railfuture chair Chris Page is quoted:
'The Government claims that the fare rise will be below inflation, but the devil will be in the detail. They won't say what the increase will be, or which fares it will apply to. If the Government was serious about tackling the cost-of-living crisis it would make rail travel much more affordable and make it easier for people to use cars and planes less. Germany has shown the way with its nine euro (£7.58) travelcard offer. It proves that if the price is right, people will flock to the trains.'
12th August - GB News
Railfuture chair Chris Page is interviewed on the breakfast show about the current rail strikes.
8th August - Chard and Ilminster News
"Everything you need to know about plans for new Chard Parkway railway station" includes reference to "how the campaign group RailFuture (sic) can be more closely involved in the push for the new station." and “He (Jonathan Roberts) is a long-standing adviser to RailFuture, (sic) a leading independent organisation which campaigns for an improved railway network to underpin economic growth, environmental safeguards and the well-being of communities. “They promote effective rail freight capacity as well as improvements to principal passenger rail corridors and rail restoration schemes.”
26th July - Crediton Courier
Crediton Town Council backs bid to extend Tarka Line to Bideford - report of the 19th July presentation to Crediton Town Council, including mention of Railfuture in photo of Infrastructure Director Roger Blake with other speakers.
25th July - The Devon Belle
The Summer issue of Railfuture-affiliated Combe Rail's newsletter includes a picture of national Infrastructure & Networks Director Roger Blake at Bideford Railway Heritage Centre on 20th April when Devon CC's Andrea Davis visited to talk about the ACE Rail campaign to restore a rail link to Exeter via Barnstaple.
21st July - Ely Standard
The headline reads: "Fen Line Users Association wins two Railfuture awards"
20th July - Lynn News
The headline is "King’s Lynn to Cambridge train Fen Line Users Association wins Railfuture awards" in a story reporting that the King’s Lynn to Cambridge train Fen Line Users Association has won a Railfuture award.
18th July - Way of the Wharves
The July newsletter of the Way of the Wharves Project in Bideford, Devon, includes reference to Railfuture in an item about the Tarka Rail Association's ACE Rail campaign, taken from July's Rail User Express.
16th July - OkeRail news
OkeRail report their Judges' Special Award win, received after Railfuture's national AGM in Bristol.
21st June - Daily Express
News article on rail strikes is followed by 'Comment by Chris Page', the Chair of Railfuture. Neil Middleton and Stewart Palmer were also interviewed on Sky News.
23rd May - The Voice
The radio station for North Devon interviews Tim Steer from Bideford Heritage Railway Centre about expansion plans, including the help he has received from Railfuture. Listen here or download here.
16th May - BBC News website
The government is considering alternatives to the HS2 eastern leg, including a link to the ECML via Nottingham and Newark. Lincolnshire branch chair David Harby is quoted as saying that the Newark option would give the government almost everything it wanted.
"It would also be the cheapest option but there would be compromises - of course, it wouldn't serve Sheffield," he said.
11th May - BBC Radio Leeds
The queen's speech includes a new transport bill to establish Great British Railways. What will this mean for passengers? Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith is interviewed on the breakfast show. Listen here or download here.
29th April - My London
Forget more London Underground stations, what South London really needs is Thameslink 2 linking Croydon, Lewisham, Canary Wharf and Stratford headlines the author, with the comment It's not just me who sees sense. Railfuture, the UK's largest independent campaign group for improving rail services, has put this proposal at the top of its campaigns in London and the South East.
27th April - Huddersfield Examiner
The headline is: Four major changes needed to transform Yorkshire's 'desperate' railways, according to an expert - that expert being Yorkshire Branch vice-chair and national Director Mike Rose, who sets out Railfuture's priorities for improving rail transport in Yorkshire.
27th April - The Planner
Infrastructure & Networks Director Roger Blake has an article in the house magazine of the Royal Town Planning Institute for May, citing five examples of Railfuture getting on with supporting the delivery of #RailTransportForNewHomes.
27th April - Devon Live
Reopening of Bideford to Barnstaple railway 'transformational for North Devon - Infrastructure & Networks Director Roger Blake is among a group at the Bideford Railway Heritage Centre to brief Devon County Council's Andrea Davis, also Chair of Peninsula Transport, about the ACE Rail campaign to reconnect Bideford to the mainline rail network at Barnstaple for through services to Exeter.
19th April - The Great British Rail Sale
The government has announced a sale of one million half price off-peak tickets. Railfuture is in demand for comment, and national spokesman Bruce WIlliamson is interviewed on talkRADIO, Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith appears on BBC Radio York, East Anglia branch vice-chair Chris Burton appears on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and Dave Richardson of Thames Valley branch is interviewed on BBC Radio Berkshire.
18th April - Daily Record
The paper reports that Network Rail is paying compensation to train operating companies for engineering works, but that passengers are not entitled to any compensation. Railfuture spokesman Bruce WIlliamson is quoted: “Passengers whose journeys are lengthened by engineering works would naturally think that some of the money should go to them.”
11th April - Dunfermline Press
"Influential think tank Railfuture Scotland" is the subject of this article, which highlights Railfuture's plans for new stations in Scotland. Spokesperson Jane Ann Liston is quoted: "These stations are considered necessary to provide an attractive and environmentally-friendly alternative to road vehicles. Each of the locations has some specific feature as to why it needs a station, such as an attraction which brings in many people, a major employer, or simply a large number of residents who need to travel. These stations would open up more of the country to non-road travel. "
1st April - BBC Radio Scotland
Scotrail is now back in the public sector. Railfuture Scotland's Jane Ann Liston appears on Good Morning Scotland alongside rail journalist Philip Haigh to discuss what changes passengers will notice. Listen here or download here.
30th March - BBC Radio Bristol
The Belmond British Pullman visited Bath Spa station, and Railfuture goes a little bit rail past, as spokesman Bruce Williamson talks about the Orient Express, heritage railways and sleeper trains. Listen here or download here.
27th March - The Herald
"Influential think tank Railfuture Scotland has mapped out the list of 51 stations to be opened or re-opened" says the paper, reporting on Railfuture proposals first published eight years ago, but putting a contemporary spin by adding "...in a bid to attract the public back on trains.as Covid restrictions are lifted".
26th March - BBC Radio York
Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith appears on the drive time show to talk about cuts to Northern services. Listen here or download here.
1st March - More fare rise coverage
Railfuture spokesman Bruce WIlliamson is interviewed on BBC Radio Suffolk and is quoted on the BBC news website. Many papers and websites quote our tweet "Ordinary working people are feeling the squeeze like never before, yet the government is stoking the fire of the cost of living crisis with these eye-watering fare increases".
Railfuture is also quoted in the Mirror, Express and on the Yahoo! news website, as well as appearing on BBC One's lunchtime news for the South East:
28th February - Fare rises
Many media outlets including The Guardian, Daily Mail, Metro and Sky News pick up on our press release, with hundreds of newspapers publishing an article under the headline "Train passengers to be hit with largest spike in fares since 2013". The Salisbury Journal is typical, picking up our soundbite of "stoking the fire of the cost of living crisis" and further quoting Railfutrue spokesman Bruce Williamson:
"Ordinary working people are feeling the squeeze like never before, yet the Government is stoking the fire of the cost of living crisis with these eye-watering fare increases. How does this help get the country back to work?"
Railfuture also gets a mention in the independent and the London Evening Standard.
27th February - Mail on Sunday
The paper reports on a package of engineering works over the Easter holiday. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted: ‘More people will return to the railways after Covid and it is inevitable some will be inconvenienced by works. A significant package of Easter works is scheduled.’
24th February - Tarka Rail Association
Destination Bideford is a 3-page feature in Tarka Rail Association's Spring 2022 magazine, with positive references to Railfuture and its Director for Infrastructure & Networks Roger Blake.
23rd February - Bridport & Lyme Regis News
Under the headline "Railfuture sceptical over South Western Railway rankings", the paper reports on Wessex branch's doubts over a recent passenger satisfaction survey which gave South Western Railway an overall satisfaction of 88%.
A spokesperson for Railfuture Wessex is quoted: “Passenger numbers have been well below normal during the winter months, and we question whether the satisfaction survey gives a true picture when so many have been put off travelling. It will be interesting to see how the railway copes during the busier summer period, when a lot more people will be making the choice to go by rail, and expectations of comfort and reliability will be somewhat higher. We fear that some may experience longer journey times and perhaps overcrowding unless the service is restored to something nearer pre-Covid levels.”
11th February - Ipswich Star
Railfuture is calling for more emphasis to be given to links between Ipswich, Norwich, Colchester, Cambridge and Peterborough, rather than just on lines to London. East Anglia branch vice chair Peter Wakefield is quoted:
"London will still be an important destination but Railfuture thinks it is time for railway planners to initiate a gradual shift from being totally London orientated to more 'big five. All these urban centres have their own severe traffic problems with radial roads congested, producing poor and often dangerous public health outcomes."
This story also appears in the East Anglian Daily Times.
8th February - Witney Oxford Transport Group
WOTG Chair goes online to thank everyone including Railfuture's Infrastructure & Networks Director Roger Blake for making possible Oxfordshire County Council's Budget decision to allocate £250k for Undertaking a strategic rail feasibility study to establish what it would take to advance the proposals for new rail links to Cowley, Grove/Wantage, and Witney/Carterton, and the installation of double track on single track stretches of the North Cotswold Line.
5th February - Liverpool Echo
The paper aims to investigate why British trains are so expensive and what can be done about it. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is extensively quoted, saying, amongst other things: "You can have these cheap bargains, but for many people, they're just not practical or attractive. What we all want to do is get on the train when we want to get on the train and not have to plan weeks in advance and just, you know, buy a ticket, get a seat and not get ripped off for it."
1st February - talkRADIO
After Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted in The Sun on 31st January, he's interviewed on talkRADIO about signallers apparently asleep on the job. Perhaps taking forty winks isn't such a bad thing? Listen here or download here.
1st February - BBC Radio Surrey
With passenger numbers still well below pre-pandemic levels, what does the industry have to do to make rail travel an attractive proposition? Railfuture director Stewart Palmer is interviewed on the breakfast show. Listen here or download here.
31st January - The Sun
Signalling workers at London Victoria have been photographed asleep on duty in the middle of the night. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted: “This is very serious and a real concern. It’s a very important job. These staff are there to make sure everything goes smoothly and that if the technology is not working, then there is a back-up.”
27th January - inews
In an article entitled "Greggs bacon rolls and mindfulness apps offered to train commuters in a bid to lure them back onto the railway", Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted:
“Any sweetener, I suppose, is nice but what we really need to address are the fundamentals which are the soaring cost of tickets and the quality of the service. If they want to attract commuters back to the railways we need reliable service for people to use. What is important is the quality of the product not the wrapping.”
27th January - Modern Railways - February
Railfuture director Roger Blake has a joint letter Back the Bideford bid in the February issue, co-signed with Cllr Tim Steer (Director of Bideford Railway Heritage Centre) leading the ACE Rail campaign, and Kevin Ball (OkeRail Executive).
23rd January - BBC One South
Railfuture director Stewart Palmer appears on the Politics South TV programme to criticise South Western Railway's level of service.
21st January - inews
The i contrasts the return to work with worsening rail services and imminent fare rises. Grant Shapps has promised to reduce the amount of annoying Tannoy announcements.
"RailFuture, an independent passenger group, poured scorn on to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps’ announcement to do away with repetitive Tannoy announcements on trains – calling it “scraping the barrel in trying to find some good news”."......
"RailWatch (Railfuture) spokesman Bruce Williamson said that if the Government wants to entice hybrid workers and people who have started relying on their cars during the pandemic back onto the trains, it is “really important” that firms offer an “attractive service”.
Mr Williams (Williamson) described the discounts offered by the newly introduced “flexi season tickets”, which give users eight days of travel within a 28-day period, as “parsimonious”, and said such schemes should be “a lot more generous”."
19th January - Hampshire Chronicle
The paper writes an article based on our press release. The article reads " A MAJOR rail operator has been slammed for reaching a "new low point" after introducing a reduced timetable. South Western Railway is now running fewer trains in Hampshire. It claims that its workforce has been slashed by Covid, with staff either testing positive or having to self isolate. But Railfuture, a national not-for-profit company campaigning for a bigger and better railway in Britain, called the decision a new low point ", before quoting Railfuture director Stewart Palmer.
A similar story appears in the Bournemouth Echo.
7th January - RUG Awards in Tarka Rail Association's "Station News"
Railfuture's Award and Commendation for two Devon organisations, after last year's national AGM in Bristol, mentioned in the 7th edition of the TRA's twice-yearly poster which is displayed in their noticeboards at all 12 Tarka Line stations.
2nd January - LBC
Covid is causing staff shortages in many industries, including the railways. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is interviewed on Sky News, and a clip of that interview then appears in LBC's news bulletins. Listen here or download here.
Click HERE for previous examples of Railfuture in the media.
Apply to join Railfuture now - click HERE.
Below are some recent examples of Railfuture being reported during 2022.
Click HERE for more recent examples of Railfuture in the media.
26th December - Crediton Courier
Support for Tarka Line extension grows since Crediton council’s backing. Railfuture logo visible in new banner, ACE Rail campaign's affiliation to Railfuture mentioned.
23rd December - GB News
Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is interviewed about the government announcement of rail fare increases of 5.9% in March.
22nd December - Lynton, Lynmouth and Exmoor Advertiser
A Railway for Bideford - article by Tarka Rail Association's ACE Rail project lead Tim Steer with Railfuture's Infrastructure & Networks Director Roger Blake.
15th December - Atlantic Coast Express
Proposed Bideford-Barnstaple and Exeter railway gets £6,500 boost reports the Winter 2022 issue of the Bideford Railway Heritage Centre's magazine, in an article co-authored by Tarka Rail Association's ACE Rail project lead Tim Steer and Railfuture's Infrastructure & Networks Director Roger Blake.
9th December - Mark Hopwood CBE on LinkedIn from Barnstaple station
The Managing Director at Great Western Railway meets the Tarka Rail Association's ACE Rail team and is the first to see the new campaign banner, including the logo of Railfuture as a project partner.
9th December - BBC Radio Shropshire
West Midlands Railway is introducing a new reduced timetable between Birmingham and Shrewsbury. Colin Major from West Midlands branch appears on the breakfast show to offer his thoughts. Listen here or download here.
30th November - RAIL magazine
Brief reference to Railfuture contribution to Initial Business Case for extension of Tarka Line from Barnstaple.
30th November - Community Rail News
Friends of Glossop Station dedicate memorial plaque to Paul Abell, a former Vice-President of Railfuture which part-funded it.
15th November - BBC News
In "Portishead to Bristol rail line gets final approval:" Rail users lobby group Railfuture Severnside said it was "delighted" with the news and praised the contributions made by local MPs and councillors.
1st November - West Highland News
Autumn / Winter 2022 edition of Friends of the West Highland Lines newsletter publicises Railfuture's RUG Awards, with gold award for Best Website going to FoWHL.
27th October - Modern Railways - November
Bideford campaign progress - joint letter from Tarka Rail Association's ACE Rail campaign lead Tim Steer and Railfuture's Director for Infrastructure & Networks, Roger Blake.
19th October - Devon Live
We’re grateful, too, for the guidance and support with strategic advice over the past 18 months from independent national rail development campaign Railfuture, which has also contributed financially. - Mike Day, Chairman of Tarka Rail Association, commenting on GWR's Community Fund contribution to an Initial Business Case for the Atlantic Coast Exeter Railway which was announced by ACE Rail campaign lead Tim Steer during a presentation he made about the project to Barnstaple Town Council. Article includes photos of Railfuture's Gold RUG Award for Best New Group at Barnstaple station and Infrastructure & Networks Director Roger Blake at Bideford's former station.
18th October - The Voice
Barnstaple's local radio station interviews the Railfuture-affiliated ACE Rail campaign lead Tim Steer, mentioning Railfuture's Gold Award for Best New Group 4 minutes into a 10-minute interview.
18th October - RAIL magazine
The magazine reports on the Conservative party conference and a fringe meeting organised by West Midlands branch on the topic of Great British Railways. "And issues with decision-making by the GBR transition team led to concerns raised by Neil Middleton, from Rail Future, (sic) who said: ”There aren’t enough people in Great British Railways making decisions and actioning things,” and suggested that senior people need to come out of train operating companies and join GBR to help with the decision-making process."
14th October - Crediton Courier
Coverage of Great Western Railway press release of 10th October, including reference to Railfuture support from Mike Day, Chairman of Tarka Rail Association.
13th October - North Devon Journal
Coverage of Great Western Railway press release of 10th October, including reference to Railfuture support from Mike Day, Chairman of Tarka Rail Association.
11th October - The Voice
Tarka Rail Association's Railfuture-affiliated ACE Rail campaign lead Tim Steer is interviewed on local radio.
11th October - RailUK and Rail Advent
Carry GWR press release including mention of Railfuture.
10th October - Great Western Railway
“We’re grateful, too, for the guidance and support with strategic advice over the past 18 months from independent national rail development campaign Railfuture, which has also contributed financially." - Tarka Rail Association Mike Day, commenting on GWR's contribution towards funding an Initial Business Case for Bideford-Barnstaple-Exeter.
29th September - BBC Radio Kent
Southeastern is introducing a new timetable in response to changes in work/life habits following the pandemic. Railfuture's Chris Fribbins is interviewed on the breakfast show. Listen here or download here.
26th September - South Wales Argus
The headline reads "Railfuture's support for MAGOR rail campaign" going on to say"Industry recognition for a community group could provide a significant boost for its hopes of seeing a new mainline rail station developed."
Magor Action Group on Rail wants to open a railway station to serve Magor with Undy. and won a commendation in the best campaign category at Railfuture's Rail User Group Awards, as well as a commendation in the best website category.
22nd September - Modern Railways - October
SENRUG scoops four Railfuture Awards for Rail User Groups.
22nd September - Oxford Mail
The paper picks up on our press release calling on the Transport Secretary not to scrap the eastern section of East West rail. Dave Richardson, spokesman for Railfuture’s Thames Valley branch, is quoted:
“Trains from Oxford to Cambridge have not run since 1968, meaning a long detour via London if you want to travel between these two great university cities by rail. Bus links are inadequate and it is vital to have better rail services if we are to hit our carbon reduction targets. East West Rail promised to reconnect the Varsity Line, which would benefit not only travellers between Oxford and Cambridge, but make possible direct trains from Oxford to places such as Leicester, Nottingham, Peterborough and points north. But that is now at risk.”
21st September - talkRADIO
There's been massive disruption to services with overhead line problems. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is interviewed by Mike Graham. Listen here or download here.
14th September - Daily Record
An online petition is calling for the reopening of two stations in Ayshire. Railfuture gets a mention: “Thinktank Railfuture Scotland has included the two towns on a list of 50 stations across Scotland the group believes should be opened or reopened on existing lines in a bid to attract the public back on trains as the nation wants to shift away from carbon-emitting cars.”
14th September - Metro
A football fan found it cheaper to spend £33 on a flight via Dublin than the £389 rail fare to travel from London to Barrow in Furness. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted: "It’s absolute madness that people are priced off one of the most environmentally friendly forms of transport and onto one of the most polluting, They need to follow the German example and offer attractive fares to entice travellers back onto the railways, not price them onto aeroplanes."
2nd September - LBC News
Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is invited onto the breakfast show to talk about the latest round of rail strikes. Listen here or download here.
1st September - Rail Business Daily
Railfuture director and RUG Awards organiser (and LinkedIn subscriber!) Roger Blake is mentioned in further publicity for SENRUG and Railfuture's RUG Awards. The story is also covered in the Northumberland Gazette.
1st September - ITV News website
Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted in an article debating whether it's cheaper to commute or work from home:
"The cost-of-living crisis is bringing home how unreasonable rail fares are. The fares are always above inflation and become progressively more expensive in real terms and are making it progressively less affordable for most people to commute.So, when other prices crunch it is not surprising that people will try and save money in any way they can. It looks like the government has finally succeeded in pricing people off rail."
31st August - Rail Business Daily
Railfuture-affiliated South East Northumberland Rail User Group announce local presentations to winners of two of their four awards from July's national RUG Awards.
18th August - Talk TV
Railfuture chair Chris Page is interviewed on the breakfast show about the current rail strikes. Watch here.
17th August - Telegraph
The paper considers the cost of season tickets with an RPI-based fare increase. Railfuture spokesman Bruce WIlliamson is quoted: “Any rise to ticket prices should be capped at the rate of CPI. Using the RPI is obsolete and it’s long overdue that it’s consigned to the history books.”
17th August - Daily Mail
The Mail and many other papers pick up on our press release regarding inflation and fare rises. Railfuture chair Chris Page is quoted:
'The Government claims that the fare rise will be below inflation, but the devil will be in the detail. They won't say what the increase will be, or which fares it will apply to. If the Government was serious about tackling the cost-of-living crisis it would make rail travel much more affordable and make it easier for people to use cars and planes less. Germany has shown the way with its nine euro (£7.58) travelcard offer. It proves that if the price is right, people will flock to the trains.'
12th August - GB News
Railfuture chair Chris Page is interviewed on the breakfast show about the current rail strikes.
8th August - Chard and Ilminster News
"Everything you need to know about plans for new Chard Parkway railway station" includes reference to "how the campaign group RailFuture (sic) can be more closely involved in the push for the new station." and “He (Jonathan Roberts) is a long-standing adviser to RailFuture, (sic) a leading independent organisation which campaigns for an improved railway network to underpin economic growth, environmental safeguards and the well-being of communities. “They promote effective rail freight capacity as well as improvements to principal passenger rail corridors and rail restoration schemes.”
26th July - Crediton Courier
Crediton Town Council backs bid to extend Tarka Line to Bideford - report of the 19th July presentation to Crediton Town Council, including mention of Railfuture in photo of Infrastructure Director Roger Blake with other speakers.
25th July - The Devon Belle
The Summer issue of Railfuture-affiliated Combe Rail's newsletter includes a picture of national Infrastructure & Networks Director Roger Blake at Bideford Railway Heritage Centre on 20th April when Devon CC's Andrea Davis visited to talk about the ACE Rail campaign to restore a rail link to Exeter via Barnstaple.
21st July - Ely Standard
The headline reads: "Fen Line Users Association wins two Railfuture awards"
20th July - Lynn News
The headline is "King’s Lynn to Cambridge train Fen Line Users Association wins Railfuture awards" in a story reporting that the King’s Lynn to Cambridge train Fen Line Users Association has won a Railfuture award.
18th July - Way of the Wharves
The July newsletter of the Way of the Wharves Project in Bideford, Devon, includes reference to Railfuture in an item about the Tarka Rail Association's ACE Rail campaign, taken from July's Rail User Express.
16th July - OkeRail news
OkeRail report their Judges' Special Award win, received after Railfuture's national AGM in Bristol.
21st June - Daily Express
News article on rail strikes is followed by 'Comment by Chris Page', the Chair of Railfuture. Neil Middleton and Stewart Palmer were also interviewed on Sky News.
23rd May - The Voice
The radio station for North Devon interviews Tim Steer from Bideford Heritage Railway Centre about expansion plans, including the help he has received from Railfuture. Listen here or download here.
16th May - BBC News website
The government is considering alternatives to the HS2 eastern leg, including a link to the ECML via Nottingham and Newark. Lincolnshire branch chair David Harby is quoted as saying that the Newark option would give the government almost everything it wanted.
"It would also be the cheapest option but there would be compromises - of course, it wouldn't serve Sheffield," he said.
11th May - BBC Radio Leeds
The queen's speech includes a new transport bill to establish Great British Railways. What will this mean for passengers? Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith is interviewed on the breakfast show. Listen here or download here.
29th April - My London
Forget more London Underground stations, what South London really needs is Thameslink 2 linking Croydon, Lewisham, Canary Wharf and Stratford headlines the author, with the comment It's not just me who sees sense. Railfuture, the UK's largest independent campaign group for improving rail services, has put this proposal at the top of its campaigns in London and the South East.
27th April - Huddersfield Examiner
The headline is: Four major changes needed to transform Yorkshire's 'desperate' railways, according to an expert - that expert being Yorkshire Branch vice-chair and national Director Mike Rose, who sets out Railfuture's priorities for improving rail transport in Yorkshire.
27th April - The Planner
Infrastructure & Networks Director Roger Blake has an article in the house magazine of the Royal Town Planning Institute for May, citing five examples of Railfuture getting on with supporting the delivery of #RailTransportForNewHomes.
27th April - Devon Live
Reopening of Bideford to Barnstaple railway 'transformational for North Devon - Infrastructure & Networks Director Roger Blake is among a group at the Bideford Railway Heritage Centre to brief Devon County Council's Andrea Davis, also Chair of Peninsula Transport, about the ACE Rail campaign to reconnect Bideford to the mainline rail network at Barnstaple for through services to Exeter.
19th April - The Great British Rail Sale
The government has announced a sale of one million half price off-peak tickets. Railfuture is in demand for comment, and national spokesman Bruce WIlliamson is interviewed on talkRADIO, Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith appears on BBC Radio York, East Anglia branch vice-chair Chris Burton appears on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and Dave Richardson of Thames Valley branch is interviewed on BBC Radio Berkshire.
18th April - Daily Record
The paper reports that Network Rail is paying compensation to train operating companies for engineering works, but that passengers are not entitled to any compensation. Railfuture spokesman Bruce WIlliamson is quoted: “Passengers whose journeys are lengthened by engineering works would naturally think that some of the money should go to them.”
11th April - Dunfermline Press
"Influential think tank Railfuture Scotland" is the subject of this article, which highlights Railfuture's plans for new stations in Scotland. Spokesperson Jane Ann Liston is quoted: "These stations are considered necessary to provide an attractive and environmentally-friendly alternative to road vehicles. Each of the locations has some specific feature as to why it needs a station, such as an attraction which brings in many people, a major employer, or simply a large number of residents who need to travel. These stations would open up more of the country to non-road travel. "
1st April - BBC Radio Scotland
Scotrail is now back in the public sector. Railfuture Scotland's Jane Ann Liston appears on Good Morning Scotland alongside rail journalist Philip Haigh to discuss what changes passengers will notice. Listen here or download here.
30th March - BBC Radio Bristol
The Belmond British Pullman visited Bath Spa station, and Railfuture goes a little bit rail past, as spokesman Bruce Williamson talks about the Orient Express, heritage railways and sleeper trains. Listen here or download here.
27th March - The Herald
"Influential think tank Railfuture Scotland has mapped out the list of 51 stations to be opened or re-opened" says the paper, reporting on Railfuture proposals first published eight years ago, but putting a contemporary spin by adding "...in a bid to attract the public back on trains.as Covid restrictions are lifted".
26th March - BBC Radio York
Yorkshire branch chair Nina Smith appears on the drive time show to talk about cuts to Northern services. Listen here or download here.
1st March - More fare rise coverage
Railfuture spokesman Bruce WIlliamson is interviewed on BBC Radio Suffolk and is quoted on the BBC news website. Many papers and websites quote our tweet "Ordinary working people are feeling the squeeze like never before, yet the government is stoking the fire of the cost of living crisis with these eye-watering fare increases".
Railfuture is also quoted in the Mirror, Express and on the Yahoo! news website, as well as appearing on BBC One's lunchtime news for the South East:
28th February - Fare rises
Many media outlets including The Guardian, Daily Mail, Metro and Sky News pick up on our press release, with hundreds of newspapers publishing an article under the headline "Train passengers to be hit with largest spike in fares since 2013". The Salisbury Journal is typical, picking up our soundbite of "stoking the fire of the cost of living crisis" and further quoting Railfutrue spokesman Bruce Williamson:
"Ordinary working people are feeling the squeeze like never before, yet the Government is stoking the fire of the cost of living crisis with these eye-watering fare increases. How does this help get the country back to work?"
Railfuture also gets a mention in the independent and the London Evening Standard.
27th February - Mail on Sunday
The paper reports on a package of engineering works over the Easter holiday. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted: ‘More people will return to the railways after Covid and it is inevitable some will be inconvenienced by works. A significant package of Easter works is scheduled.’
24th February - Tarka Rail Association
Destination Bideford is a 3-page feature in Tarka Rail Association's Spring 2022 magazine, with positive references to Railfuture and its Director for Infrastructure & Networks Roger Blake.
23rd February - Bridport & Lyme Regis News
Under the headline "Railfuture sceptical over South Western Railway rankings", the paper reports on Wessex branch's doubts over a recent passenger satisfaction survey which gave South Western Railway an overall satisfaction of 88%.
A spokesperson for Railfuture Wessex is quoted: “Passenger numbers have been well below normal during the winter months, and we question whether the satisfaction survey gives a true picture when so many have been put off travelling. It will be interesting to see how the railway copes during the busier summer period, when a lot more people will be making the choice to go by rail, and expectations of comfort and reliability will be somewhat higher. We fear that some may experience longer journey times and perhaps overcrowding unless the service is restored to something nearer pre-Covid levels.”
11th February - Ipswich Star
Railfuture is calling for more emphasis to be given to links between Ipswich, Norwich, Colchester, Cambridge and Peterborough, rather than just on lines to London. East Anglia branch vice chair Peter Wakefield is quoted:
"London will still be an important destination but Railfuture thinks it is time for railway planners to initiate a gradual shift from being totally London orientated to more 'big five. All these urban centres have their own severe traffic problems with radial roads congested, producing poor and often dangerous public health outcomes."
This story also appears in the East Anglian Daily Times.
8th February - Witney Oxford Transport Group
WOTG Chair goes online to thank everyone including Railfuture's Infrastructure & Networks Director Roger Blake for making possible Oxfordshire County Council's Budget decision to allocate £250k for Undertaking a strategic rail feasibility study to establish what it would take to advance the proposals for new rail links to Cowley, Grove/Wantage, and Witney/Carterton, and the installation of double track on single track stretches of the North Cotswold Line.
5th February - Liverpool Echo
The paper aims to investigate why British trains are so expensive and what can be done about it. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is extensively quoted, saying, amongst other things: "You can have these cheap bargains, but for many people, they're just not practical or attractive. What we all want to do is get on the train when we want to get on the train and not have to plan weeks in advance and just, you know, buy a ticket, get a seat and not get ripped off for it."
1st February - talkRADIO
After Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted in The Sun on 31st January, he's interviewed on talkRADIO about signallers apparently asleep on the job. Perhaps taking forty winks isn't such a bad thing? Listen here or download here.
1st February - BBC Radio Surrey
With passenger numbers still well below pre-pandemic levels, what does the industry have to do to make rail travel an attractive proposition? Railfuture director Stewart Palmer is interviewed on the breakfast show. Listen here or download here.
31st January - The Sun
Signalling workers at London Victoria have been photographed asleep on duty in the middle of the night. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted: “This is very serious and a real concern. It’s a very important job. These staff are there to make sure everything goes smoothly and that if the technology is not working, then there is a back-up.”
27th January - inews
In an article entitled "Greggs bacon rolls and mindfulness apps offered to train commuters in a bid to lure them back onto the railway", Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is quoted:
“Any sweetener, I suppose, is nice but what we really need to address are the fundamentals which are the soaring cost of tickets and the quality of the service. If they want to attract commuters back to the railways we need reliable service for people to use. What is important is the quality of the product not the wrapping.”
27th January - Modern Railways - February
Railfuture director Roger Blake has a joint letter Back the Bideford bid in the February issue, co-signed with Cllr Tim Steer (Director of Bideford Railway Heritage Centre) leading the ACE Rail campaign, and Kevin Ball (OkeRail Executive).
23rd January - BBC One South
Railfuture director Stewart Palmer appears on the Politics South TV programme to criticise South Western Railway's level of service.
21st January - inews
The i contrasts the return to work with worsening rail services and imminent fare rises. Grant Shapps has promised to reduce the amount of annoying Tannoy announcements.
"RailFuture, an independent passenger group, poured scorn on to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps’ announcement to do away with repetitive Tannoy announcements on trains – calling it “scraping the barrel in trying to find some good news”."......
"RailWatch (Railfuture) spokesman Bruce Williamson said that if the Government wants to entice hybrid workers and people who have started relying on their cars during the pandemic back onto the trains, it is “really important” that firms offer an “attractive service”.
Mr Williams (Williamson) described the discounts offered by the newly introduced “flexi season tickets”, which give users eight days of travel within a 28-day period, as “parsimonious”, and said such schemes should be “a lot more generous”."
19th January - Hampshire Chronicle
The paper writes an article based on our press release. The article reads " A MAJOR rail operator has been slammed for reaching a "new low point" after introducing a reduced timetable. South Western Railway is now running fewer trains in Hampshire. It claims that its workforce has been slashed by Covid, with staff either testing positive or having to self isolate. But Railfuture, a national not-for-profit company campaigning for a bigger and better railway in Britain, called the decision a new low point ", before quoting Railfuture director Stewart Palmer.
A similar story appears in the Bournemouth Echo.
7th January - RUG Awards in Tarka Rail Association's "Station News"
Railfuture's Award and Commendation for two Devon organisations, after last year's national AGM in Bristol, mentioned in the 7th edition of the TRA's twice-yearly poster which is displayed in their noticeboards at all 12 Tarka Line stations.
2nd January - LBC
Covid is causing staff shortages in many industries, including the railways. Railfuture spokesman Bruce Williamson is interviewed on Sky News, and a clip of that interview then appears in LBC's news bulletins. Listen here or download here.
Click HERE for previous examples of Railfuture in the media.
Apply to join Railfuture now - click HERE.