ABOUT EAST LOTHIAN COMMUNITY RAIL PARTNERSHIP
Community Rail Partnerships (CRP) were first established in England in the 1990s as a formal mechanism to
reinvigorate local and rural railways. CRP status provides a framework for community involvement in strategic
planning, development and operation of a specific railway line.
Since 2014, the East Lothian Community Rail Partnership has been pulling together a wide range of local organisations
with an interest in communities and sustainable transport, to fix the link between railway stations, town
centres and the surrounding areas, and realise an integrated transport network accessible to all. We work with
four train operators (ScotRail, LNER, TransPennine Express, and Cross Country), Transport Scotland, East Lothian
Council, the Regional Transport Partnership (SEStran), local businesses and community groups towards the
following aims:
- Supporting the local economy by promoting rail use and rail facilities
- Actively promoting the use of
rail and other public and low carbon-emitting transport
- Supporting safety, security and access
initiatives relating to railway use
- Working with ‘station adopters’ (individuals and groups) to provide
a more pleasant environment within the station areas.
ABOUT THE VACANCY
Harry Barker has been chairing East Lothian CRP since its inception in 2014 and is now preparing to pass on the reins
of a well-established and respected organisation. In addition the time is right to expand the Board and also
appoint a vice chair. Examples of projects completed to date include:
- restored the murals at Prestonpans Station (best community project 2023)
- improved signage to
stations
- provided information boards for display in stations promoting local attractions and historical
information
- supported many local events in the North Berwick and Dunbar areas
- producing a line
guide and leaflets to encourage tourism
- working with bus operators to improve integration between bus
and rail
Projects have always been dependent on external funding which to date has not proved problematical, and, as such, the
incoming Chair will have the flexibility to pursue their own agenda. The CRP is financially sound and new ways
of operating are being explored by The Community Rail Network and the new Chair will be well placed to provide
input to these.
East Lothian CRP has no paid staff, and projects are led by volunteers under direction from the Board, and therefore
the amount of work involved can vary but can be expected to be around 10 hours per month for the Chair.
DUTIES OF THE CHAIR
Responsibilities include:
- Ensuring that the CRP is run in accordance with the constitution
- Guiding and encouraging projects that
will be undertaken from time to time
- Ensuring that the Action Plan is kept up to date
- Chairing
four meetings per year, including the AGM (normally held in November)
- Producing an annual report for the
AGM
- Ensuring that the activities of the CRP are within the guidelines produced by the Train Operating
Companies in all respects particularly including safely
BENEFITS
You will receive a ‘staff’ rail pass from ScotRail permitting free rail travel throughout Scotland when travelling on
ScotRail trains.
Reasonable expenses will be paid if required to travel on other rail services and/or stay overnight.
REQUIREMENTS
The successful applicant will be expected to support public transport in general, with a keen interest in integration
between modes such as buses, active travel and rail.
A willingness of Board members to attend committees and conferences is essential (expenses will be covered) and these
will give valuable access to professional railway staff and management on the front line, where your views can
be heard. These include:
- the local ‘Rail Forum’ involving MSPs, Councillors and Train Operating Companies - twice a year, usually
virtually
- in-person or virtual annual conferences of the four local Train Operating Companies (ScotRail,
Cross Country Trains, TransPennine Express, and LNER) which may be held anywhere in the UK
- An annual
event in Scotland sponsored by Modern Railways magazine which is attended by many high profile railway managers
and senior representation from Transport Scotland
- Virtual attendance (via Zoom) at the national
Community Rail Network meetings
- In-person Community Rail Networks Awards ceremony, if the CRP is short
listed for an Award – this year’s was in Swansea over three days
- Six Community Area Partnership ‘On the
Move’ groups consider local transport in East Lothian – CRP representation on one or more of these groups is
important for a full appreciation of issues surrounding each station. Each On the Move Group meets every two
months
A knowledge of railways and their workings is desirable but not essential.
Living in East Lothian and using the county’s rail services from time to time would be advantageous.
You will be expected to liaise with the station adoption groups from time to time. They have a separate relationship
with ScotRail.
You will be expected to be pro-active in instructing the website to be kept up to date via the CRP’s appointed
webmaster, and in responding to public enquiries which come via the website. You will not be required to answer
complaints from the travelling public but direct these to ScotRail for attention.
From time to time it may be necessary to communicate with the local Press (East Lothian Courier and occasionally
Edinburgh Evening News).