Win for the green team: rail industry partnership recognised for first sustainable travel toolkit

Train operator CrossCountry and the Community Rail Education Network (CREN) have been recognised for work on the UK’s first educational toolkit on sustainable travel.

The Sustainable Travel Education Toolkit won first place for “Influencing Positive Change & Sustainability” at the Community Rail Awards in Swansea last night, Monday 18 March.

The new toolkit - aimed at Key Stage Two students - has been developed to teach young people about the green credentials of the rail network and encourage them to make more sustainable travel choices.

It’s the first time that CrossCountry has won an award as a train operator at the hotly-contested Community Rail Awards, which mainly recognises work by Community Rail Partnerships across the country.

The development of the toolkit was funded by a £12,000 investment from CrossCountry’s Community Engagement Fund and supported by the Community Rail Education Network and Tyne Valley Community Rail Partnership.

CrossCountry’s Stakeholder Liaison Manager for the North East & Scotland, Alex Bray, said: “It’s wonderful to be recognised for this fantastic set of resources promoting sustainable travel choices to young people across the UK.

“Since we launched the toolkit at the National Railway Museum we’ve had great responses from children and teachers alike – I’d encourage any Key Stage Two educators to download it for free and incorporate it into green teaching!”.

Karen Bennet, Chair of the Community Rail Education Network, said: “I’m delighted that ‘Travel with the Green Team’ has been recognised at the Community Rail Awards in such a competitive category.

“It’s been fantastic to work together across the industry to create such engaging resources for primary school children to learn how to make, and to talk about, more sustainable choices in travel.”.

Other Community Rail Partnerships supported by CrossCountry were recognised for another 16 awards in a hotly-contested evening, with a bumper crop of 18 months of community work available to be nominated.

Jools Townsend, chief executive at the Community Rail Network, said: “Our Community Rail Awards give deserved recognition to community rail partnerships, groups and volunteers across Britain and now beyond. This year’s ceremony in Swansea saw 430 guests from across the community rail movement and transport sector celebrating community rail’s role building stronger, fairer, greener communities, served and connected by their railways and wider sustainable transport network.

“It was fantastic to have our first winners from outside Britain this year. Our congratulations go to all our winners, and thanks to everyone who supports and champions community rail across the rail and transport field, helping the movement to go from strength to strength.”

To download the Sustainable Travel Education Toolkit, visit: www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/xc-community-hub/sustainable-travel-educational-toolkit

To find out more about CrossCountry’s work with Community Rail Partnerships, visit: www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/xc-community-hub/community-rail-partnerships

• Primary school students at the launch of the Sustainable Travel Education Toolkit

Contact Information

CrossCountry Press Office: [email protected]

About CrossCountry

CrossCountry is a long-distance passenger train operator, with a network stretching from Aberdeen to Penzance and from Stansted to Cardiff and calling at over 100 stations. Based in Birmingham, CrossCountry connects seven of Britain’s 10 largest cities and delivers 240 services every weekday, equating to over 42 million passenger journeys each year.

For further information on CrossCountry services, visit crosscountrytrains.co.uk or visit one of our social media platforms via X @crosscountryuk or Facebook at facebook.com/crosscountrytrains