Welcome to the Isle of Wight Community Rail Partnership website!

The Isle of Wight Community Rail Partnership (CRP) was launched in 2005 with formal designation granted from the DfT in March 2006. Our rolling stock is former 1938 Northern Line underground electric trains, which, all newly painted in the original livery of red and cream has made this 8.5 mile line an attraction in its own right!

The partnership’s original stakeholders were Island Line, Isle of Wight Council, Wightlink and the Quality Transport Partnership (QTP). However due to successful projects and partnership working, the CRP have expanded its executive membership to include some of the Island's other transport providers, Isle of Wight Steam Railway and Southern Vectis, with the vision we will get all the Islands Transport Providers on board in the near future. This is seen by many to be a great way to work together for seamless travel and sustainable transport, thus encouraging people to use public transport leaving their cars at home, reducing congestion thus the carbon footprint, for a brighter, cleaner future.

It has also seen the launch of the Lymington-Brockenhurst CRP with the same development Officer, Bobby Lock, to manage and sometimes replicate the Islands successful projects to encourage more to visit the Island and New Forest with through ticketing, events and community initiatives. This has brought further sustainability to our own partnership with committed stakeholders such as Hampshire County Council, New Forest District Council, Wightlink, South West Trains, New Forest National Parks Authority, Brockenhurst College, the town and parish councils, Primary Care Trust and Chamber of Commerce. For more information on the LB CRP please see the bottom right below link.
However, with the up’s, there are downs and a casualty this year has been the withdrawal of the Local Isle of Wight’s yearly funding in March this year as part of their swinging cuts. This has been seen by many as short-sighted, particularly with the widely publicised DfT’s commissioned report from ACoRP, on the value of Community Rail, which shows for every £1.00 invested by stakeholders, there is a proven return of £4.60! Particularly valuable in this economic climate where we are expected to deliver more for less. For more information on the value of Community Rail please follow the below link.

Values of CPR's project

There are so many things to do on the Island and great connections to the mainland, so we hope that the many links on our website will help you discover and experience activities and attractions from Ryde to Shanklin and beyond. Whether it’s cycling or walking the Wight, surfing, sailing or swimming the choice is vast.

Vision statement

“The aim of the Community Rail Partnership is to create a sustainable future for rail on the Isle of Wight”

To increase use of existing train services and Solent connections;
To develop community goodwill and involvement with the local railway;
To improve station facilities and environment;
To develop integrated transport links to and from the railway;
To assist with developing agreed long-term strategies for the local railway.

Objectives

To work in partnership with the local management of Island Line to achieve the following objectives:

To identify potential growth markets for the rail service;
To support station development projects along the line and act as a catalyst for other projects;
To work positively with other transport providers;
To work with the tourism industry on the island and mainland to promote use of rail;
To ensure that the railway is an active participant in regeneration strategies for the Island;
To identify new potential stakeholders in the community;

TRAIN TIMES

Click here to view the timetable

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