Campaigning for your rail service!

Britain’s railways are a growth industry. Rail passengers journeys have grown by 50% over the last 15 years and rail freight by 40%; Railfuture believes that rail can do even more..

Railfuture is the UK’s leading independent organisation campaigning for better services for passengers and freight. A voluntary organisation with 14 branches throughout the country, and to which many rail user groups are affiliated, the organisation is independent both politically and commercially.

As well as meeting demand for transport, rail is a major contributor to economic growth, a sponsor of skills training, encourages community involvement and supports a healthy lifestyle. As education, health and retail services are grouped into ever larger units, rail links become essential to allow them to function. Rail is sustainable – and the electric railway is the only transport mode that can draw on any power source including renewables. The taxes paid by rail companies cover almost all of the £4bn annual support rail receives from Government, and rail delivers £9.3bn gross value added to the national economy.

Railfuture is campaigning for a coherent, revitalised national railway system:
  1. As an agent for economic growth
  2. An intermodal railway working with other transport providers
  3. A freight logistics railway serving a developing and growing UK industrial base
  4. A resilient railway – not constantly in the headlines for service or project failures
  5. A professional, cost efficient railway
  6. A sustainable railway
  7. A growing railway with investment in infrastructure and skills
  8. A fair railway
  9. An accountable railway. Accountable for its actions. Accountable to the electorate.
  10. A railway designed for its customers.
Our volunteer members in branches and around 300 local rail user groups campaign to get stations and lines reopened, and services and facilities improved, for the benefit of the community, economy and environment. Over the past 50 years we have played a major part in getting over 370 new and reopened stations and over 500 miles of route to join the network.

We listen to passengers, and most of our members are regular rail travellers, who have set out their top ten priorities:
  • Price of train tickets offering better value for money
  • Passengers should be able to expect a seat on the train
  • Trains sufficiently frequent at times of passengers wishing to travel
  • More trains to run on time
  • Train company to keep passengers informed about delays
  • Less frequent disruptions
  • Fewer trains cancelled
  • Accurate and timely information available at stations
  • Faster journey times
  • Free wi-fi on the train.
Our campaigns cover services, stations or lines in many constituencies. We welcome discussion with Members of Parliament and their researchers about local or national rail issues. Our approach is impartial and our 14 branches keep in close touch with local opinion.

For more, download our manifesto or email chris.austin at railfuture.org.uk