Community Partnership Programme

What is a Community Partnership?

Over recent years it has been recognised that the impact and influence of ScotRail’s services and stations on the communities we serve is much broader and more intricate than simply running trains from one point to another. In response to this ScotRail has developed relationships, based upon shared-ambitions and joint-working, with a range of national, regional, and local community groups and organisations.

Community Partnerships have focused upon undertaking activity that responds to a key social, economic or environmental challenge or opportunity that can impact on the railway and our wider communities. These include partnerships in areas such as health and wellbeing, arts and culture, homelessness, community safety and sustainability.

Community Partnerships are a key element of our ScotRail in the Community Strategy. This strategy aims to operate:

“A railway that maximises, recognises and promotes the social and economic value that communities can derive from, and contribute to, their railway and stations.”

Community Partnerships can help ScotRail engage, encourage, and support local communities to connect with the railway in a way that is not possible by working on our own. With our partners level of expertise, knowledge, and network of engagement, ScotRail can have a wider, more positive impact. In particular, these partnerships deliver wider ambitions including outcomes that contribute to objectives set out in The Scottish Government’s National Transport Strategy (NTS2) – February 2020:

  • Reduces inequalities
    • Everyone in Scotland will share in the benefits of a modern and accessible transport system
  • Takes climate action
    • People will be able to make travel choices that minimise the long-term impacts on our climate and the wellbeing of future generations
  • Helps deliver inclusive economic growth
    • Scotland will have a transport system that will help deliver sustainable and inclusive economic growth enabling the whole country to flourish
  • Improves our health and wellbeing
    • Scotland’s transport system will be safe and enable a healthy, active, and fit nation

Depending upon the opportunity or challenge identified, the geographical area and the theme or subject of focus, a range of Community Partnerships has been developed.

Strategic Partners are national charitable organisations which partner with ScotRail to deliver not only the NTS2 strategy but contribute towards the long term aims of the Scottish Government National Outcomes National Outcomes | National Performance Framework. The Strategic Partnership with ScotRail allows the organisation to ensure they can continue to meet their national commitments and make the difference between their services/expertise/amenities being delivered in limited locations or nationally.

Strategic Partners include the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) ; Street Soccer Scotland and the Wise Group .

A group of brass musicians from the RSNO play carols in front of a Christmas Tree on Glasgow Queen St station concourse.

We often host pop-up concerts at stations to surprise and delight our customers as they pass through on their journeys.

A group of musicians from the RSNO play a concert above Haymarket station concourse.

Street Soccer Scotland supports the Homeless World Cup and various tournaments around the globe which promote positive change through football and sport.

2 footballers tackle around a football. One is wearing a hi-viz tabard with both the ScotRail and Street Soccer Scotland logos on it.

Rail Stakeholder Partners are sustainable travel and integrated transport charitable organisations which partner with ScotRail in promoting rail travel, mobility as a service and active travel. Rail Stakeholder Champions promote ScotRail travel through their publications, events, and website, as well as advocating for investment in rail travel. Our current partners include Scotland’s Towns Partnership and Transform Scotland.

Scotland's Town Partnership and Transform Scotland's Logos

Community Rail Champions are individuals or small/local organisations with charitable aims which ScotRail will work with to deliver the outcomes set out in the NTS2 strategy, promoting inclusive, safe, and sustainable travel. Our Community Rail Champions advocate for and promote the use of train travel as a sustainable alternative to car usage and will be key communicators of the benefits supporting the vision and motivating others to share the rail experience. There will also be Community Rail Champions with a specific rail safety brief who will help deliver rail safety messaging and practical support across the network. Our current Champions include The Railway Mission ; Leo du Feu ; Wellbeing Works ; Ascension Trust Rail Pastors and Samaritans .

We proudly re-launched the Rail Pastors Initiative 28 June 2023 at Glasgow Central Station. The initiative is a partnership between Network Rail, ScotRail, British Transport Police (BTP) and the Ascension Trust (Scotland). Since 2014, volunteer pastors have been patrolling sections of the railway in the UK looking for anyone who is vulnerable, distressed or in need of some assistance. Pastors assist people who aren’t confident travelling alone, require first aid or who are suffering from more serious problems such as poor mental health. They can identify and support those who require further assistance to get home or to a place of safety, liaising with the ScotRail Travel Safe Team, and BTP

A group of people holding a Rail Pastors Initiative banner standing in front of a ScotRail train at Glasgow Central station

Dundee Wellbeing works

We have held a number of joint awareness-raising events to promote good mental health. The first photo shows us at Dundee Station during World Suicide Prevention Day which takes place on 10 September every year. Staff and volunteers from ScotRail, BTP, the Railway Mission, Samaritans and Wellbeing Works, a mental health support charity based in Dundee, spoke to customers and gave out information cards outlining help available for mental health support.

A group of people in front of a banner at Edinburgh Waverley Station

We took part in another event at Edinburgh Waverley station with 6VT Youth Community Rail Partnership, Samaritans and Railway Mission Chaplains promoting positive mental health through the CRP's "Little Bags of Positivity" project.