WEYMOUTH is to take centre stage for this year’s Community Rail Week.

The scheme aims to encourage people to ‘give the train a try’ and runs from Monday, May 23 until Sunday, May 29. It involves hundreds of community rail partnerships and volunteer groups with the campaign being organised by the Community Rail Network.

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Families from Swindon are being offered free tickets to try the train for a trip to Weymouth. The project is planning the trips for groups who are underrepresented as UK rail users and those with accessibility needs.

Jools Townsend, Chief Executive of Community Rail Network, said: “Community Rail Week, and its call to action of 'give the train a try', is all about connecting local communities with their railways and encouraging and enabling more people to travel sustainably by train. Community rail has an inspiring track record of doing just that: promoting travel confidence and increasing access to opportunity, while bringing people together, giving communities a voice, and putting railways and stations at the heart of community life.”

Community events and activities are planned nationwide – all the way from Edinburgh to Cornwall – to raise awareness about local railways, encourage more widespread use of rail and build travel confidence among those less familiar with rail services whilst promoting a “healthier, more sustainable future”.

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Rail Minister Wendy Morton said: “I am honoured to be involved in this year’s Community Rail Week as we encourage people to ‘give the train a try’ and welcome more passengers to our railways.

"The rail network is an integral part of our communities, connecting us together and providing opportunities that improve our lives in many different ways.

“I encourage everyone to try and make a trip on a train this week and experience our brilliant railways first-hand.”

Community Rail Network is a partnership of 70 community groups and thousands of ‘station friends’ that advocate for community rail services and provide a link between the services and national / local government.

Jacqueline Starr, Chief Executive Officer of the Rail Delivery Group, said: “We encourage people to give the train a try not only because it’s one of the greenest forms of transport, but also because it boosts local businesses and the wider economy.”