Highland Mainline Community Rail Partnership. (HML CRP)

HML CRP is a grass roots organisation which aims to link local people with the development and promotion of local routes and rural routes, services and railway stations. HML CRP works to encourage the community to get directly involved in improving the railway environment through use of redundant buildings, provisions of additional services (such as cafes, shops, offices) and the improvement of railway land into community facilities such as gardens. We are involved in the very successful Station Adopters programme, whereby local volunteers adopt a station and funding is available from ScotRail for gardening expenditure. We would be pleased to welcome more volunteers to this programme.

In April 2012 the Scottish Government agreed to establish a pilot, in which CRP’s would be created in Scotland before June 2014. The Government provided financial support to the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACORP)) to progress the pilot scheme. ACORP is now known as Community Rail Network and more information can be found on the link here.

HML CRP was formally signed off by the Transport Minister in December 2014 and covers the Highland Mainline from Carrbridge down to Dunkeld & Birnam. Our aim is to form a bridge between the railway and local communities, and bring together a wide range of interests along the rail corridor to develop and promote the line. This is best achieved by harnessing local knowledge, encouraging social and economic regeneration and providing a sense of pride and place. We were pleased to contribute to the latest CRN report on the value of Community Rail in Scotland and are currently involved with the Steering Group looking to set up a Community Rail Scotland organisation.

Please do feel free to contact us.