The Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership

The Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership was founded in 2003 to promote increased usage of the Mid Cheshire Railway Line and to develop and improve facilities along the route.

The Partnership is made up of key stakeholders along the Mid Cheshire Line including Cheshire Association of Local Councils, Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West & Chester Council, Forestry Commission, Knutsford Town Council, Mid Cheshire Rail Users Association, Network Rail, Northern, Northwich Town Council, Stockport Council, Trafford Council, Transport for Greater Manchester.

Northern is the main funding partner of the CRP and will be working collaboratively with the CRP board and other local stakeholders over the term of its franchise to promote the line, improve stations and realise further patronage growth.

Other funding partners include Avant West Coast, Cross Country Trains, Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council and Mid Cheshire Rail Users Assocation.

Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership welcomes approaches from commercial and non commercial organisations to join the partnership.

The priorities for the Partnership are:

1. To work with key partners through a Mid Cheshire Strategy Working Group to improve Mid Cheshire line services
2. To promote and market the line
3. To improve stations on the line
4. To improve levels of community involvement on the line

In January 2012 the rail service along the Mid Cheshire Line became a Government designated “Community Rail Service” – this gives the Line a higher profile nationally, allows the CRP to access further pots of funding, offers free training and conferences for the CRP and gives greater flexibility when trying take forward new initiatives along the Line. Over the last year the Designated Fund has enabled the CRP to produce new marketing materials including new rail walks booklets, a group travel leaflet, postcards, station signage and an updated website. A huge thank you to DfT, Network Rail and the Association of Community Rail Partnerships for their support. 

From 19th May 2020, the Partnership is governed by a Community Interest Company - Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership CIC registered in England, Company Number 12611555.