The RailStaff Awards 2024

Nominations for Rail Team of the Year

Tracy Stevenson

Said the following about ScotRail in the Community Team:

“1. The ‘ScotRail in the Community Team’

From Scotland’s most rural communities to our urban city estates, the work that the ‘ScotRail in the Community’ Team delivers is integral to ensuring that the work Abellio ScotRail is doing in ‘building the Best Railway Scotland has ever had’ goes way beyond simply the operation of our trains and stations. Over the last year our team has delivered recognised success across a range of community rail, regeneration, transport integration, accessibility and charitable initiatives.

2. Our Vision

ScotRail services must be more than just a way of getting from A to B - they're a way to engage and work with local communities, businesses and other stakeholders. A way to break down social barriers and provide people with the ability to engage in society in an inclusive and positive way.

We have recognised this and committed ourselves to delivering a railway that enhances this wider role, develops more positive relationships with communities and ensuring that wider economic and social objectives are at the centre of our business thinking. We want to encourage, support and reward the people who work with us and make sure as many people as possible benefit from our stations and the services ScotRail provides.

3. Our approach

The team, whose members are as diverse as the communities we serve, has developed a dynamic community rail development programme that goes beyond the traditional CSR approach. This programme has identified key activities and the annual outcomes that ScotRail will seek to achieve in the areas of Community Rail (e.g. CRPs, Borders Railway Blueprint programme), Regeneration (e.g. station development), Transport Integration (e.g. integrated ticketing), Accessibility (e.g. passenger assistance),Volunteering (e.g. Adopt-a-Station) and Charitable activities (e.g. our partnerships). The delivery of this programme is based upon collaborative working with the wider ScotRail team, a range of community partners, businesses and public-sector partners; whilst ensuring maximum return on ScotRail’s investment.

4. The Importance of the Team

The team has been integral to the success of the franchise. During challenging times when performance has had its issues and major investment has been delayed, our team has stayed focussed upon delivering our objectives and providing a range of positive programmes and initiatives that reflect the difference that Abellio can and is making to the ScotRail franchise. Our work is being recognised across the UK as best-practice and we have brought a level of partnership working and community engagement which is already having long-term benefits for many communities.

5. A year of Success – Our Highlights

Over the past year we have developed and delivered several high-profile projects and service initiatives that has enhanced several key business obligations, delivered notable operational, reputational and financial benefits and strengthened the value of ScotRail within the communities we serve.

Highlights of this work include:

• Hosting of the ‘best ever’ ACoRP Community Rail Awards in October2018. In partnership with ACoRP, we delivered an event which saw record numbers of nearly 500 people come to Glasgow from communities across the UK to see the work of Community Rail in Scotland. This was down in no small part to the fantastic events programme that the team coordinated around the dinner itself. This included a formal civic reception in the City Chambers, visits to a variety of stations and community rail projects across Scotland, and a seminar hosted by ScotRail in our Atrium Court headquarters. We were truly bold and collaborative in our approach to ensuring the event was a huge success.

• Opening in January 2019 of the Track2Train project which saw the £930,000 development of a disused former station building at Newtongrange station. Over £800,000 of funds came from third-parties.

• A comprehensive programme of cycling initiatives including the introduction of new Active Travel Hubs, the hosting of 20 Dr Bike maintenance sessions and 38 cycle security sessions in partnership with the BTP.

• Reducing the notice for Passenger Assist Times to only 2hr from 1st April 2019, putting ScotRail at the forefront of the industry in the commitment to make rail accessible to all.

• We introduced Interpreter Now App a ground-breaking new app for our deaf and hard of hearing customers. A first for the UK rail industry, the service is available via a simple and straight forward app that can be used on both ScotRail staff and customer smartphones.

• The opening in August 2019 of a new free-to-use Changing- Places toilet in Dundee. This type of toilet is much bigger than traditional accessible toilets and is designed to meet the needs of people with complex care needs.

• The roll-out to all stations of Grace’s Signs - Thirteen-year-old Grace Warnock, who has Crohn’s Disease, came up with the idea for a more inclusive sign after facing criticism from strangers when she used accessible toilets.

• Working alongside Values into Action Scotland, the team develop a customised First-Time Traveller plan for users of a Day Care Centre in Greenock, who would be travelling to Glasgow Central Station.

• Launch of our #ActSafe2BeSafe School Safety Campaign in over 200 schools across the country, in partnership with Basketball Scotland and Cricket Scotland.

• Increased our Adopt a Station programme to some 270 (75%) of our stations, with over 1,200 volunteers from a range of community-based originations are involved in this programme. The team has been able to grow the programme in 2019 whilst reducing overall costs by 20%.

• The Highland Main Line Community Rail Partnership Community Rail in the City event in Kingscross in May 2019

• Over 150 volunteers attended the first-ever ‘ScotRail in the Community’ awards.

• ScotRail won a ‘Silver Award’ at this year’s International CSR Awards in the Charitable Giving Category - for our work with MND Scotland

Further Information of the Projects -

Cycling Initiatives

We have provided additional cycle facilities at 8 Active Travel Hubs. A key feature included cycle maintenance stands allowing customers to make small bike repairs at the station whilst awaiting their train. This partnership work has contributed to the overall improvement of the environment and facilities available at the station for cyclists.

We organised and facilitated 20 Dr Bike maintenance sessions delivered by Bike Station who provided a free 20-point bike health check. Mechanics were available to carry out small repairs such as fitting brake blocks or cables. The sessions provided an excellent opportunity for individuals who cycle to the station to get a free bike health check, whilst giving us the opportunity to engage directly with all our customers the benefits of cycling, to encourage others to travel by bike to the station before boarding the train.

A cycle security campaign was a direct result from the information provided by BTP that detailed bike thefts at 19 stations in the previous 12 months. With the recent introduction of additional cycle parking spaces, we deemed it necessary to help educate our customers. Our priority was to promote the increased safety measures that can be taken including bike security marking and cycle locks.

Access and Inclusion Improvements

The first successful team to reduce Passenger Assist Times by 1 hour, the biggest challenge that we faced was understanding the existing infrastructure available and staff requirements. We met with internal and external partners in order to develop and improve processes that would work for all stations, even the most rural of stations. Our goal is to reduce passenger assist time to 1 hour in the next 12 months.

We recognised an opportunity for better communication channels between those who use sign language and our staff. Interpreter Now had developed an app and with our support we were able to liaise between the software developers and key areas of the business to ensure the launch was as smooth as possible and that the app was fit for purpose. Making us the first TOC to implement this service.

We introduced the ‘Grace’s Sign,’ to all our accessible toilets across Scotland. Grace’s Sign is a bathroom sign that includes both a person in a wheelchair and a standing person with a heart, symbolising people with invisible conditions. Thirteen-year-old Grace Warnock, who has Crohn’s Disease, came up with the idea for a more inclusive sign after facing criticism from strangers when she used accessible toilets. We put this idea into practice on our rail network as it demonstrates and shows the benefits of listening to and acting on the views of affected groups.

Working with Values into Action Scotland we developed a first-time travel plan for users of the Fitzgerald Day Care Centre in Greenock who would be travelling to Glasgow central station. We facilitated a learning and experience day which included time to talk through concerns and ask questions. Followed by a station walk through and an on-board travel experience.

Safety Campaign`s

We developed, coordinated, and delivered the #ActSafe2BeSafe rail safety school programme to over 200 schools, with the support of Basketball Scotland, Cricket Scotland and a local TIE tutor.

We reached out to key areas in the business before implementing this programme, researching facts and information, engaging with BTP and other key stakeholders in order to develop this programme. From this we created a PowerPoint presentation in order to pitch back to our partners and this same presentation is available for use to staff and community volunteers upon request

Activities were specifically designed around the sport they are participating in, incorporating physical activity with rail safety messages (Trains and Tracks).

We delivered various activities during rail safety week in partnership with other areas of the business as well as BTP, Network Rail, Railway Mission, Rail Pastors, community rail volunteers and our partners. We invited Fearless, Drink Wise Age Well, Simons Community and Dundee Association of Mental Health to participate in the activities on-train and at stations. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the week had pop-up booths at Glasgow Central station which featured de-fib familiarisation for customers and buggy travel safety. Conversation cafes where conducted by the railway mission, Dundee Association of Mental Health and the Samaritans. A travelling classroom took place between Gorebridge and Tweedbank stations and was facilitated by the Borders Rail Community Partnership and our school safety drama facilitator.

Community Rail

This partnership includes 275 station adopter groups and with over 20 social enterprises.

The purpose of the project is to better connect the railway with the community they serve. Through our work on this project Sacro (community justice Scotland) have adopted two stations in Glasgow where offenders on community pay back orders and recently released prisoners work to improve the local community appearance. We also co-ordinated with Scottish Prison Service to design, create and build a fleet of twenty train planters by inmates at Glenochil men’s prison.

This venture has afforded us the opportunity as a company to have a real impact on people’s quality of life. It has been proven that gardening has a measurable impact on an induvial mental health, as well as providing working/life experiences for those in positions where they are over-looked due to a number of factors.

In addition to this, we have supported and assisted community rail partnerships in delivering a wide variety of activities ranging from guided walks to travelling classrooms. Working alongside local, regional and national partners the aim is to play an important role in social inclusion, community wellbeing and economic development whilst promoting rail as a key part of sustainable, healthy travel. Having also introduced various biodiversity gardens across the network in collaboration with Grow Wild and TCV we are seeing real benefits to our communities.

Awards: National Rail Awards - Small Station (2018), Social Enterprise of the Year (2018), Evening Times Streets Ahead (2018, 2019), Britain in Bloom – Various Locations (2018,2019), The Herald Inspiring city awards (2019), ACORP Awards – Various Locations (2018 & 2019), National Rail Awards - Medium Station (2019)

ScotRail in the Community Awards

We introduced the awards as a way of recognising and thanking our volunteers. The first award ceremony was held on the last day of “Volunteers Week” and we plan to make this an annual event. We celebrated with 150 guests and recognised volunteers in 4 award categories – Adopt a Station of the Year, Adopter of the Year, Community Project of the Year and Community Volunteer of the Year. Nominations were sent in and an independent panel decided and announced a shortlist prior to the event. With winners announced on the day, with a secret award announced on the day – Outstanding Contribution to Community Rail.

Special rail themed musical performances on the day by 6VT, the first youth community rail partnership in the UK designated June 2018. The feedback for this event from volunteers, ScotRail directors and the media was hugely positive.

Social Media (Closed/Public)

We created a closed Facebook group for all station adopters to encourage the sharing of best practice and to create a real sense of community amongst the adopters.

Publicly we have created community rail social media accounts to share the stories of our adopters in order to increase awareness of ‘Adopt a Station’ programme in hope to raise awareness and publicise this fantastic initiative to other communities and potential volunteers. Meanwhile increasing brand reputation by promoting our work in schools with #ActSafe2BeSafe.

Charity Partnership

From Dumfries to Wick, Oban to Aberdeen, we've partnered with MND Scotland to raise money and awareness of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) through our #journeytoacure.

Our charity partnership enables the selected national charity to benefit from employee fundraising and volunteering for a dedicated three-year term. Local communities are also engaged in the charitable aims of our nominated charity, to raise awareness and influence change.

The story behind our partnership is rather exceptional. We don't accept applications from charities directly, instead we invite our people to nominate, and later vote on, the cause they wish to support.

The partnership with MND Scotland, which is working to find a cure for the terminal disease, set a target of raising £50,000 for each year of the three-year agreement. The ScotRail Alliance has smashed that target, with over £198,000 raised in the first two years alone.“

Suzie Mccheyne

Said the following about ScotRail in the Community Team:

“As part of one of Scotland’s community rail partnerships I am delighted to nominate this team for their collaborative approach, forward thinking attitude and professionalism. On our 3 year journey from early days getting together to supporting projects to improve poverty and inspire communities in urban South Lanarkshire this team have been an amazing support. A very diverse set of skills, influence and social understanding has allowed our partnership to feel inclusive of others within the rail sector and communities we serve. At all levels they work hard to share and help and need to be recognised as a shining example of business/community working for the greater societal good.“