The Friends of Glossop Station have been supporting a national campaign to promote travelling by train and highlighting how green it is. 

This week (18-24 October) is the inaugural Community Rail Week, which is championing the message 'Go Green by Train' as part of the build-up to the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) taking place in Glasgow from 1-12 November. 

Organised by Community Rail Network and sponsored by Rail Delivery Group, it's the first event of its kind in the UK as hundreds of local partnership projects and volunteers have got involved to promote green travel by train.

Many activities during the week are focused on youth engagement, as a new survey shows that seven in ten young people support greater use of trains in the future.

On Monday, Helen Wright, one of the High Peak and Hope Valley's Community Rail Officers, organised a "Go Green" photo at Glossop station. 

Guests included High Peak MP Robert Largan, Mayor of High Peak Councillor Paul Hardy, Derbyshire County Council Civic Chair Jean Wharmby and her husband George.

The guests joined members of Friends of Glossop Station for a tour of the station and an update on current projects.

Northern estimate that 75 per cent of passengers have returned to travelling by rail in recent weeks and it is hoped this campaign will encourage more to do so.

Jools Townsend, chief executive of Community Rail Network, said: “As we approach the international climate talks in Glasgow, Britain’s community rail movement is coming together to highlight the great importance of green travel at a local and global level.

"Transport is now the biggest contributor of UK greenhouse emissions, so we face a pressing challenge to decarbonise the way we get around, for the sake of future generations – plus our communities can benefit now from reduced traffic and pollution.

"Rail, combined with buses, walking, cycling, and shared mobility, provides a huge part of the solution: shifting as many journeys as we can onto these modes, and reducing private car use, can help us forge a more sustainable, healthy, inclusive future.

“We’re excited to launch our first Community Rail Week with events and activities in communities across Britain, raising awareness and exploring how we can enable and empower more people to feel confident and able to go green by train.”

Andy Bagnall, director general at the Rail Delivery Group, said: “Trains are inherently green so when people go by rail it’s more than a journey – it’s literally helping to save the planet!

“In future, we want trains to be the backbone of a decarbonised transport network so, as well as supporting initiatives like Community Rail Week, we want to work with government to reform ticketing and fares – if it’s easier for people to find and buy a good value ticket, more people will use rail as a green alternative to other ways of travelling.”

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