RailStaff is delighted to support the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) as it prepares to roll-out a groundbreaking new national campaign – the first of its kind since the 1980s. Launching in the autumn, Britain Runs on Rail tells the story of today’s railway, highlighting rail’s ever more crucial role and telling customers and taxpayers about the industry-wide Railway Upgrade Plan – over £50bn is being invested to help build the railway the country needs now and in the future. The campaign has been developed by the RDG, which represents Network Rail and freight and train companies.
At a unique time in the railway’s history, Britain Runs on Rail promises to shine a spotlight on the railway’s role in British life, championing its economic and social impact as well as helping to grow the railway’s reputation as an attractive place to work.
The campaign will focus on why we need to keep investing in order to achieve a better railway:
- Every day, more than 4.5 million journeys are taken by people as they travel by rail to work, study or visit friends and family.
- Over the last 25 years, rail use has grown more than any other type of transport in the UK.
- Rail passenger journeys are expected to double again over the next 25 years.
- Government investment has combined with commercial drive to create the safest and fastest growing railway in Europe.
SHOWCASE
Britain Runs on Rail showcases the modernisation of Britain’s railway and its ever more important role in national life. Through a series of innovative adverts, customers and taxpayers will learn how their money is being invested to help build a better railway. This is crucial in maintaining support for the future investment the railway is going to need.
Adverts will also feature the campaign tagline, “…which is why our rail companies are working together to deliver faster, more reliable journeys”.
As part of the new campaign, the iconic National Rail logo has been refreshed to reflect the modern rail industry. The logo (see opposite above), designed in 1965, has become an iconic part of Britain’s design landscape, as the identifier for the National Rail network on road signs, station buildings, tangerine tickets and railcards.
With the modernisation of the network taking place through the Railway Upgrade Plan, the logo has been adapted to show Britain’s rail companies working together. As the campaign’s identity, it will be seen online, on station posters and advertisements on trains, with a TV advert expected to follow next year.
VITAL SERVICE
Says Paul Plummer, RDG chief executive, ‘The railway is an ever more vital public service, making a crucial contribution to national life. But large parts of our railway are full because of decades of under-investment and a big increase in services to respond to a doubling of passengers in 20 years. That’s why we are investing billions, innovating and working closer together to enhance the experience of our customers – improving reliability, increasing capacity and modernising retailing and information.
‘We know we need to do much more to engage with the public to explain better how their money is building a better railway. We also need to communicate more effectively how some of this improvement work, although ultimately worthwhile, will unfortunately in the short term have a knock- on effect on services.
‘Our goal is to sustain support from the public and private sector for continued investment so that we can build the bigger and better railway that our growing number of passengers and the country need and want.
‘This is a unique opportunity for colleagues across the rail industry to get involved. We hope you will join us in telling passengers, your families and your communities how Britain Runs on Rail.’
‘This is excellent news and a welcome statement of faith in the new rail industry,’ says Asif Ahmed, commercial director, Rail Media, which is promoting the campaign. ‘At RailStaff, we have been backing railways, supporting and encouraging all who work in them for many years now. Rail in the UK is a great success story and deserves a far wider airing – well done RDG.’
Ahead of the launch, readers can get involved with the campaign by entering a competition to complete a tiebreaker: “Britain Runs on Rail because….”.
The competition is free to enter and the winner, which will be chosen by an independent panel of judges, will receive two return Eurostar tickets to Paris (plus domestic rail tickets return to London St Pancras)
E-mail entries by 5pm (BST) on 30 September to [email protected]
See www.railstaff.uk/bror for full competition terms and conditions.
