Our Partnership
Community Rail Lines
There are 3 Kent Community Rail Lines in our partnership. These are the Medway Valley Line and Swale Rail Line which we have been involved with since 2003 and 2005 respectively. In July 2020 we were granted a third line the Kent Downs. All three lines are operated by Southeastern. The Kent Community Rail Partnership has been hosted by Sustrans since April 2014. Both Kent County Council and Medway Council provide valuable support.
DFT and the 4 Pillars
The Kent Community Rail Partnership exists to bring together widely varied partners in order to bring social, economic and environmental benefits to the communities served by rural and secondary rail services. This is achieved by improving community links with rail operators and initiating projects that make rail services more attractive to residents and visitors alike. Generally speaking the partnerships exist on lines unlikely to attract major investment from the rail industry, but the success of the partnerships often leads to greater resources being deployed by the rail companies and others.
Our Structure
Chris Fribbins is the Chairman of our Partnership. He has been a member of the Kent Community Rail Partnership since it was formed. He was appointed Chair in April 2019, having been Vice Chair prior to this. Chris also represented the Rail Passenger Committee, managing Swale Rail before the evolution of the Medway Valley Line. Chris is also an active member of the RailFuture group.
Chris leads our Steering group, who are made up of a number of different members from our communities. This includes representation from Southeastern, Network Rail, Kent County Council, Medway Council, Parish Councils, Sustrans Officers, Community Rail Network and Local Councils.
Chair of the Kent Community Rail Partnership:
Chris Fribbins
Vice Chair of the Kent Community Rail Partnership:
Tom Shelley
The Medway Valley Line which runs between Tonbridge and Strood via Maidstone West. This has 14 stations. These are:
Strood, Halling, Cuxton, Snodland, New Hythe, Aylesford, Maidstone Barracks, Maidstone West. East Farleigh, Wateringbury, Yalding, Beltring, Paddock Wood and Tonbridge.
Swale Rail is the Sittingbourne to Sheerness branch line and consists of 5 Stations.
Sheerness on Sea, Queenborough, Swale Halt, Kemsley and Sittingbourne.
Kent Downs Line
The Kent Downs Line runs form Ashford International to Otford. This line joins up with two other Community Rail Partnerships, Sussex CRP at Ashford with the Marshlink Line and The Darenth Valley Line at Otford.
We look after Ashford, Charing, Lenham, Harrietsham, Hollingbourne, Bearsted, Maidstone East, Barming, East Malling, West Malling, Borough Green and Wrotham and Kemsing.
Chair of the Medway Valley Line:
James Willis
Vice Chair of the Medway Valley Line:
Paul Harper
Chair of the Swale Rail Line:
Linda Brinklow
Vice Chair of the Swale Rail Line:
Jonathan Fryer
Chair of the Kent Downs Line:
James Lehane
Vice Chair of the Kent Downs Line:
Clive English
Why not take a closer look at what we have been doing by viewing our latest newsletter.
Kent CRP would like to thank all our volunteers, station adopters and members who help us throughout the year. Our aim is to work alongside our partners and engage our communities in projects and events near to our stations. From time to time we receive recognition for some of the projects and events that we take part in. These are usually celebrated at the Community Rail Awards. Without our community support and partners we work with, this wouldn’t be possible.
