This is Europe's first project focussed on improving "slow" as opposed to "high speed" rail networks. Like high speed rail. slow rail is inextricably linked with social. economic and environmental aspects of sustainable territorial development. Unlike high speed rail. slow rail is under threat from falling public subsidies. Yet there are opportunities to strengthen regional rail. by encouraging its use and through new partnerships with citizens. The overall aim & contribution of this project is to add value to regional rail. Specific objectives are to: 1. Demonstrate the potential for social outreach 2. Make the best use of existing regional networks. with low cost/incremental measures to increase use. Project achievements are: - bringing practitioners together to add value to regional rail as part of the sustainable transport mix - bringing together implementation expertise eg through Integrated Planning & Implementation Teams. a Citizens' Rail practitioner manual and setting up a longer term legacy network - demonstrating social outreach i.e. how to engage at grassroots level with the young. families. students. women. the old. businesses & stakeholders for better rail and social cohesion (WP1) - sharing innovative concepts of citizens' engagement & developing community stations (WP1) - demonstrating & evaluating how a range of interventions (marketing. stations. services. community forums. volunteering. corridor approaches) can boost use of rail (WP2) Achievements: Transforming a rural line in Pays de la Loire • "Beach train" attracts 5,300 extra journeys in first summer alone • 90% passenger satisfaction levelsWe're taking a line blighted by having too few trains and even fewer passengers and transforming it into a thriving resource that boosts tourism and the economy. The line between La Roche-sur-Yon and Saumur is benefiting from a four-pronged Citizens' Rail strategy - consisting of additional services, substantial marketing campaigns, community engagement and station improvements. This recipe is working.The hugely popular "beach train" which ran on summer weekends in 2013 was heavily over-subscribed, with extra trains having to be drafted in. Passenger satisfaction ratings were 90%.The "beach train" is now back for an extended season in 2014 - find out more. More trains and more community involvement in Devon• 20% more trains between Newton Abbot and Paignton• Volunteers in national spotlight thanks to Citizens' RailMore frequent trains, improved stations, a major marketing campaign, and the chance for local residents to get involved in their railway are all happening on the Riviera Line in Devon.Successes so far have included the launch of additional services in Torbay, with the new twice-hourly service described by local MP Adrian Sanders as "delivering a welcome boost to the local economy".In February 2014, disaster struck when storms caused huge damage to the line at Dawlish - attracting major media coverage and leading to the line being closed for two months. Citizens' Rail helped local volunteers to play their part in the heroic recovery of the line. The Friends of Dawlish Station worked with TV gardener Toby Buckland to give the station a green makeover for its grand re-opening in April. The project captured the imagination of the media, with the group making front page news in the local press, featured on BBC regional TV news, interviewed on BBC Radio 4 and filmed by Channel 5.Keep up to date with the latest news from The Riviera Line on Citizens' Rail's Devon webpage. Creating a better connected Burnley• Town's busiest railway station transformed• Direct trains to Manchester coming soonFor decades, Burnley Manchester Road station has been unstaffed and without an operational station building. Now it has a brand new station building complete with community facilities.Soon, this will be complemented by a new direct train service to Manchester - the marketing of which will be supported by Citizens' Rail.These improvements have been described by Leader of Burnley Council, Julie Cooper, as "a vitally important project for Burnley's future economic growth".Find out more on the Citizens' Rail website. Involving communities from the start in Germany and the Netherlands• 8 in 10 residents want to get involved• International masterclass brings together students from four countriesIn the neighbouring areas of Aachen in Germany and Parkstad Limburg in the Netherlands, Citizens' Rail partners have been getting communities involved in planning their local rail infrastructure from the very earliest stages. In Richterich, 80% of local people say they want to help shape plans for a new station for their local area.Meanwhile nearly 50 students from each Citizens' Rail project area assembled to create their own visions for Eilendorf and Nuth stations. Watch the video of the masterclass.