Alton Town Council and South Western Railway have been shortlisted in the Community Rail Network’s national Community Rail Awards 2022 in the Tourism and Leisure category.

These awards, in their 18th year, recognise the work done across Britain’s rail network to make stations welcoming places for passengers.

The council and railway combined to focus on the annual Alton Walking Festival, which offered more than 100 walks, after being introduced by the Adopt Alton Station group. They aimed to market the event beyond Alton and encourage walkers to travel there by rail.

Their campaign highlighted beautiful walks around Alton and the South Downs National Park, promoted tourist venues, showcased the town’s heritage and history, and encouraged wildlife enthusiasts to explore.

With a number of walks starting and finishing at stations – led by Adopt Alton Station members – and most easily accessible via rail, a new audience was targeted through South Western Railway’s ‘We Mean Green’ message.

Using 68 station platform advertising sites with QR code links to combine with the council’s social media and promotional literature, the profile of the event went regional, with South Western Railway providing £70,000 worth of free advertising. The posters were also used on the council’s bus shelters.