Katch scoops honour at Community Rail Awards

Katch, Suffolk’s electric taxi bus service, is all abuzz after winning a national award.
Published: 15 Dec 2021

The on-demand service won the Influencing Positive Change & Sustainability category in the Community Rail Awards.

Katch is led by Suffolk County Council in partnership with CarsSmart, and with support from East Suffolk Council, Framlingham Town Council, Wickham Market Parish Council, Community Rail Network, East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership and Greater Anglia.

The award was presented at an evening held at the Guildhall in Southampton.

Councillor Alexander Nicoll, Suffolk County Council’s Deputy Cabinet Member for Transport Strategy, said:

This award for Katch is well-deserved recognition of the hard work, led by Suffolk County Council in partnership with others, to create the service as a new and green travel solution for people in a largely rural area and offers an alternative to private car use.Katch plays an important part in Suffolk councils’ commitment to growing the region’s passenger transport in a sustainable way and to cutting carbon to help reach the Government’s ambition of zero emissions by 2050 and the County Council’s own target of being carbon neutral by 2030.

Aaron Taffera, Chair of the East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership, said:

I’m delighted that this project has been recognised for making a real difference to some of our rural Suffolk communities and for its sustainable credentials, which is helping people to travel and visit the area in an environmentally friendly way.

Alan Neville, Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Engagement Manager, said:

We are really proud of our community rail partnerships and are thrilled that the work that they do across the region to support communities, promote sustainable travel and help our region’s branch lines to thrive has been recognised at these national awards.

Jools Townsend, chief executive of the Community Rail Network, said:

Despite another challenging year, the array of entries defied expectations, showing how community rail adapted and responded, supporting communities through the pandemic, maintaining positivity, and continuing to help people get the most from local railways and stations. Huge congratulations to all our winners, and thanks to all who support community rail, as this grassroots movement continues to go from strength to strength.

Katch is a travel solution for residents and visitors in Wickham Market and Framlingham, as well as enabling people using the Ipswich – Lowestoft train line to book the taxi bus for a journey to Snape Maltings from Wickham Market railway station in Campsea Ashe.

It uses electric vehicles operating as shared taxi buses serving Framlingham - Wickham Market - Wickham Market Railway Station (at Campsea Ashe) - Tunstall - Snape Maltings - Snape.
Katch serves fixed bus stops and journeys can be booked on-demand by telephone or via the Katch app, charging fares in line with a bus service. Payment can be made by contactless card or cash.

The service was launched last May, initially as a one-year pilot, and was recently extended to serve popular arts and entertainment complex Snape Maltings.

Katch is available seven days a week, Monday to Friday 7.50am to 8pm, Saturday 8am to 8pm, Sundays and Bank Holidays 10am to 6pm.

Journeys can be booked up to 30 minutes in advance via the Katch App or telephone by calling 01728 554455.

The cost of a return journey is £7 and a single journey is £4 for an adult or children's fares are £3 return and £1.50 single.

For further information about Katch visit www.katchalift.com