An initiative promoting the benefits of travelling by train to young people across South and West Wales has won an award.

My Train Wales is a regional project and partnership between the local authorities of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea.

Supported and funded by Great Western Railway (GWR), it is estimated to have reached over 24,000 primary and secondary school pupils over the three years it has been operating.

The scheme’s success was recognised when it won its category at the Arts and Business Cymru Awards held at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff earlier this month.

The awards celebrate exemplary and innovative partnerships between the private sector and the arts that benefit communities.

Working with AB Cymru, and Breaking Barriers Community Arts, part of the project recently led to secondary school pupils from Ysgol Bae Baglan developing and producing an interactive online game using augmented reality and video footage.

Highlighting the environmental benefits of train travel and crucial safety issues, the game will be offered to 2,500 primary school pupils across the region from September.

Judges at the awards praised the innovative approach of My Train Wales.

In their adjudication, they felt the multi-layered benefits of the impressive collaboration made it the clear winner of the Arts, Business and Environment category.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Infrastructure, Phil Baker, said: “This is excellent news for a worthwhile initiative, delivered to schools across South West Wales, helping to break down the barriers to rail travel.

“It focuses on the next generation of rail users, encouraging train use as well as demonstrating its accessibility and sustainability as a mode of transport.”

GWR’s Assistant Regional Development Manager Lewis Ward said:  

“We’re proud to support the excellent My Train Wales project which continues to raise awareness of railway safety, and sustainable travel by train.

“Through our Customer and Communities Improvement Fund, the project has been able help young people become familiar with using the railway safely and independently; a message that’s especially important as we head into the summer holiday season.”