A collection of posters which recall the golden age of rail tourism will be popping up at railways stations across the north west.

The posters are the latest phase of the Eco Escapes' sustainable tourism initiative, which encourages visitors to use public transport to access Lancashire’s beautiful rural landscapes.

The new posters were unveiled as part of National Community Rail Week at Manchester Piccadilly station and will be displayed at stations across the region to encourage more tourists to consider sustainable travel options for days out this summer.

Designed by Paul Barlow at Creative Council, an agency affiliated to Burnley Borough Council, the posters are designed to echo the artwork employed by the railway operators to drive tourism between the wars.

Funded by Lancashire County Council’s Rural Recovery Fund, the Eco Escapes initiative encourages visitors to arrive by train and explore the area on foot, by bike or on e-bike. The campaign is also designed to promote ‘slow tourism’, inspiring visitors to stay longer and support independent rural businesses.

The Forest of Bowland and Arnside and Silverdale National Landscape Partnerships were also involved in the launch of the Eco Escapes website - ecoescapes.org.uk. 

The Forest of Bowland National Lanscape's sustainable tourism officer Hetty Byrne said:  “When we first launched Eco Escapes in 2022, everybody loved the retro artwork, so it seemed like a logical step to work them up into eye-catching posters to spread the word. We’re grateful for the support of Community Rail Lancashire for helping us get the sustainable tourism message out there.”

“Eco Escapes aims to protect and nurture our fragile environments while welcoming visitors who are happy to travel light, shop local and tread carefully in these beautiful rural landscapes.” 

“Sustainable tourism is rapidly rising up the travel agenda and by encouraging both visitors and rural businesses to reduce their carbon footprint, we are helping future-proof Lancashire’s expanding rural tourism sector.”