THE MAN who founded the Association of Community Rail Partnerships is on the move again. Paul Salveson is leaving his post at Northern to join open-access operator Grand Central as external relations manager next week.

Dr Salveson has spent the past four years at Northern as head of government and community strategies, and before that he was general manager of ACoRP.

Grand Central said Paul will be responsible for building on Grand Central’s existing relationship with business and community groups, as well as with local authority officers and elected representatives, but one of his first tasks will be to create new links along the route of the new GC West Riding service, which will be running between London and Bradford from May.

Paul said: "I’ve had four terrific years at Northern and although I’m sad to be leaving I am also excited that my new role with Grand Central will allow me to continue growing the range of rail services offered to people in the north. Grand Central is a dynamic, locally based, open access operator running intercity trains, so you could say that I’ve joined Britain’s longest Community Railway.”