Great Western Coffee Shop

Accounts:
a) Treasurer handed out copes of accounts (scan copy attached) her reported that the accounts only show eleven months due to AGM being held early.
b) John Hamley asked why we paid tax on the interest? This due to the fact we are not a charity and to change to one would be a lot of hard work for a small amount, it was agrees to carry on as we are.
c) Funds are high but Treasurer advised that we kept in reserve just in case the Santa trips failed for one reason or another. Phil suggested that funds be kept and wait for the LTSF so that we could match fund a project. Si^n suggested a notice board as join venture with TransWilts at the Station and Town Centre. Eddie advised that the Tennis Club had one attached to the fence at the club and we could see it after the meeting. He could also send details to Phil on who they purchased it from. Phil also to contact Chris Hankin to see where he had purchased one. Could the group get help from area board on a match funding? With notice board it was then asked what should be displayed the following came up:
(1) MRDG Meeting dates
(2) Times of Trains to Bristol and Bath via Chippenham and or Trowbridge.
(3) History of station
(4) Bus map
(5) Welcome to .............
(6) Things to see and do
(7) Taxi firm numbers.
(8) How to get into the town centre.
(9) Santa Trip.
(a) Actions:
(i) Eddie to send details to Phil.
(ii) Phil to contact Chris.

Station Gardens:
a) Si^n reported that he and Eddie had spent a couple of hours weeding the two tubs and the looked better, copies of the tubs were handed around showing before and after their work. They planed to visit again next week weather permitting to plant some plants. With and article to be put in the local paper. Actions -^‐ Si^n to send copies of photo be sent when completed
 
Mondays trip to Weymouth:
a) TransWilts Rail Partnership had been working FGW on this trip, FGW printed a posted with feedback from Graham and posters were put up at Melksham & Chippenham Railway Stations only. Transwilts want a low key on the publicly to enable folks to have a great day out. This is a public service but FGW are going to add an extra carriage to the service down to Westbury and the return service in the evening.
b) Si^n & Graham to join the train at Melksham. Actions Si^n/Graham to report at next meeting.
c) Bob from Coffee shop to join the train at Swindon and report to Graham on Numbers joining at Swindon and Chippenham.
2
Santa Trip 2013:
a) A date of the 1st December was agreed subject to engineer works on the line through
Melksham and up to Swindon.
6) New Council Officers/Passed member:
a) Cllr Fleur de Rh^-Philipe was not the cabinet member for transport at Wiltshire Council and Richard Gamble had moved to a different post. Graham advised he had written to Fleur inviting her to the trip to Weymouth and to TransWilts meeting on 8th June but had not had a reply. Graham was to write to her with the view of ^working together^ after all the working together with Richard and his team. Actions ^ Graham to write to Fleur.
b) Si^n reported he had e-mail from the Town Council to let the group know that Paul Coward would be representing the Town Council. Si^n had spoken to Paul inviting to the meeting but it was short notice but he would attend he could but if not there send his apologies.
c) Graham suggested that we should send a letter to Sheila Wilkinson (Town Councilor) say thanks for all her help with the group while on Town Council. Actions ^ Si^n to send letter.

Rail Matters:
a) Franchise:
i) FGW to run the Franchise but had not sign paper work as of date of meeting.
ii) MP had been advised by DfT that FGW/WC could run the services through Transwilts
line.
b) LSTF:
i) Funds were not ring fenced for rail.
c) Services from Melksham:
i) These been running ok but the mail problem been connections to Melksham, on services
from London and the 7:01 to London out of Westbury.
d) Electrification:
i) No news on this issue but we need to keep our eyes open on how this could effect the
line through Melksham IE while the lines in and around our area are converted and
after.
e) A350:
i) It seems the Westbury By pass is back on the agenda with a report in the Swindon
Advertiser and a local transport group has raised it and article in the paper.
f) Transwilts Rail partnership.
i) They are holding a meeting in Westbury on 8th June and Si^n, Graham will attend and
maybe Peter Blackburn as well. Graham is happy for others to attend.

Election of Officers of the Committee

Officer - Name - Proposed by - Seconded by
Chairman - Peter Blackburn - Eddy Watts - Rolf Brindle
Vice Chair - Graham Ellis - Rolf Brindle - Phil McMullen
Treasurer - John Money - Eddy Watts - Rolf Brindle
Secretary - Si^n Bretton - Graham Ellis - Eddy Watts

I am treasurer of the Cotswold Line Promotion Group and we have never paid tax on our investment income just tell the bank you do not pay tax!

Melksham Railway Development Group is funding the insertion of "Trains from Melksham" trifold brochure in the next issue of the Melksham Independent News, which is the free newspaper delivered to each household in the town. These brochures have been supplied to us (free of charge, Thank You) by First Great Western. 

TransWilts needs to be given the highest congratulations on achieving this enormous increase in rail service. It just goes to show that a constructive approach can be more successeful that the often highly critical negative approach from some rail user groups that just tends to alienate the professional rail managers. It would be good if FGW could offer some promotional fares for a few months to encourage new people to use the extra services.

Personally, I do think the more combative "Save The Train" approach we began with in 2005/2006 was justified, in order to keep the TransWilts issue as high up the agenda as possible. ...

The Objectives of the "Save the Train" group are
^ to raise awareness of the issues
^ to evaluate what's an appropriate service
^ to work towards that appropriate service
^ to ensure that the service regained is retained.

Alongside the STT approach though, a lot of effort was being put in to develop positive working relationships with rail industry, central & local government, and other relevant organisations who we would need to closely co-operate with once an appropriate TransWilts service had been put in place. The current partnership-based approach that you see nowadays is a natural progression of that, as we have reached the stage where everyone involved is pretty much on the same page, and share the same aims.

Chicken-counting fears aside, it does look as if this constructive approach may be reaching the point where significant mutual benefits are within reach for all concerned. Whilst one must always retain a level of professionalism about these things, I would hope and expect that our partners are as excited about the opportunities that lie ahead as we are.

Ceratainly the improved service from 9th December will be a good thing for user of the line:

http://www.opentraintimes.com/location/MKM/2013-12-09/0000-2359

Indeed so. 8 trains per day in each direction is a big improvement on the current 2.