Great Western Coffee Shop

ACoRP awards 2014 Entry - / Category 6
Innovation in Community Rail
Melksham Rail Link Bus launch / Wiltshire Council

Submitted by the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership.

The town of Melksham, population around 24,000, is served by trains on the TransWilts. The station is situated in to the north west of the town (a 15 minute walk from the centre), and much of the residential expansion has of recent years has been to the south and east.

Question / problem - how to get commuters from home to the station?

Car Parking at Melksham station is limited, and we didn't want to restrict passenger traffic to those who have a car or can get dropped off and picked up at each end of the day. Bus services pass the end of "Station Approach" but none went there, timing was poor, and stops are not nearby due to the nature of the roads.  With additional trains starting in 2013, we have a target of increasing passengers by 600% in 2 years.

Wiltshire Council's Passenger Transport division has provide an innovative solution:

* The Town Minibus, already operating under contract to them, makes two extra runs in the morning and three in the evening to link up to trains, at a time that it wasn't otherwise employed

* A new bus stop has been provided at Melksham Station so that bus passenger on the "Melksham Rail Link" can really get to the station, rather than being dropped off a distance away.

* The evening bus waits for each train should it be delayed

Result? Commuter numbers from Melksham into Swindon are growing - the line is running well ahead of forecast - and up to 40% of the people joining the two morning trains that are served are getting to the station on the minibus. That's the highest percentage of passengers that get to the station by bus, based on a Wiltshire Council survey used in the county's successful LSTF grant application.

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