Great Western Coffee Shop

Here's an early draft for he cognisci we have in these parts ... the final press release was much shorter and much better for the sort of thing the press want ....

*** Press release
*****************

from "Save the Train"

The packed "Save the Train" meeting held in Melksham last week, called on First
Great Western, The Department for Transport and Wiltshire County Council to provide
an appropriate train service from Swindon to Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury,
Frome, Warminster, Salisbury and the south Coast.  This line links the major
and growing population centres of West Wiltshire and Somerset to Swindon, but
currently carries only 2 trains a day, from Swindon at 06:19 and 18:42.  Prior
to December 2006, a service of 5 trains per day each way was provides, timed to
suit passenger needs.

First have indicated a willingness to operate a more appropriate  service, and
"Save the train" have held direct discussions with the Department for Transport
in London, which have helped to formulate which options are likely to be supported.
Wiltshire County Council has yet to offer necessary substantive support for the
proposals.

"Save the Train" will be lobbying at West Wiltshire District Council's
extraordinary meeting on March 20th (7 p.m., Council Chamber, Bradley Road)
and asks everyone with a concern to attend, and encourages media coverage.

"Save the Train" - http://www.savethetrain.org.uk
Further information is available from:
Graham Ellis (Chair) (West Wilts) 01225 708225, graham@wellho.net
Nick Field (Chippenham) 01249 444708 nickfield@yahoo.co.uk
Ruth Grundy (Frome) 07969 664205  ruthgrundy@letterboxes.org

========================

Editorial background notes:

Passenger levels on the Swindon to West Wiltshire and beyone train service grew
between 8% and 35% per annum (compound) in the five years to December 2006, with
previously quiet trains being well loaded by Autumn 2006.   The majority of trains
were withdrawn in December as part of the new First Great Western frachise, with
the 2 remaining daily trains re-scheduled away from times at which they are required.

Passengers who wish to travel to Swindon from West Wilsthire and Frome for a day's
work how have an extra 90 minutes in Swindon (arrive 07:50, leave 18:42). Alternatives
such as bus services and (for some stations) a dogleg journey by train with a change
in Bath are inappropriate - much slower, inconvenient, and with poor connections.

Other journeys, such as travelling by train from Swindon or Chippenham to work in
Melksham, West and South Wiltshire are no longer practical.  The popular 17:50
from Swindon on Saturdays has been withdrawn, making it impractical to do a day's
shopping or go to soccer in the town unless you have a car, and the Sunday service of
six trains, which were busy in summer, has been replaced by two evening trains
running northbound only with no service in the opposite direction.

The new limited service has suffered severe cancellations - for example the 06:19
from Swindon ran only 5 times in the first three weeks in January. This has improved
somewhat, with the service 'only' cancelled twice in the first 2 weeks of March.

As a result of the very limited and inappropriate new service, and the poor
reliability record, traffic has plummeted.  We estimate that the service which
use to carry around 110000 passengers per year (figures from First) will be carrying
less than 9000 passengers (that's just 9%) this year.

Over the next 20 years, Trowbridge is set to grow by around 5000 homes, and the rest
of West Wiltshire by around 10500 homes, making it one of the fastest growth areas.
Other major growth is planned - Chippenham, Swindon, Mendip.  There is a heavy
passenger flow for work and leisure from West Wilts and Mendip to Bath and Bristol,
and further heavy flow to Swindon and Chippenham. Wiltshire County Council have
acknowledged that latter flow by including the Swindon to West Wilts and beyond
train service as a strategic service in their local transport plan.

The A350 road from the Chippenham area via Melksham, Trowbridge and Westbury to
Warminster is overcrowded and was not designed for the levels of traffic it now
carries. Severe bottlenecks include Westbury, Beanacre, the Northern end of Melksham
and Yarnbrook. Even newer sections such as the Chippenham and Semington bypasses
are not flowing at design speed due to volume of traffic.

"Save the Train" is calling for an APPROPRIATE passenger train service along the
West Wilts / A350 corridor, to provide for the key 11 passenger flows identified.
Options include:
        a) A train every 2 hours from Swindon to Westbury / Frome with
           connections to Warminster and Salisbury
        b) A train every 3 hours from Swindon via Westbury to Salisbury
           with connections to Frome, Bruton, Castle Cary, etc
Both options are achievable with a single train.  Business case / costings have
been run. 

"Save the Train" is working with local elected representatives, the Melksham
Rail Development Group, the Heart of Wessex rail partnership, the Department for
Transport, the First group and others to help provide a service that meets the
aspirations of travellers in the area in a practical and affordable way. Save the
Train is a member of Rail Future and Travel Watch South West, and associated with
organisations such as the Federation of Small Businesses, the Chamber of Commerce
and Melksham First.