I notice that the amended service just after Easter due to the work between Bath and Bristol gives what could arguably be considered a more attractive service. e.g. evening departures from Swindon hourly from 1720 to 2020.
Indeed ...
The service last August was a similar one and even within the space of a month gained considerable new traffic within the Swindon to Westbury section. My 'postbag' in early September was notable in that included a number of complaints about the removal of what was a service that people had found and started to use during the month, and they were 'gobsmacked' that a pretty busy train had been withdrawn.
I don't expect the same level of issues when it ceases this time. For starters, it's 'just' a week and two weekends of changes. And secondly. last time First Bus / Wiltshire Council withdrew all Chippenham - Melksham - Trowbridge buses after 17:30 from 2nd August, advising people to use the train instead. First bus tell me that the date was a co-incidence; Wiltshire Council tell me that First Bus offered a later evening service (but not the popular 18:30 off Chippenham) but at a price that the council did not want to pay. Although there is typically significant public consultation on changes / amendments to subsidised buses, Wiltshire Council "got away without it" (as they said to me!) in this case.
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