Overview
Better Rail for Less Congestion - MetroWest Bath+Wiltshire

MetroWest Bath+Wiltshire proposes to upgrade the existing rail track, so the present worst service of one train every two hours can become two trains per hour, and the best service of 3.5 trains/hour can be 6 trains/hour. It is achieved by relatively cheap interventions to remove bottlenecks, and the introduction of local shuttle services between the long distance trains. Local shuttles are much more resilient to delays.

Chippenham and Trowbridge are potential hub towns of ConnectedCites on the network, in areas of high levels of housing demand with 75,000+ new population planned

With MetroWest the two ConnectedCities could sustainably house up to 135,000 more people
Current proposals are for road based development. None of the proposed new locations have permanent way public transport
Join us for an exciting event focused on improving rail systems to reduce congestion in the MetroWest Bath+Wiltshire area. Hear from experts, engage in discussions, and explore innovative solutions. Don't miss this opportunity to be part of the change!

Discounted Rail Tickets for Attendees

80% saving based on an Anytime Return from London Paddington to Cardiff Central

The conference fares are only available to delegates. You will be asked to produce a confirmation by the train manager

Conference fares are available from most stations on the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) network

Outbound tickets are fixed, times and dates cannot be changed. The return journey is fully flexible

Proposals for frequent local rail services connecting towns across Bath, Wiltshire and Somerset could unlock housing for 50,000+ new homes within walking distance of existing and new stations, for a cost of less than £50M for the whole area.

‘The disused platforms at Chippenham and Westbury would be brought back into use, Melksham station upgraded with a new passing loop, and junction improvements made elsewhere’, said Nathan Sealy of rail engineers Amey, ‘Amey is already delivering the South Wales Metro, and the lessons can be applied to Wiltshire and Bath.’

Councillor Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said, ‘We're going to need to get people thinking, “I can use the train because I'l get there on time and I'l get some work done.”

‘And when more people are using the train we can open another station, and then get the buses working so we bring people from the vilages to a single point to get them into the town centre.