| Holding GWR to account - service reliability Posted by grahame at 10:20, 18th November 2025 |     |
Brian Mathew is our MP for Melksham and Devizes. From Brian Mathew on Facebook
Holding GWR to account on train reliability
I met with senior GWR management in Swindon to discuss the high number of cancellations at Melksham.
Along with representatives from Melksham Transport User Group and West Wilts Rail User Group (photographed), we pressed for urgent action to improve reliability and passenger experience.
GWR set out its plans, and work to date, in reducing cancellations including:
• Increasing driver and guard recruitment at Westbury Depot and building greater resilience in the local workforce.
• Improving passenger communication systems
• Providing more consistent alternative transport when cancellations do hit
We will be following up on progress early in the new year.
Long term, we want to see a much more frequent and reliable service through Melksham, and I am committed to working with the industry and our fantastic rail user groups to achieve this.
I met with senior GWR management in Swindon to discuss the high number of cancellations at Melksham.
Along with representatives from Melksham Transport User Group and West Wilts Rail User Group (photographed), we pressed for urgent action to improve reliability and passenger experience.
GWR set out its plans, and work to date, in reducing cancellations including:
• Increasing driver and guard recruitment at Westbury Depot and building greater resilience in the local workforce.
• Improving passenger communication systems
• Providing more consistent alternative transport when cancellations do hit
We will be following up on progress early in the new year.
Long term, we want to see a much more frequent and reliable service through Melksham, and I am committed to working with the industry and our fantastic rail user groups to achieve this.
| Re: Holding GWR to account - service reliability Posted by grahame at 10:24, 18th November 2025 | |
An excellent meeting yesterday as far as it could go within the metrics set. Around six people from GWR, four from the West Wiltshire Rail User Group, and our MP and a member of his technical team. Subject - various across West Wiltshire, but dominant is/was the appalling cancellation rate of trains that are supposed to call at Melksham. Meetings do not solve problems in themselves - and reliability of services has been an ongoing problem in recent years. But steps are taken, and now is the time to be moving towards a new level with everyone concerned looking to provide an excellent public transport offering for the people of Melksham.
It is really good to have the Melksham Transport User Group (MTUG) - committee met last Thursday - with support (and not just meeting attendance!) from our Melksham Town and Melksham Without reps - giving support not only to help with the immediate reliability issue, but also to look ahead to immediate information provision and reliability improvements, then to improving station access and walking, cycling and bus integration, and then to an improved capacity and services to use that capacity.
An MTUG public transport timetable is in final proofing today, initial copies at the West Wilts meeting next Wednesday (public meeting, Bethesda Church Hall, Trowbridge, 19:00 for 19:30 and finishing to catch the 21:22 back to Melksham) and with the main topic being bus / rail integration. Then distributed at various places and events such as the Christmas Lights on 6th December. We are concerned at train reliability - however, around 90% of trains do run and there are already systems - to be greatly improved - to provide much better standbys in an environment in which in any case there are reducing cancellations.
| Re: Holding GWR to account - service reliability Posted by stuving at 10:43, 18th November 2025 | |
Wot, none of the real bosses, from DfT? I'm sure they did get mentioned, though (and GBR-to-be as well).
| Re: Holding GWR to account - service reliability Posted by grahame at 10:50, 18th November 2025 | |
Wot, none of the real bosses, from DfT? I'm sure they did get mentioned, though (and GBR-to-be as well).
Hence
as far as it could go within the metrics set.
| Re: Holding GWR to account - service reliability Posted by bobm at 13:25, 18th November 2025 | |
Just for the record I was there too representing the TransWilts CIC. Some of the stuff we had heard before but as reported there were some encouraging signs for the future and some reassurances that the matter is very much being looked at.
