Ouch, that is not good.

East Midlands - Either one East Midlands force; or two forces - one covering Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, and another for Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire

Eastern - Either one Eastern force; or two forces in one of two different combinations: Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex plus Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire

OR Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex plus Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire

London - No change proposed - reviews are continuing into the future of the City of London police and British Transport Police in the city

North East - Create one force for the region by merging Northumbria, Durham and Cleveland

North West - Either two forces - one for Lancashire, Cumbria and Merseyside and another for Cheshire and Greater Manchester Police

OR three forces - one for Lancashire and Cumbria, another for Cheshire and Merseyside, and a separate Greater Manchester force

South East - Any of the following options:

Two strategic forces - Kent, Surrey and Sussex plus Thames Valley and Hampshire

Three forces - one for Kent alone, another for Thames Valley and a third for Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire.

Three strategic forces - Kent, Surrey and Sussex; Thames Valley as a standalone force; plus Hampshire as a standalone force

Three strategic forces - Kent and Sussex; Thames Valley as a standalone force; plus Hampshire and Surrey

Four strategic forces - Kent as a standalone strategic force; Thames Valley as a standalone strategic force; Surrey and Sussex; and Hampshire as a standalone strategic force

South West - Either one regional force

OR two forces comprising Devon and Cornwall as a standalone force, alongside one covering Avon and Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Dorset

Wales - A national Welsh force merging North Wales, Dyfed-Powys, Gwent and South Wales

West Midlands - Either one West Midlands force

OR two forces - Staffordshire and West Mercia; plus Warwickshire and West Midlands

Yorkshire and Humberside - Either a single regional force

OR two strategic forces - one for West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire; another South Yorkshire and Humberside.

With passenger journey numbers dropping from 75,000 to 18,000 during the "Covid year", and for so many of the remaining journeys being for work for people who could not work from home, the opening of the "Melksham Hub Cafe" could not have come at a worse time!  Now, after a pause to regroup and with so much learned, it's time to revisit a volunteer presence to help customers of public transport near the station.

* Passenger numbers are back up to around 65,000 per annum

* Passenger metrics have changed, somewhat away from daily commuting towards more occasional use that requires more support

* The trains have a reputation for unreliabiiity and an informed volunteer at the station can do miracles - as we have illustrated from time to time on an adhoc basis

* The Neighbourhood Plan, which passed referendum in July 2025, includes what we are calling the "InfoStation" as part of the longer term area plan - until 2038. Town and Parish councils fully on board.

* Our distribution exercise for public transport information and a number of other local indicators have confirmed that we'll have effective volunteers to staff the place with a simple model that brings them social benefit as well as the customers.

* Some elements of the business case model that had to be included in the "Melksham Hub" are no longer there, and things like many element of the refit remain and aren't another expense.

* CCIF offers an opportunity to bid for seeding costs

I have been working with others in Melksham (under the auspices of MTUG) to get all our ducks in a row and check that all the elephants in the room are identified and dealt with.  Looking good for a CCIF bid, and we have let wider potential partners know too.  Just for the moment, this is in "Frequent Posters" - a public version once some things are clarified and initial stakeholder inputs received should be published by the end of this month.

Documents for members:
Draft proposal (MTUG)
Report of local "intelligence" on public transport (MTUG)
CCIF guidance (GWR)

**snip**
Other inter-station walking connection from the existing via the sublime to the ridiculous ...
**snip list**

The line is open to long distance trains, with all services using the reversible Up line between Dawlish Warren and Teignmouth. No rail services calling at stations between Exeter St David's and Newton Abbot - these are being served by rail replacement buses.

Pushed out till 1600 tomorrow

Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbot
Due to severe weather earlier between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbot:

Train services running through these stations will be cancelled or suspended. Disruption is expected until 16:00 25/01.

......wouldn't be surprised if there are further extensions?

Sounds like it needs some permanent resilience!

Yesterday  we visited the BAWA  centre to finalise arrangements for this event. As it was sunny we took the opportunity to take some photos so everyone can see what this place looks like .  We now have 2  large rooms to house this event. The main Ballroom and the Concord suite. Both are spacious modern rooms. The toilet facilities are second to none and and they are  without  doubt the largest and cleanest weve ever seen. We have a very fine catering team who will be providing Teas, Coffees, bacon  and sausage rolls and baps plus cakes,  soft drinks and confectionary. A comfortable sit down area with tables is also provided.  This is our first event so we want to make this an enjoyable experience for all.  Please  support this event as this is the first true railwayana  and transport fair ever in the South West. Its success is dependant on YOU ! This venue  is fully accessible to wheelchair users with gentle ramps at the main entrance.  Signs will be provided at the carpark to where main entrance is. We look forward to welcoming you all.
Traders pitches  are selling well but as weve not hire a second hall we still have some spaces.

Paris is building a short but important underground pedestrian tunnel to make it much easier for travellers to move between Gare de l’Est and Gare du Nord — two of the city’s busiest railway stations.

The new tunnel, about 56 metres long and more than 5 metres wide, is being dug beneath rue La Fayette in the 10th arrondissement. It will connect the ground-level hall at 50, rue d’Alsace near Gare de l’Est with the underground RER Magenta station, which itself is linked to Gare du Nord.

Today, passengers who want to switch between the two stations have to walk about 500 metres at street level, often against busy city traffic, which takes 10 to 15 minutes. The new tunnel will let people make the same connection in just a few minutes, deep underground and without crossing streets.

Work began in September 2024 and involves careful construction under a dense urban area. Because of tunnels, utilities and building foundations above, machines and traditional excavation methods are being used rather than a large tunnel boring machine.

The tunnel is part of wider improvements to the northern Paris rail hub, where daily traffic can reach around 800,000 travellers, including connections to metro, RER, regional trains and future services like the CDG Express airport train.

The pedestrian tunnel is scheduled to open in early 2027, possibly around the same time as the CDG Express line begins service, offering a faster, safer, and more comfortable connection between these two major stations

Euston St Pancras. It sounds like a station from some iffy bootleg tube map. But it's going to be a real thing. Hopefully.

While the fiasco that is Crossrail continues to drag its purple heels, plans are already simmering away for Crossrail 2 — a network that would link Surrey to Hertfordshire, via London. And one of the central London stations would be Euston St Pancras.

I would also understand the case for Surrey, Sussex and Kent Constabularies to be merged.  They all cover the south-east of England, with similar issues of immigrants (legal or illegal), drug smuggling, customs and many other interactions with Europe.

There you go: I've just saved the country another two Chief Constables' salaries and accumulating pension entitlements. [Image from here is not available to guests]

Well, the press seem to have already done the job for her, so there's no need for Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to make any effort on Monday.  [Image from here is not available to guests]

From the BBC:

'British FBI' to take over terror and fraud probes in reforms to police

A new national police force is being created to take over counter-terror, fraud, and criminal gang investigations.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the new National Police Service (NPS), described as a "British FBI", would deploy "world class talent and state of the art technology to track down and catch dangerous criminals".

It will bring the work of existing agencies such as the National Crime Agency and regional organised crime units under the same organisation, buying new technology such as facial recognition on behalf of all forces.

Mahmood said policing was stuck "in a different century" and the new body will form part of a series of police reforms she will unveil on Monday.

The NPS will cover England and Wales but be able to operate in the wider UK, setting standards and training. It will be led by a national police commissioner who will become the most senior police chief in the country.

The Home Office said local police officers have been "burdened" with tackling major crimes without adequate training, leaving them unable to address everyday offences like shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. In the past week, the home secretary has announced a number of sweeping changes to policing, having described the current structures as "irrational".

Counter terror policing, led by the Metropolitan Police, the National Air Service run by West Yorkshire Police, and National Roads Policing will also all be brought under the new organisation.

Intelligence and resources will be shared across different forces in stages to ensure the public receive the same level of security "no matter where they live", the Home Office said in a statement. While the government claims facial recognition has led to a rapid reduction in crime - reportedly leading to 1,700 arrests in the past two years - campaigners have raised concerns over issues with bias and privacy.

The Home Office says it will also look to hire new talent outside of the force for leadership roles.

Graeme Biggar, director general of the National Crime Agency, backed the new national force and said "the overall policing system is out of date. Crime has changed, technology has changed, and how we respond needs to change". He added: "These are threats that affect us all locally, but need a national and international response."

Mahmood has previously said the current policing structure is "irrational", announcing on Thursday that she intends to drastically cut police forces down from 43 to make way for 12 "mega" forces. And on Friday, the government announced details of a licence scheme for police officers, and increased powers for ministers to intervene where police and fire chiefs are deemed to be failing.

The plans have drawn mixed reaction from senior figures in policing, with the Police Federation warning that "fewer forces doesn't guarantee more or better policing for communities".

The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) also warned that the creation of regional forces would be expensive, time-consuming and risks separating police forces from their communities.

In November, ministers announced plans to scrap police and crime commissioners in 2028 to save at least £100m and help fund neighbourhood policing.

Sadly, my immediate thoughts are that it would be a very tall order to get substantive repairs to the Box Tunnel(s?) portal(s) completed in time for 11th September - just 8 months away.  Where, perhaps, you might have a better chance to provide a celebration of 185 years would be to ask / work with Network Rail to provide a display to help inform attenders about the good work planned for the autumn.

At the risk of explaining things you already know (but feel free to share this with others who don’t have the railway involvement of you and I ) …

Network Rail plans things many years ahead - frustratingly so - and that includes infrastructure repairs.  There are elements of heritage concern in there, but balanced against that at present is a requirement for them to cut 2000 out of 40,000 jobs and at the same time re-organise into Great British Railways that takes over train operation too.  If it’s safe and trains can still reliably run, it probably won’t be a priority to try and move up a potentially major and highly specialised operation for completion in advance of repairs.

Great Western Railway is currently a First Group company contracted to operate trains, with income going to HMG and then money being payed to the company to run the trains as - err - cheaply as they can.   Come this Autumn, it is probable (almost certain) that GWR will be nationalised - the GWR name will remain, but the objective will not be to reach company goals, but to reach Department for Transport subsidiary goals.   Current GWR and First Group direction has no financial interest in developing public conception or future traffic - though the vast majority of the team ARE very interested in what they’ll be doing this time next year.

Box is in the Melksham and Devizes constituency - perhaps that’s a reason you ask me?  The London to Bristol (Great Western) main line passes through Box tunnel. 
* It enters the tunnel to the east in the Chippenham Constituency of Sarah Gibson, who a has strongly picked up the baton of the campaign for a new or re-opened station in Corsham,  and it might happen - some blockers have been removed.  Of anyone, [redacted], you know how long and hard fought this has been, and you know the nature of these things that for many years frustrations will occur but then it might - just might happen. 
* It leaves Box Tunnel through the western portal now in the Melksham Constituency of Brian Mathew. It passed under the A4, above Box Village past the site of Box Mill Lane Halt, and the passes through the second shorter tunnel at Box Middle Hill.  The site of Box Station follows (really in Ashley rather than Box) and then the railway runs along the valley past  Shockerwick
* It passses into the Bath constituency between Bathford and Batheaston before crossing the valley of the River Avon to Bathampton - no longer in Wiltshire and looked after by Wera Hobhouse.   Also a whole new larger authority / local transport authority, WE(M)CA rather than Wiltshire.

You would need to be quick (closes 2nd February) but the final CCIF (Customer and Community Infrastructure Fund) tranche from GWR could be woth an application.   It would be a very long shot - sadly, you don’t in Box have many rails customers.  There’s no station and the likely places for re-openings would be in Sarah’s or Wera’s constituencies;  I have seen the question of a station at Box (Ashley) raised but it quickly raised so many issues that in the current environment it’s a resounding “that won’t happen”.

I would - suggest - working with the Network Rail contacts the team already has planning the autumn repairs for a set of display boards to celebrate the tunnel and to look ahead to the works that would / will help preserve the heritage.   As I recall, the view to the tunnel mouth of the main tunnel is from the main road and there may be a safety issue there with a substantial number of visitors, and there ia park / picnic area (?) off to one side which is an element of an interpretation centre. Something to build on?  Vegetation clearance to get a better view - but is it nesting season?    I do recall walking over the top of Middle Hill tunnel - in fact I found a picture of it just the other day - and there is a nice and distant view form there and perhaps a somewhat safer alternative.

Proposal to build bridge over school prompts safety fears

[Image from here is not available to guests]
Some parents at the school have expressed concerns about the proposal

It is a peaceful outdoor area behind a school where pupils can climb trees, toast marshmallows and take part in forest school activities.

But parents are worried that the space could be left in darkness and overlooked by passers-by, if a bridge is built over the top of it.

Ysgol Plascrug in Aberystwyth raised about £50,000 in grants to turn the muddy patch into a garden for pupils, with one mum describing how her daughter was in tears after learning of the proposal.

Ceredigion council is looking at three options for a replacement bridge linking areas of the town, with one of these stretching directly over the garden. It urged anyone with concerns to respond to a consultation.

The local authority is looking at options to replace the current bridge, which goes over railway tracks and links local schools and leisure facilities, after a storm in 2021 left it partly destroyed with parts being held up by scaffolding. Its replacement must meet modern design standards and be able to handle an expected increase in numbers walking or cycling, a planning document says.

The council said surrounding developments provide challenges, but it has come up with three designs - each with its benefits and drawbacks, it says. These are - rebuilding in the same place, or building a new bridge, either going around three sides of the school with the loss of some of the grounds, or right through the middle.

...

Local MS Elin Jones opened the area in June 2025, and said: "I've no doubt that Plascrug School needs its outdoor play area protected in full. It is already very limited. As such, I've no doubt that the railway bridge replacement should be on the current site, and not on a new site, which would considerably reduce the school's outdoor space. "

Ceredigion Preseli MP Ben Lake said: "Teachers, parents, and pupils of Ysgol Plascrug are understandably concerned that one of the options included in the consultation would see the new footbridge span their grounds and outdoor playing area. I am firmly of the opinion that the footbridge should instead be redeveloped on the footprint of the existing one, which would not only avert any disruption to the school but also command widespread support from the broader community. I shall be reiterating this opinion to the council through this consultation, and would urge all local residents to do likewise."

(BBC news article continues)

Sold-out buses and sky-high flight prices: Spain’s train crash leaves passengers stranded

Southern Spain's high-speed train crash on Sunday 18 January left at least 42 people dead and over 150 injured.

With rail services suspended between Madrid and Andalusia following the Adamuz accident, hundreds more passengers were left stranded.

Azucena Esteban and Carlos Hidalgo, a married couple from Madrid who had planned to travel to Seville on a Renfe night train on Sunday, have now managed to reach their destination after a 48-hour journey.

Southern Spain's high-speed train crash on Sunday 18 January left at least 42 people dead and over 150 injured.

With rail services suspended between Madrid and Andalusia following the Adamuz accident, hundreds more passengers were left stranded.

Azucena Esteban and Carlos Hidalgo, a married couple from Madrid who had planned to travel to Seville on a Renfe night train on Sunday, have now managed to reach their destination after a 48-hour journey.

Stranded train passengers faced with astronomical flight prices

"There was no option," Esteban recalls when asked about the transport options they considered at the time. They first spoke to Euronews Travel on the morning of Monday 19 January at Madrid Atocha station, where they were waiting for Renfe to provide a viable travel alternative.

When they realised that even the shuttle bus they had been promised to take them to Méndez Álvaro station would not arrive, they opted to hire a car at Barajas airport, as this service was not available at Atocha.

Flights between Madrid and Seville had climbed to €300, well above their usual price, Azucena recounted the following day by phone and from the Andalusian capital.

"I looked at all the airlines, but Malaga-Madrid was unviable, at least on Monday," explains Alberto García Chaparro, another affected resident in the capital.

"Buses were sold out and rental cars were unviable. Plane fares ranged from €180 to €500. In fact, I tried to buy an Iberia flight for €128, but when I paid [through a flight comparator], it was full and wouldn't let me buy it. When I went back in, it was already worth €300."

Car rental companies hiked prices following train crash

As García Chaparro points out, rental car companies also applied price increases after the accident that blocked all train travel between Madrid and Andalusia, Spain's first and third most populated regions, for 24 hours.

"The cars were at €80 - we looked the day before," says Azucena Esteban, who paid more than €200 to make the journey south. She adds that other users, who had approached the airport with the same intention, received quotes of €1,000 from other car companies.

Due to the system of variable prices depending on supply and demand in these companies, it is impossible to verify this fact: the current figures for a trip similar to the one they took, at the time of writing this article, range between €125 and €250.

Other affected passengers who Euronews Travel spoke with on Monday at Atocha station did manage to purchase bus tickets to Andalusia.

But testimonies gathered during the morning after the accident claimed that there was only one night bus left when consulted: "We were able to catch it at 10pm, but there were no others left." Two women interviewed also testified that air fares were "very expensive".