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Campaign for an appropriate TransWilts train service
Just two trains a day currently link the five major population centres of Wiltshire
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Heard, yes. Considered, no. The case for the train.
Last Friday brought the publication of the 'final' timetable for trains through Melksham from December 2006. Regular readers to this column will know that I've been hosting a web site to retain the service at its current level (5 each way daily) or, better, to improve it to 8 a day. But the threat all along, and to be honest the most likely outcome once you got a stupid decision (IMHO) made by a Whitehall department was of just 2 a day. Alas, that's the outcome we have. I set down my objectives at the start of the campaign to get the Melksham / TransWilts case heard and considered properly. I feel that, to date, I've scored 1 out of 2. For sure, the case is being heard and the word Melksham no longer draws the comment "where on earth is THAT?" from the Railway Mandarins. I recognise First Great Western's MD and senior staff on site (and they recognise me), all four MPs who represent constituencies on the line spoke in Westminster on our behalf, to a transport minister who avoided the questions. The shadow transport secretary was here earlier this month to add his support, and I've been on Radio 4 a couple of times and even on BBC1 the other day. But like I say, I've only scored 1 out of 2 so far. I came into this business late - after the initial decision had been taken and so it was at a point where any change would be embarrasing to the decision maker. I've tried to provide them with a neat "win-win" scenario, as more recent evidence that they initially used is now available, and shows a rapidly growing service. Alas, I have only scored 1 out of 2 though - as late as 20th June, Derek Twigg, minister at the Department for Transport sent me a letter quoting the same old (now very old) and discredited figures. So it remains that the case has not been considered properly. Where now? There was a landmark court decision at the tail of last week too, concerning Open Access train operations. Basically, it leaves a much easier route open now for others to be invited in to run train services that aren't otherwise offered under a franchise. And I've learnt so much that I feel quite confident in the case that I've made. If First and the DfT won't consider, perhaps National Express, Great Central, Stagecoach, Arriva or another company of that type will ... and they'll see what an excellent little opportunity there is for them in our neck of the woods. And I'm far from dis-spirited. Even if it comes to nothing, I've made some great friends, I've learnt a huge amount about railways and railway operation, I've met some senior politicians and actaully have a higher regard for them than I did even a few months back .... and I've had a lot of fun too. Of course, from the business side, our own contingency plans are well in place. With 40% of course delegates arriving by public transport, they need to be, and it's not going to be JUST making the best of a bad job. No - we'll turn the outcome, however it might be, into a positive. And, by the way, never say "die" until the last trains' run. The Looe branch in Cornwall was just 2 weeks from closure under the Beeching plan when it was pulled back. That was 40 years ago. (written 2006-07-30, updated 2006-07-31) Associated topics are indexed under Z511 - Public Transport - Road[4032] Easier public transport from Melksham to Bristol Airport - (2013-03-06) [4023] Melksham to Chippenham (Station) bus services - times and routes - (2013-03-01) [4022] A request for all of Melksham transport groups to work integrated - (2013-03-01) [3951] Christmas Bus Schedule for Melksham - First Bus - (2012-12-14) [3938] A long overdue meeting - a steeping stone towards coordinate transport user inputs - (2012-12-02) [3937] Agenda for Wiltshire Link Travel groups meeting, Saturday 1st December 2012 - (2012-11-27) [3929] Melksham Bus Issues - to be raised at First Bus Customer Panel - (2012-11-21) [3904] Want to help us improve transport in Wiltshire? Here is how! - (2012-10-26) [3893] Public Transport across Wiltshire - a new map - (2012-10-13) [3879] Mixed mode travel - Information systems - (2012-10-03) [3877] Public Transport Services - from and to Melksham - (2012-10-01) [3866] Celebrate! Buses from Meksham to Bath - (2012-09-18) [3850] Bus times - Chippenham Station to Melksham, with London connections - (2012-08-25) [3849] New bus times - Melksham to Bath - (2012-08-25) [3699] Bristol 50? Bristol 25? - (2012-04-17) [3631] Getting around Dublin by public transport - some observations - (2012-03-01) [3580] Melksham Area - buses, trains, cycles, and roads. Meeting, 17.1.2012 - (2012-01-15) [3579] Transport in Cambridgeshire - seen by an outside observer. What can Wiltshire learn? - (2012-01-15) [3564] I wish I was not a special case - (2011-12-29) [3523] When competition is not a good idea - Melksham Bus Absurdity - (2011-11-16) [3504] Coaches from Trowbridge and Melksham to London - (2011-11-01) [3487] Public transport - road and rail - (2011-10-19) [3486] How important is public transport to people in the Melksham area? - (2011-10-19) [3471] Vintage Bus Running Day in Warminster. An example of good bus practise. - (2011-10-09) [3404] Buses on the Cambridge Guided Busway - (2011-08-24) [3301] Using public transport - USA style - (2011-05-25) [3290] Changes (and no changes) at Melksham bus stops - (2011-05-15) [3194] Buses - what they cost and their future direction in the SW and in Wiltshire - (2011-03-06) [3126] Car Parking in Melksham - thoughts on the proposed scheme, and wider thoughts too - (2011-01-09) [2983] Strong arm tactics in the bus industry? Poor result for the customer! - (2010-10-03) [2982] Travel, Transport and Tourism - A vision for Melksham, 2026 - (2010-10-03) [2958] What do these road markings mean? Could Confusion Kill? - (2010-09-17) [2933] Bath - Melksham - Devizes buses from September - (2010-08-23) [2919] London to Calne, Corsham, Melksham, Bradford-on-Avon, Chippenham by public Transport - (2010-08-13) [2903] Bath to Devizes bus via Melksham - changing again in September - (2010-08-04) [2857] Park and Ride at Batheaston - will it solve Wiltshires Ills? - (2010-07-06) [2791] Bath to Melksham buses - times - (2010-06-03) [2789] Melksham to London (Heathrow, and Central London) - (2010-06-02) [2771] Melksham to Calne by public transport - (2010-05-20) [2672] Dear Planners, please provide viable alternatives - (2010-03-11) [2662] Is Melksham public transport actually used? - (2010-03-05) [2533] Five guests, three groups, one car - (2009-12-11) [2522] Integrated public Transport - what could be done for Melksham - (2009-12-01) [2515] Why we have two buses an hour - but not a half hourly service - (2009-11-28) [2431] Moving busstop! - (2009-09-30) [2372] Public Transport from (and to) Melksham on Sundays - (2009-08-23) [2328] Melksham - no trains, no southbound buses through the town - (2009-08-08) [2268] Westbury Bypass Refused - looking forward - (2009-07-04) [2083] Do you support a decent train service? Please sign up! - (2009-03-15) [2075] Supporting Parkinsons and Trains - (2009-03-11) [1777] The Rise and Rise of First Bus Fares - (2008-08-29) [1723] Bath - Melksham - Devizes. Bus route changes, new timetable - (2008-07-26) [1668] Talk on TransWilts train service to Green Party - (2008-06-07) [1567] Melksham - Swindon. Train v Bus v Car - (2008-03-07) [1560] HST Power Car TravelWatch SouthWest - (2008-03-01) [1511] Buses from Well House Manor, Melksham, to Bath - (2008-01-18) [1428] Travel Across Wiltshire - the game - (2007-11-11) [1315] Two years of campaigning for a train service - (2007-08-22) [1254] Comparing bus stops - (2007-07-01) [1125] Train service - petititon reply - (2007-03-31) [1085] Lawrence Webb's Melksham Taxi service - (2007-02-18) [764] Journey planning - Xephos v Transport Direct - (2006-06-16) [474] Vintage Bus Day - (2005-10-23) [459] Kiss and Ride - (2005-10-09) [187] a popular bus number - (2005-01-23) [119] PHP course. Come by train. - (2004-11-15) 57ad
Some other Articles
PHP - a team member leavesDynamic functions and names - Python Robert and William Whitworth My projector has a photo-id Heard, yes. Considered, no. The case for the train. Working on Weekend in Wiltshire and others Above the parapit, Well House Manor Time trickles like water through a sieve Melksham Railway Calendar 2007 Monday Morning at Well House Consultants Melksham |
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Link to page ... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82 at 50 posts per pageThis is a page archived from The Horse's Mouth at http://www.wellho.net/horse/ - the diary and writings of Graham Ellis. Every attempt was made to provide current information at the time the page was written, but things do move forward in our business - new software releases, price changes, new techniques. Please check back via our main site for current courses, prices, versions, etc - any mention of a price in "The Horse's Mouth" cannot be taken as an offer to supply at that price.
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