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December 24, 2006
Christmas, 2006
"Not with a roar, but ith a whimper". The last day of train service before Chistmas 2006 and Melksham, population 24,000 and growing rapidly, has just a single train calliung today at 19:51. What a pretty mess for a service that grew many-fold in the first five years of this decade, from a quiet service with the occasional passenger to - this summer and autumn - vibrant, well used trains; snuffed out by the DfT/First timetable "changes" on 10th December.
This is not a day for a heavy post. Just one to say that I do, I can see a candle in the wind and that could grow to a great fire. I hope it's not a mirage, but I see no harm in encouraging it - if it IS a miage all I'll be wasting is my time, and if it's not there is still the prize of an appropriate train service.
Have a good Christmas, everyone. 2007 might be the year of resurgaece ... there's better chance that I would have anticipated :-)
Posted by gje at 02:14 PM | Comments (0)
December 20, 2006
"Told you so"
The cry of "Told you so" rings out from Warminster to Severn Tunnel, from Swindon to Severn Beach, and from Melksham to Keynsham, Oldfield Park, Trowbridge and more.
The first two weeks of the new timetable, with a lack of trains, and a lack of a carriages on those remaining, has lead to many lost journeys, much discomfort, much frustration. Tom Harris, the transport minister tells us that a new timetable is always a difficult time and we must try to get used to it. Tom, I thinks it's deeper than that.
Posted by gje at 12:31 PM | Comments (0)
December 14, 2006
New service - first impressions
Three days into the new service, and what impression do I have?
That - as predicted - the trains in their new timing through Melksham aren't well suited to the existing customer base who have deserted them for other means of transport. I myself had to give delegates a lift up to Chippenham on Monday, and to drive to Swindon on Tuesday where last week I would have used the train. Yesterday evening, I did meet two delegates off a very quiet train at Melksham at 19:08 ... they were travelling long distance afetr a day's work so actually the new times suited them well, although last week I'm sure they would still have come in by train arriving at 18:09 or 21:34 - so this does not, I regret, mean any new business.
It WILL take time to build up a new market for that's what First will have to look for with such a radical change in train times. Or rather, if they're sincere they'll have to look for a new market; I guess if their plan is to provide an inappropriate service so that they can kill it later, then they'll just let it run quietly and near-empty for a month or two.
There's signs of teething troubles in the first few days - 143 units having trouble keeping up with the schedules, cancellation rates even higher than recent weeks in spite of the reduced services they're having to provide. I think it would be upfair to judge them based on the three days. I wait to see how they're doing by next week, and in the first weeks of the New Year.
How will I judge whether or not First are sincere in wanting to do their best for their customers? By seeing if they correct some of the ommisions from their signage that they've been told about. By seeing if they have any marketing initiatives coming along. By watching the pattern of any cancellations - seeing if (as has been the recent case) the TransWilts service continues to be the first to be cancelled.
I'll also get a pretty good idea based on futher inputs to the positive move that their Andrew Griffiths made about a week ago in terms of asking how the service should develop in the future, based on a single extra train. My input to Andrew, and confirmed by lots of discussions, cae down in favour of a service from Swindon at 06:45, every 2 hours to 10:45, 13:45 and every 2 hours to 21:45, returning from Westbury an hour earlier / later.
Andrew - if you're reading this, you've just had the most enormous proof that the level of loading on this line does depend on the train frequency ... remove 60% of the trains and you loose 80% of the business. So, please, let's increas the service by 50% from where it was last week, advertise it, nd see the traffic figures rise from 109k per year to perhaps 250k. It's a very acheivable, and financially viable, target.
Posted by gje at 07:46 AM | Comments (0)
December 10, 2006
They're gone ... but ...
The last of the old services ran yesterday ... and indeed the 17:50 our from Swindon was packed with Father Christmas on board. A great time had by all, and a lot of pictures - but also a very sad time.
A battle has been lost. But there's still a war tobe fought. And we retain the moral high ground. In term of usage, future, etc, the decisions taken by the DfT / First can - at best - be said to be out of date and misguided. At worst, they're an abuse of position on a hidden agenda. It's amazing what the Freedom of Information has revealed - meetings to discuss how to minimise consultation effects, specialists reports that say that the evening train should NOT be retimed being blatently ignored. And add to that the cavelier nature with which the service has been so frequently cancelled of late "because it's the easiest service to replace by a bus".
But I'm spouting on there far, far too negative for our own good. There IS a ray of light - might just be a kite but let's fly it. "What would you like to see in terms of timing with a hypothetical train dedicated tothe line'. Talk is December, 2007. Perhaps, belatedly, someone is seeing the right way to do this and if they do, I'll be delighted to work with them
Posted by gje at 07:37 AM | Comments (0)
December 08, 2006
Fizzle
Last weekday service to speak of for a while ... we're down to 40% of the service, and that at marginal time, from Monday.
A ray of hope offered for "from December 2007" but just a ray. I'm not sure if it's just the First folks looking to have today pass off as peacefully as possible, but there's nothing to loose by encouraging the approach even if it'n not substantive - which it MAY be. And I have some sympathy for the railmen who are having to slash the services they and we know that we need!
If you're on the 17:02 Melksham to Swindon, 17:43 return, lunchtime train up tomorrow or 17:50 tomorrow evening, see you there.
Posted by gje at 08:46 AM | Comments (0)
December 05, 2006
Last Week - Press Release
PRESS RELEASE
** Train Service to be withdrawn as from this weekend without adequate alternative
This weekend sees the end of most train services on the Swindon - MELKSHAM - Westbury route, leaving Melksham (population 24,000) without weekday daytime or commuter trains.
The last commuter train out of Melksham leaves this Friday at 17:02 (for Swindon) and returns from Swindon at 17:43. There are usually around 20 to 30 passengers on the train up to Swindon, and about twice that number on the return journey.
As from Monday, 11th December the passengers from Melksham for Swindon will have to catch the 16:47 or 18:03 buses, and walk across Chippenham to the train station to continue their journey to Swindon. A journey that takes 25 minutes this week will take 83 minutes next (16:47 bus, 17:12 into Chippenham, 17:55 train, 18:10 Swindon).
ACTIVITIES
Members of the press are very welcome to ride on the 17:02 from Melksham on 8th December and 17:43 return to cover this withdrawal of service. Some local campaigners who are also regular users will be on the service, and First group have been invited to send a representative to explain to passengers how the new services (very early morning and mid evening only) meet their customer's needs.
On Saturday, 9th December Santa Claus will be on board the 17:00 Saturday train to Swindon and he'll be back in Melksham at 18:16.
BACKGROUND
Under the Greater Western Frnchise, the Department for Transport specified that the Swindon to Southampton train service should be withdrawn. Service on the Southampton to Westbury section is provided by other services. On Westbury to Swindon, just two trains are to be run which the First group, who sucessfully bid for the franchise, are choosing to operate in what is described as "marginal" time - i.e. at a time that's convenient to the operator when their trains are not required elsewhere. The new (and only) trains that serve Melksham will leave Swindon at 06:19, and return there at 20:20.
The "TransWilts" service is the only train service that has linked the North and South of the county, connecting the largest towns in the country which are Swindon, Salisbury, Trowbridge, Chippenham, Warminster and Melksham. All of these towns are expected to grow over the next 20 years, with the Regional Spatial Strategy forecasting 15000 new homes in West Wilts alone - that's an increase at Melksham (for example) from 24,000 to 34,000 residents by 2026.
The A350 corridor, which serves this route, is congested with bottlenecks in and out of Swindon, around Chippeham, through the village of Beanace, through the Northern part of Melksham, and through Westbury.
Use of the train service has grown dramatically over the past 5 years - ticket sales from and to Melksham grew from 3000 per annum 5 years ago to 27400 in the latest published figures Trains that once were quiet are now busy, with 110000 journeys made on the service annually. We understand from paper revealed under FOI (Freedom of Information) legistlation that the decison to withdraw the service was based on a growth forcast of between 0.8% and 1.7%, and old (so low) data, but never the less came down in favour of a service
to run every 2 hours.
First indicated to the Department for Transport that they would be willing to provide an appropriate service for an extra 300,000 pounds per year (that should be set against their overall bid on 1,100,000,000 pounds for the Greater Western Franchise), but the Department for Transport failed to take up this element. They have also been in discussions with Wiltshire County Council, for whom the train service on the A350 corridor is a key element in the local transport plan.
"TransWilts" trains are wheelchair friendly, but alternatives such as a change of train in Bath or a transfer to and from the bus across Chippenham are impractical for the disabled, those with pushchairs or heavy luggage.
CONTACT
See http://www.savethereain.org.uk
This press release issued by Graham Ellis, who has been campaiging through "Save the Train" for this service, which is vital to his business and the livelyhood of the community of Melksham too.
Graham may be reached on 01225 708225 or via email - graham@wellho.net
Pictures available
404, The Spa, Melksham, SN12 6QL
Posted by gje at 01:22 PM | Comments (0)