I received a letter today from the Franchise manager at the DfT - Peter West.  Here are the main points from the letter:

'Last year the SRA conducted a public consultation on the structure of train services fot the new GW franchise in which it proposed to reduce the number of services between Swindon and Westbury'
'The SRA received eight reponses about the proposed reduction in services - seven against and one in support'

'Given the wide range of other calls on public funds the DfT has had to take a view on where best value for money can be acheived.  These services are on average lightly used  during most of the day and require significant subsidy'
'In view of this and in light of the response to the SRA's consultation exercise ministers decided to let the GW franchise on the basis of specifying two trains per day in each direction including Saturday and Sunday

'The train service specification in the new contract allows for the future train operating company some flexibility in liason with the DfT and stakeholders to decide when exactly trains should run and whether they should stop at certain stations.  However the train operator has only limited flexibility within its contract'
'I should not like to raise false expectations about the likelyhood of a significant change in the number of trans operated'

Full text of my letter is now on line at http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/letters.html?title=pwfrom.   I have replied with further questions and comments.

Peter West has missed the point on some of the issued I raised in my report and letter.  I'm asking the Department for Transport and First to select an option that's more appropriate and shows a far better projected balance sheet than the "withered arm" service of two trains per day .... which I project would be little used due to the infrequency of the service and the need of most people to be able to travel during the day in one or other direction.  I've also asked Peter to release backgroud information behind the decision under Freedom of Information.