I get the Frome to Swindon train via Melksham 5 days a week. I am now dismayed to see that the draft timetable proposes cutting the straight through service from Frome at 7.20 to Swindon for 8.18. Instead the service is going to be a train from Frome at 7.04 originating from Weymouth, offering a connection at Westbury or Bath and arriving in Swindon at 8.03 (very early). I also notice the evening train from Swindon leaves far later than most people would need and now has a connection time of 1 minute!!! at Westbury. Now anyone who gets off at Westbury will have seen me and fellow commuters running now for our connection, which is supposed to be 10 minutes but never is, 1 minute is just laughable.

To make matters worse this proposed tain at 7.04 is not only going to replace the 7.20 but also the 8.12 to Bristol Temple Meads, which is popular and always packed with standing room only by Bradford on Avon.There will be another train to Bristol Temple Meads leaving at 9.03 (a time not suitable to most commuters)

Me and fellow commuters at Frome can't quite believe that First Great Western think it is a good idea to cut a peak time commuter train and I've heard comments such as "they don't pay us enough to get up at 6 a.m. everyday" and 'we'll have to move or get another job."

It's ironic really because I moved here having read Frome was a commuter town with good connections to Swindon, Bath and Bristol. I also notice apartments are being built down near the station presumably being advertised as suitable for train commuters.   

Answering some questions ... (forgive briefness - I'm on a slow hotel line)

1. I have been asked about ongoing connections from Westbury (e.g. to Frome) and I have asked First in turn.  They say that they don't yet have an answer for me on what will (and what won't) be a connection.

2. There will be no cheap day return fares to London bookable on the day from Melksham. As both of the trains that connect to London do so into rush hour trains, the standard class fare will be 108 pounds. No special derogation will be offered because "it could lead to abuse of the system further up the line" according to Nikki Lake of First. 

3. The Melksham Rail Development Group continues to actively lobby; they're much more of a behind-the-scenes operation ... I have come out screaming and shouting on this web site and they are taking the different approach.  In my judgement, having both approaches active and having decision makers hearing in all sorts of different ways is the best way.

4. Wiltshire County Council directors plead poverty and lack of responsibility when asked to support the train service.  There are, though, a number of councillors and officers who are as supportive as they can be.  WCC is in favour of retaining the service at a decent level, but I have yet to find any decision maker who can / will put resources into meeting that goal.

So the way I read it - If your travelling from beyond Swindon on a delayed express and wanting to connect with the Melksham train they will hold the Melksham train for you.  This in turn could then mean some poor sod not affected by your delay could well miss their onward connection at Westbury due to the local train being held for you?  But thats tough on them because there are later trains they could catch 

My cynical side says thats what they want - so then they have the perfect excuse to cut the service completely at a later date 

Ruth - the timetable is just a draft ... make your inputs by 8th March.   It will have to change in fact, since the draft has one traion overtaking another on the line between Trowbridge and Westbury at that time, so you've got an excellent prospect of a small alteration.

I'm submitting my input on Sunday ... after I've heard the MD of First Great Western on Sunday.  My plan is to write the following on the commuter train:


You're free to use as much or as little of that text as you wish in your own letter(s).