Save the Melksham Train
Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
Future Closure Proposals - 184/438
Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Thursday, 9th March 2006

There's yet anothe consultation under way at present concering  the mechanism through which stations might be closed in the future.

It's proposed that if a railway company wants to close a station it has to apply to the office of the Rail Regulator and make a cost / benefit case.  If the figure is 1.5 or greater then closure will not be allowed, and if the figure is less that 1.5 then it will be referred back to the operating company for them to decide.  Since they're the ones who will have asked in the first place ...

Some of the benefits measured WILL relate to faster journey times by train and hardship issues, but som eof the costs are incredible. Apparently, it will COST money to provide a train service because that will keep traffic on the roads lower, and so LOWER the amount of money  that the government makes ...

I wish I have time to look further into things / consultations like this; I'm painfully aware that this or others could come round and bight us in the bum ... "but you didn't object when" .... HowEVER .... I'm concentrating what's limited time on the more local specific line issue at the moment, with grateful help from other "group"s and some given to them where I can.

Re: Future Closure Proposals - 184/439
Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Thursday, 9th March 2006

[quote author=Graham Ellis link=topic=184.msg438#msg438 date=1141892347]
I wish I have time to look further into things / consultations like this; I'm painfully aware that this or others could come round and bight us in the bum ... "but you didn't object when" .... HowEVER .... I'm concentrating what's limited time on the more local specific line issue at the moment, with grateful help from other "group"s and some given to them where I can.
[/quote]

Just to clarify ... that's focus on TransWilts / Melksham, but still an interest at a lower priority level on othe issues. I've also got a training company and Well House Manor business accommodation to run!

 
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Save the Train was the campaign to bring an approriate train service back to and through Melksham.

Most big contributors are still around writing at the Coffee shop forum where new members are very welcome.

The train has been saved - sort of - we have stepped back up from an unusable service to a poorish one but it's doing very well. We did that through setting up the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership. That fulfilled its early objectives; it has been taken over by local and regional government types who are now doing medium and long term work. The team from this forun can also be found at the Melksham Rail User Group (which was the Melksham Rail Development Group at the time these articles were written and we had no users.

We mustn't loose sight, though, that the train service remains poor and needs our community support in marketing and campaigning to keep it going in a positive direction ... and all the more so when we're expecting to find a different normallity once we get out of the Coronavirus Pandemic and head for zero carbon via the climate crisis. Yes, it's saved ... it's now a key community facility ... the need for enhancement and the strong and near-universal local support remain, and the rail industry and goverment remain slow to move and provide the enhancements even to level us up with other towns. Please support the Melksham Rail User Group - now very much in partnership rather than protest with the rail industry and local government, including GWR, TransWilts and unitary and town councils. And please use the trains and buses, and cycle and walk when you can.

-- Graham Ellis, (webmaster), February 2021


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