From Bedwyn to St Ives, there's protest meeting going on talking about "what can we do to save our train service" ... I was up in Bedwyn yesterday at a public meeting organised by the locals and attended by Michael Anrcam, the MP who lives just up the line from them at Pewsey.  They're concerned at the cut from a train every 2 hours to one every hour during the day, a later first off-peak service, and a gap during the evening.  And they're frustrated because a lot of trains that use to terminate there will now be passing through non-stop on their way to Pewsey and Westbury.  They only learnt about the changes in December, and feel left out of the consultation that happened last April ....

I totally agree with them that the cuts will have a dramatic effect on their transport infrastructure. Already, they have ominous signs that the shuttle bus to and from Marlborough that connects with the train may, at the least, be run with a reduced frequency and less support from county. And people who now have a convenient train available when they finish work will find themselves with up to an hour to wait; double that if they're unfortunate enough to have "their" train cancelled at both ends of the day and that's two hours a day and probably points to other arrangements being made, such as the purchase of a car.

I have to say ... these cuts look a lot more shallow than those that are facing Melksham. With the 13:35 to Swindon and the 17:02 to Swindon gone, the first train after lunch will be at 19:28 and that will equally yet more so drive people away from the trains.   I saw Melksham station listed a the 5th most threatened with total closure in the South of the UK yesterday - alongside the likes of Three Oaks and Doleham (both on the Hastings to Ashford line), and local stations on the Exeter to Barnstaple service.  Both Dean and Dilton Marsh in Wiltshire (and on our Swindon to Southampton service) also made the list, though further down) and I notice that the very last painiong was Kinbury and Bedwyn ...

Truely, we live in interesting times.