Save the Melksham Train
Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
Concern Over Waverley Line Commitment - 2344/5367
Written by Lee on Wednesday, 23rd May 2007

The SNP has stressed that its opposition to the proposed rail link to Edinburgh Airport will not derail the Waverley line project (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/6679415.stm

Lib Dem MSP Jeremy Purvis has raised fears it could affect the business case for the Tweedbank to Edinburgh route.

He said the link to the airport was vital to reopening the Borders line.

SNP MSP Christine Grahame said her party objected to the route being suggested to the airport rather than the principle of the rail link itself.

Here is a further link on this.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/6711355.stm


Re: Concern Over Waverley Line Commitment - 2344/5576
Written by Lee on Thursday, 7th June 2007

The Labour Party has launched a fresh assault over the SNP's move to scrap two controversial transport projects (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6729977.stm

Labour's Des McNulty said the Scottish Executive's plans to ditch the Edinburgh trams and airport rail link were "blatantly party political" (cant help but

Re: Concern Over Waverley Line Commitment - 2344/5582
Written by Trowres on Thursday, 7th June 2007

If we had the equivalent of the SNP policy in England, would that mean scrapping Crossrail (or substitute your favourite London scheme here) and spending the money on improving transport in shire counties?

Good or Bad?  ::)

Re: Concern Over Waverley Line Commitment - 2344/5588
Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Friday, 8th June 2007

[quote author=Trowres link=topic=2344.msg5582#msg5582 date=1181237089]
If we had the equivalent of the SNP policy in England, would that mean scrapping Crossrail (or substitute your favourite London scheme here) and spending the money on improving transport in shire counties?

Good or Bad?

Re: Concern Over Waverley Line Commitment - 2344/5764
Written by Lee on Wednesday, 20th June 2007

Scotland's auditor general has identified a number of problems in the project to build an underground railway station at Edinburgh Airport (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6220840.stm

However , he has given the city's trams development a clean bill of health.


Re: Concern Over Waverley Line Commitment - 2344/5787
Written by Lee on Thursday, 21st June 2007

A Borders MSP has claimed the door has been "slammed shut" on the prospect of the reopened Waverley line being extended to Hawick and beyond (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/6221120.stm

The line from Edinburgh to Tweedbank is to be brought back into use by 2011.

Lib Dem MSP Jeremy Purvis said the case for extending the line had been rejected by the transport minister.

However, SNP counterpart Christine Grahame said that once Scotland had "full financial independence" the route could easily be extended.



Re: Concern Over Waverley Line Commitment - 2344/5809
Written by Lee on Friday, 22nd June 2007

First Minister Alex Salmond has given the strongest hint yet that Edinburgh's tram and airport rail link projects will be scrapped by the government (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6226324.stm

He will be voting against them. However , the SNP government , which is not convinced the two transport projects should go ahead despite being approved by the last parliament , is facing defeat in Holyrood next week over the issue.

But Mr Salmond , quoting the late Donald Dewa r, indicated that the Scottish Executive had the power to ignore the will of parliament.



Re: Concern Over Waverley Line Commitment - 2344/5831
Written by Lee on Saturday, 23rd June 2007

Better news for the Glasgow Airport Rail Link , though (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6230806.stm

Re: Concern Over Waverley Line Commitment - 2344/5932
Written by Lee on Wednesday, 27th June 2007

[quote author=Lee link=topic=2344.msg5809#msg5809 date=1182506655]First Minister Alex Salmond has given the strongest hint yet that Edinburgh's tram and airport rail link projects will be scrapped by the government (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6226324.stm

He will be voting against them. However , the SNP government , which is not convinced the two transport projects should go ahead despite being approved by the last parliament , is facing defeat in Holyrood next week over the issue.

But Mr Salmond , quoting the late Donald Dewa r, indicated that the Scottish Executive had the power to ignore the will of parliament.[/quote]

The vote is today (27/06/2007 , link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6243158.stm

Re: Concern Over Waverley Line Commitment - 2344/5948
Written by Lee on Thursday, 28th June 2007

Scottish rail policy appears to be in disarray after yesterdays events where the SNP government :

- Lost a vote to to scrap the Edinburgh trams scheme and the Edinburgh Airport rail link project.

- Effectively sunk the Borders rail - reopening plan by stating that "its planned opening in December 2011 is not achievable."

- Stated that the Glasgow Airport rail link will be delayed by about a year.

Transport Scotland will report to ministers on alternatives to Edinburgh trams and the airport link by the autumn.

See links below for more on this.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6246258.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6723791.stm

Re: Concern Over Waverley Line Commitment - 2344/5976
Written by Lee on Friday, 29th June 2007

The SNP have now threatened to cut funding for transport plans in the Highlands (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/6248588.stm

This could be particularly bad news for projects proposed by Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership in Scotland (Hitrans).

The statutory body agreed a strategy aimed at improving road , rail , air and ferry links over the next 15 years in March 2007.

It included upgrades to the A9 , A96 and Inverness - Edinburgh rail line.

The first phase of improvements would cost

Re: Concern Over Waverley Line Commitment - 2344/5999
Written by Lee on Saturday, 30th June 2007

Scottish Borders Council is seeking an urgent meeting with the Scottish Executive over the future of the Waverley line project (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/6252734.stm

The new SNP government has announced that a financial shortfall in the proposals will need to be met by councils.


Re: Concern Over Waverley Line Commitment - 2344/6269
Written by Lee on Friday, 13th July 2007

[quote author=Lee link=topic=2344.msg5831#msg5831 date=1182590590]Better news for the Glasgow Airport Rail Link , though (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6230806.stm[/quote]

Work has started on new football pitches and changing facilities as part of the

Re: Concern Over Waverley Line Commitment - 2344/6467
Written by Lee on Tuesday, 24th July 2007

A Scottish Executive spokesman answers questions on the Waverley Line issue (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/6278018.stm

Here is a related link.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/6277562.stm

Re: Concern Over Waverley Line Commitment - 2344/7829
Written by Lee on Wednesday, 26th September 2007

[quote author=Lee link=topic=2344.msg5948#msg5948 date=1183022285]
Scottish rail policy appears to be in disarray after yesterdays events where the SNP government :

- Lost a vote to to scrap the Edinburgh trams scheme and the Edinburgh Airport rail link project.

- Effectively sunk the Borders rail - reopening plan by stating that "its planned opening in December 2011 is not achievable."

- Stated that the Glasgow Airport rail link will be delayed by about a year.

Transport Scotland will report to ministers on alternatives to Edinburgh trams and the airport link by the autumn.

See links below for more on this.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6246258.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6723791.stm
[/quote]

The SNP Government is set to ditch plans for a direct rail link to Edinburgh Airport and tell travellers to take the tram instead (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2007/09/ministers_set_to_abandon_650m.html#more

Plans due to be unveiled later this week are expected to include a new station at Gogar , where passengers could switch from train to tram to get to the airport.

The ambitious

Re: Concern Over Waverley Line Commitment - 2344/7977
Written by Lee on Wednesday, 3rd October 2007

Falkirk MSP Cathy Peattie has claimed the decision by SNP ministers to drop the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link (Earl) scheme is bad for her constituents (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/7024419.stm

Ms Peattie said the suspension of the

 
link to index of articles


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


This site is hosted by Well House Consultants Ltd. (http://www.wellho.net)
Contact Information
 

Further Information:
 Home
 Current Summary
 Daily update
 User forum
 Consultation
 Service now
 Service future
 Future Analysis
 Recent Statistics
 Recent letters
 Letter to DfT
 Save the train
 Presentation
 Support us
 Other Maps
 Station facilities
 Station approach
 Pictures
 Trains diverted
 History
 About Melksham
 Site Map
 About this site