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Topic: Fraternal greetings from Saltash (Read 2075 times)
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rogerco
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As chair of the Saltash RUG (that's the first station in Cornwall for those who don't know, just after you cross the Royal Albert Brunel bridge) I would like you to know that we support you in your struggle.
For us the initial shock of a proposed 50% slashing of service has been replaced by 'only' a 25% cut. We must not loose sight of the fact that it is still a severe cut which will have an impact on our town.
You are clearly still facing a much more severe threat which must be strenuously resisted. If we can hang in there and keep Melksham open then I believe in the medium term we will see a resurgence in the railway as other factors hit the viability of private road transport.
I also feel that First Great Western are not the villans of this affair - they clearly want to run a good train service - from working with them on the consultation I suspect that their hand is being forced by DfT and Government.
Anyway, greeting from Saltash, and best of luck with the campaign. Keep up the good work.
Roger Creagh-Osborne
Chair Saltash Rail Users Group
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Graham Ellis
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Roger, happy to see that your cuts have been scaled back .... and many thanks for your support.
We're still facing NOT TRAINS AT ALL between an 07:19 departure to Swidon and an 18:57 arrival back ... and that's supposed to be a commuter service.
Peopls travelling from Frome, Westbury, Trowbridge and Melksham to work in Swindon don't work from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. these days (the 'Victorian' hours are gone even in Wiltshire), and will probably take to their cars - there ARE NO other trains along the line / expresses that coul dbe stopped, so the topic's much more that Melksham where ticket sales have grown 7 fold in 5 years - it'a also about the 109,000 journeys per annum made along the line.
Commuters in to Melksham / Trowbridge from Swindon / Chippenham end up with no service at all - around 40% of my business customers arrive at 09:12 from London and leave at 17:02 at present. That train's gone in the future. No way AT ALL to get down from London in the morning (the second train arrives at 06:46 from Swindon - where it leaves before any London train gets in) and in the evening the Swindon train leaves at 19:46 - scarcely practical for someone who's finished a course at 16:45 on a Friday and wants go get home.
Sorry to get back on my "Hobby Horse" here (but, hey, it's what the site's about). Truely delighted that both Saltash and Ivybridge haven't got the draconian cuts that were threatened. Still working on Swindon - Southampton / Melksham .... your support much appreciated.
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