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Topic: Salisbury to Chippenham: an analysis (Read 1855 times)
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courgettelawn
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I've just conducted a small survey of journeys between Salisbury and Chippenham by rail. Looking for journey length and connection times. I used the www.nationalrail.co.uk website for this. The first thing I noticed above the results is this: "Please be aware, you may need to buy separate tickets for this journey, as a through ticket may not be available. If you don't want to travel via this route, click 'Restart journey' at the bottom of the page and try again." I have to say this is news to me. Although I have not made the journey regularly owing to it being so pointlessly onerous each time I have I have managed to buy a through-ticket there and back. I will put the full analysis of current service on my blog http://tehmina.org |
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Graham Ellis
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You certainly need to be careful on Swindon to Salisbury tickets - there's a "via Bath" and a much more expensive "any route". Of course, the shortest and quickest route if you're lucky enough to be travelling at 06:19 or 18:42 is NOT via Bath ... and in that case you'll find it's much lower cost to book Swindon to Westbury and add to it a Westbury to Salisbury.
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courgettelawn
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Good lord! I haven't quite finished my analysis. It is very frustrating as on paper it looks as though the two places are relatively well connected albeit the idiotic change at Bath. With rumblings of any future for a passenger line on 'TransWilts' I feel it is important to make as good a case as possible to improve not get rid off this valuable link across the county.
I wonder how many commuters there are between Salisbury and Swindon and en route?
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Graham Ellis
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Salisbury to Swindon commuters will - almost inevitably - drive. It takes 2 hours by public transport each way, and with four hours taken out of each day that would be a horrid lifestyle. The AA web site suggests that driving - just 42 miles - you should allow an hour and 5 minutes.
My "Two hours by public transport" figure shocked the presenter of a BBC Wiltshire show when he was interviewing me live to the extent that his researcher checked out my facts while the interview continued - he admitted this live at the end of the interview when he said - "I honestly didn't believe that figure but I've had it checked while we were talking, and if I go to the station here in Swindon now and get on the train to Salisbury, I won't arrive there until 2 hours and 3 minutes later".
Top speed of an HST - 125 m.p.h.
Top speed of a class 158 unit - 90 m.p.h.
Average speed achieved by FGW using these units for a Swindon to Salisbury journey at present - 21 m.p.h.
The value to the economy of a car driver's time locked in traffic is 44p per minute (a figure used in the calculation of whether a new road shoudl be built), so the cost in wasted time of a single journey that takes 2 hours and 3 minutes rather that 55 minutes - the best practical with a 158, I believe, is just under 30 pounds. If even a half of that 30 pounds was made available towards running a sensible service ....
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courgettelawn
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Very interesting and thank you for those figures. A direct service via Melksham from Salisbury to Swindon would take how long? I know it is about 55 mins to Chippenham.
I also wonder what percentage of car journeys actually make it in just over an hour and how many, if given the chance, would prefer an hour's train ride.
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Nick Field
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I must of travelled between Salisbury and Chippenham at least twice a week over the last 4 years. The journey times for car and direct train are pretty similar, both take about an hour. I tend to go by car more often now since the more direct service via Melksham was slashed last December. I usually cant afford to waste the time waiting and changing via Bath.
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