Hope to see a few more there too ... we've made the local paper:

http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/latestheadlines/display.var.895048.0.protest_on_the_5_52_train_from_melksham.php

This is the text of a general email sent out ... ALL are welcome ...

After a 9 day stoppage, trains will be calling again at Melksham - starting with the 05:52 service to Swindon.

CAN YOU JOIN ME PLEASE ON THAT TRAIN - the service is due to be cut back in December to a skeleton service, and we're going to have to fight hard to retain even that in future years.  It's a real tragedy for a service on which usage has doubled in 3 years, and which could continue to grow.

On Monday morning, I'll be joined by Duncan Hames, the Lib Dem candidate for the new Chippenham / Melksham constituency, by a number of other elected representatives and officials, and by users and interested parties too.

A great deal has happened this summer. With the conclusion of First's consultation phase, new timetables from December were produced which, if anything, went against what we asked for. It doesn't even conform to the newly published "SLC2" specification from the Department for Transport. I'll have details to hand out on Monday. On a somewhat more positive note, First's Regional Manager has written to confirm their ongoing commitment to a TRAIN service for the duration of the franchise, and I've also got details of changes to the parallel bus route (234) where certain journeys will be running via Chippenham station from mid September.

First Great Western have been invited to send along a spokesman to talk to people about current and future service, but have been unable to find anyone to send. I will ensure that views expressed on the train are gathered and passed on to them, and that any questions that require answers are followed up and the answers circulated.

YOU'LL BE BACK IN MELKSHAM by 06:56 ... in good time for a breakfast before heading out to work.

The train also leaves Westbury at 05:37 and Trowbridge at 05:42 if that's better for you.

** Monday morning will be an important statement to First, to the DfT, and to Wiltshire County Council. It will tell them that people ARE concerned at the decimation of their train service - and are prepared to get out of bed in the middle of the night to make that point. **

>> Stop Press.  I understand that HGVs are to be banned from Bath City Centre, and routed up from Salisbury via the A350 (Westbury, Yarnbrook, Melksham, Beanacre, Chippenham) if plans due to be signed off by Bath's City fathers next Wednesday go ahead.  I'll gather some information on this, too, for Monday.