The "West Wilts" corridor is perhaps unique in the South West in that it links up six large urban areas which are designated (or likely to be) designated as Strategically Significant Cities and Towns under the Regional Spatial Strategy - thet means heavy growth, with 35,000 homes expected between these towns, equating to a population increase of around 72,000 persons.  A revision is probable on the number of homes, in an upwards direction - so don't be surprised if the population of the corridor grows between 100,000 and 120,000 by 2025 in the SSCTs and other towns such as Melksham and Westbury too.

SSCTs in West Wiltshire

Swindon
Chippenham
Trowbridge
Frome
Warminster (Probable)
Salisbury

I understand from contacts closely associated with the South West Regional Assembly that the choice of this corridor for dramatic growth was to a great extent encourage by the availability of a railway route, layed to high standards, alnong the corridor length.   Just one problem ...





 ... only 2 passenger trains each way daily (2 Northbound ONLY on Sunday) which forces almost everyone who travels along the corridor onto the road.   The two pictures above were taken between Chippenham and Melksham, late in the monring of Saturday, 1st September .... plenty of cars (to offer plenty of short and long journey customers to the railway) .... but no trains.   The First southbound train of the day doesn't run until 15:45 on Saturday.

The Department for Transport's information site tells me that the journey time [Chippenham to Warminster taken as an example] is 41 minutes by road, but (at the right time of day), rail travellers will only be on the go for 25 minutes. Carbon emissions are 5.3 kg for a car journey, 1.8 kg for the train user, (Bus was 2.8 kg, but the site didn't offer us any bus timings for Saturday evening!) and costs were 6 pounds for car fuel, return, or 7.40 return by train.

Would people use the train if it was more frequent?  Yes - they would. 120,000 journeys were made last year on a rapidly growing service of just five trains a day, with users and other people I spoke to alike saying they would use it much more if it were to be more reliable and a little more frequent - say every 2 hours.  And usage would rocket if it were reliable and hourly!

I have been looking - somewhat in vain - for another comparative route. Nothing comes up to the population size without it being an urban line.  So Let's Try

Carlisle  (pop 100k) v Swindon (pop 180k)
Maryport  (pop 26k) v Chippenham (pop 30k)
Workington (pop 26k) v Trowbridge (pop 30k)
Whitehaven (pop 26k) v Frome (pop 25k)

That's not really a good comparison ... there's Dalton, Wigton, Aspatria, Flimby, Hartington and Parton along the Carlisle line - all much smaller places which are often request stops on the train, whereas there's Melksham (24,000), Westbury (11,000), Warminster (20,000) and Salisbury (115,000) on the "TransWilts".

Train services on the Carlisle line? 14 per day. On the TransWilts? 2 per day.

I expect that the service levels in Cumbria are about right; after all, it's well represented by MPs who have an inside line to the government as they represent the same party.  Perhaps my comparison isn't so foolish after all - perhaps it shows that we, too, should be linked by a service of this level.  But wait - perhaps there's honest scope for a higher bid.  I haven't even allowed for those extra 100,000 who will be living around here.

Part of my attempt to gather as much information as possible on net inflows and outflows from the rest of Wiltshire to Salisbury is to place in context of the much acclaimed Salisbury and South Wilts Vision.  A document drawn up by some senisble consultants who see the attractiveness of Salisbury as a place to live and work increase enormously in the coming 15-12 years.  However the town is almost at breaking point (my opinion) with traffic.  Park and Ride has been unsuccessful, mainly owing to poor management, poor promotion and and poor service times (last bus out of town to carpark, 6.30pm and no service Sundays...)  The town centre is a nightmare for any motorist owing to both the ring-road, inner ring-road and inter-connecting one-way system.  Bus services are ok but could have so much more use if they connected up to each other and the rail services better.  It would also help if more buses served the rail station.

Apart from journeys into Devon and south Wales and London, people use their cars for journeys within the county and a little beyond.  I am sure many would jump at the chance to come to Salisbury without the stress of navigating the town and finding somewhere to park if there was a regular, reliable and viable rail service from Swindon and Chippenham.  This is especially important for those who work in the city.  SDC are currently receiving comments and suggestions on the Vision from the public and an appropriate TransWilts rail service will definitely be on my agenda.