I've not seen the full detail yet, but from comments in an email from First Great Western I beleive that (some of) the new Stagecoach service o Chippenham will run to / from / via the railway station.
There is a lot - a huge amount - to be said for excellent, regular, all day connections between bus and train. An integrated system. In most circumstances, bus is a much less attractive and slower alternative to the train, but it does allow for extra provision and places to be reached and connected in. The press release on the 55 (Swindon to Chippenham) bus looks strong, and I hope it connects in well at both ends. But, yes Nick, it does mean that Wootton Bassett passengers must continue to sit in that queue that forms from there up to the M4 and Swindon at busy times rather than being able to have a 10 minute train ride in.
To a certain extent I agree with you , Graham , but consider the following :
Here is a link on the Portishead Railway.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portishead_RailwayQuote from the above link :
"Between 2000 and 2002 the railway was repaired as far as Pill, and a short spur constructed to the Royal Portbury Dock to transport freight, at a cost of £21 million. Local politicians and organisations have been campaigning to have the remaining 3.3 miles (5.3 km) repaired and a new station constructed at Portishead. The coastal town largely serves as a dormitory for Bristol workers, and the main route into the city, a single carriageway, is often unable to cope with the volume of commuter traffic. When current construction work is completed Portishead will be the largest settlement in the country without a link to the rail network. The Department for Transport currently do not support the proposals, estimating the costs to be too high at £17 million, and because of scheduling complications due to its use by freight trains. The 2006-2011 Joint Local Transport Plan reserves £1 million for the project."
Instead of a re-opened railway , Portishead is to recieve a Bristol Showcase Bus Route (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/4747277.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/5157322.stmThe Bristol Showcase Bus Routes Scheme will cost £68 million , £42 million coming from the DfT. Regional assemblies were not allowed to include rail schemes in their own bids to the DfT , which remains sceptical (to put it kindly) to the benefits of rail , while offering large amounts of public money for bus - related bids.
Thats £68 million for a bus scheme that parallels several existing passenger rail services , and probably wont do what it says on the tin (link below.)
http://www.fosbr.org.uk/RSS.htmQuote from the above link :
""A 'Greater Bristol Bus Network' by itself will not be able to meet the public transport needs of the area, particularly in the light of predicted economic growth. Congestion currently costs the Bristol economy £350 million a year. Buses alone cannot reduce congestion because they, like cars, use road space, are constrained by lane widths and are susceptible to variable journey times due to road incidents. They also tend to discourage some cyclists where cycles and buses share the same narrow bus/traffic lane without convenient unbroken cycling alternatives."
£68 million would go a long way to funding the opening of stations such as Corsham , Wooton Bassett , Lacock , Staverton / Holt , White Horse Business Park , Henbury , Filton North , Portishead , Portbury , Pill & Ashton.
It would also go a long way to providing a decent service for all of the above plus Melksham & other stations in our wider area affected by the Greater Western Franchise cuts.
Then you could route buses from / to areas out of reach of the rail network via all of them , linking in with trains to form the basis of a truly integrated public transport system which I could begin to support.
Its NOT rocket science , but it IS both feasible and affordable.
The money is obviously there , its the agenda thats the problem.
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