(Note: Also on the Coffeeshop - but it will be just as appropriate here too!)

I have to get to work early tomorrow - 8am, to be exact. I checked Traveline and it gave me the option of changing at Chippenham at 6.24 onto the 6.34 TransWilts Southampton service, arriving Warminster at 7.13.  This gives me time to get the early bus out to the office from there without hanging around too long, and it would have been great as there are no trains arriving at Warminster between 6.43 (way too early) and 8.08 (too late).

Alas, when I checked the ticket options, the system would not let me get a return ticket using that route. The only option would be to get 2 singles, one of which using that route (£11.10 + £4.95 Y-P back via Bradford-o-A = £16.05!!) compared to £8.60 for a return using the Bradford route. That's almost double the price!

I don't think going via Chippenham/Melksham should warrant such a price increase. Looking at a map, going on that route isn't much further out the way at all. I can get from Bath to Cheltenham via Newport for the same price as via Yate, so why is that not the case for this route? I feel FGW and the DFT should make this route another valid alternative, especially if we're hopefully expecting more services. Imagine if trains between Westbury and Bath were extremely busy or cancelled and people were told they couldn't take such a sensible alternative because of a nonsensical rule like this. In short- make the TransWilts a valid alternative to get to Bath and Bristol!