There does appear to be a difference between what the minister is saying and what is happening on the ground.  Now I appreciate that part of his job is to be forward looking rather than to look at the current situation, but I find it hard to reconcile the words he's used with the TransWilts situation.

I note that the Preston to Colne line has been designated as a community railway line, and the line from Westbury to Weymouth has been in that category for a number of years.   Alas, it was decided a couple of years back that our line wasn't well suited to this approach because "a community rail project is not well suited to a short stretch of line joining two main lines, with the trains servicing major stations at both ends".   That's a paraphrase, but not far out I fear.

Would community rail help us? 

Yes, if the community pulled together and worked for it - let's say the Wiltshire community all the way from Swindon to Salisbury.  A link we could be proud of, publicity in Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Warminster and Salisbury - ALL of them over 20k in population, and ALL of them Wiltshire towns with a strong travel need / desire to travel to other Wiltshire towns.

No, if it was just another layer and / or if it was used by the powers that be as a way to bring those of us who support a vibrant service into a more formal arrangement where our voice was blunted.

I see many plans and timetables, Lee  .... and I read the ones that you're proposing covering a wider scope. I find myself wondering whether, excellent though they are, they call for too many changes at December 2007 for them to be accepted - whether we'll be told we've had our big change?   I'm musing here ... wondering if Salisbury to Swindon, hourly, 3 x 153 would be a good community rail approach.