Some further thought on those costings and the service ...


Could collect 5 pounds more from Melksham passengers.

So for 50 return journeys a day / 5 days a week / 52 weeks a year that's
   5 * 50 * 5 * 52 = 65,000 pounds

Problem - the income to First and its car parking agent is 6.40 more per day if people drive up to Chippenham and park there, and an improvement in sevices from Melksham would result in a loss of revenue to them.  So perhaps it's in their commercial interest to talk co-operative, but to act obstructive.

Announcement on the train from Swindon and Chippenham to Bristol: "This train is now approaching Bath Spa. Change here for Trowbridge, Westbury, Salisbury, Southampton, also for Frome Yeovil and Weymouth" ... and I don't think that announcement would be the first one on the approach, and regular, if there wasn't significant interchange traffic.

A train at 07:02 from Westbury to Swindon, arriving at Chippenham at 07:28 and Swindon at 07:48, is too early to be considered a proper peak service ... and yet it's a two coach train with around 40 to 50 people on board (observed between Melksham and Chippenham).  A dozen of the people got off at Chippenham and left the station - so that's pure Wiltshire traffic; a handful changed to head to Bristol (Melksham traffic) and the rest stayed on for the journey up to Swindon or beyond.

On my return journey on Monday, I didn't happen to be returning to Melksham at one of the only two times - 18:30 and 18:49 - that connections were available from Bristol, so had to make other arrangements from Chippenham.  This lack of round trip opportunities / the need to *happen* to want to travel at both extremes of the day when the train runs is a serious dis-incentive to people using the present service.  With a proper peak service (arriving Swindon around 08:30, leaving around 17:30), services every couple of hours between, and perhaps an evening service, the journey opportunities would make the use of the line realisticly prcatical for people.