Save the Melksham Train
STOP PRESS - we have heard from First Great Western in the last few days, as follows:

"We had hoped that we could organise an additional service through Wiltshire serving Melksham in particular. We looked very carefully at all the options, but whilst the plan received good support, and remains something we want to do, the cost of the new service is considerable. It will not be covered by the revenue that the service will generate, and as a commercial organisation we can only therefore proceed if we can find some joint funding to offset the costs. Despite our efforts this has to not proved possible to date, and we will not be able to offer any extra services in the next timetable due out in December.

"We will continue to discuss the plans with stakeholders and will keep looking for a partner to help finance the service, but this will not be possible before the December 2009 timetable (at the earliest)."

See who has signed up to pledge support, more details of the validated service that has just had the plug pulled and some personal comment
Forum archive ... Blog archive

Ladies and Gentlemen,

An update on the train service through Melksham - under threat of reduction by two thirds from next year. Bids for the new franchise are currently with the Department for Transport ... with the franchise to be awarded in December.

At this stage, the best actions we can take if we want to help save the service are (1) write to politicians and decision makers and make them aware of our views and (2) help publicise the current service and the threat it's under.

Since the meetings last month, I've obtained various interesting statistics and other documents - increasing ticket sales, train usage, and even what appear to be plans to minimise consultation and not consult until after the Invitation to Tender was drawn up. I've been told that the traffic levels are low, and that's why resources are being moved. But I've not given a definition of "low" even though I have asked.

* Next Publicity

Next Tuesday (18th October) is Kiss and Ride day! If you usually commute to Chippenham, Swindon, Trowbridge or Westbury by road, take the train instead that day. Your partner can drop you off at Melksham station (or you can use free parking there), and we'll be serving hot drinks and handing out literature.

* Who to write to?

1. Your MP
see http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/safari/mainindex/council/vote/whoismymp.htm
2. Ministers at the Department for Transport
see http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page1486.asp
3. Officials at the Department for Transport
see http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_railways/documents/page/dft_railways_038368.hcsp

* The case to make

I'm accumulating information on the web site at http://www.savethetrain.org. See especially http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/forum/index.php
http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/update/index.html
http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/save.html

You're welcome to rephrase and restate points from my letter to Department for Transport that's at
http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/octletter.html
This site is hosted by Well House Consultants Ltd. (http://www.wellho.net)
Contact Information
 

Further Information:
 Home
 Current Summary
 Daily update
 User forum
 Consultation
 Service now
 Service future
 Future Analysis
 Recent Statistics
 Recent letters
 Letter to DfT
 Save the train
 Presentation
 Support us
 Other Maps
 Station facilities
 Station approach
 Pictures
 Trains diverted
 History
 About Melksham
 Site Map
 About this site