Look back to learn not to emulate
This campaign tip (no. 38) was published on Thursday, 7th February 2019
"I want the train service we had up to 2006 back". No, NO, NO
If it wasn't working enough for it to work in 2005, why do you want that in 2015 or 2025?
. Look at what you have had previously - look at history and learn from it. What worked then? What did not work? What are people's needs now?
The 2001 to 2006 TransWilts service was a very early train, a morning peak train, a lunchtime train, an evening peak train and a late evening train. It didn't grow as it could have done - it was unreliable, hardly advertised, and if a particular train wasn't convenient it was an unacceptable wait for the one before or after. The very early train was surprisingly busy; the evening one a bit quiet, the lunchtime one struggled to make double figures In passenger numbers ... most people were day return trips, and what on earth was the day out return from the lunchtime service??
So ... for 2013, we look at that history. We maintain and strengthen the peak services and run other services a couple of hours each side and right though the day, giving a rich tapestry of return trips. We would like to maintain the very early and late evening services, but we can allow them to be replaced by something more effective
Result? Silly strong growth. Rather that 4 or 5 departures and attivals at Melkkama each day, we have over 100 even on a quiet day ....
Image - Some of the key players at Melksham at the time we were campaigning for the return on an appropriate service. Delighted that Richard Gamble is now the Financial Director of TransWilts, and Jonathon Seed a key member of the Area Board of Wiltshire Council
Discussion via Coffee Shop forum
If it wasn't working enough for it to work in 2005, why do you want that in 2015 or 2025?
. Look at what you have had previously - look at history and learn from it. What worked then? What did not work? What are people's needs now?
The 2001 to 2006 TransWilts service was a very early train, a morning peak train, a lunchtime train, an evening peak train and a late evening train. It didn't grow as it could have done - it was unreliable, hardly advertised, and if a particular train wasn't convenient it was an unacceptable wait for the one before or after. The very early train was surprisingly busy; the evening one a bit quiet, the lunchtime one struggled to make double figures In passenger numbers ... most people were day return trips, and what on earth was the day out return from the lunchtime service??
So ... for 2013, we look at that history. We maintain and strengthen the peak services and run other services a couple of hours each side and right though the day, giving a rich tapestry of return trips. We would like to maintain the very early and late evening services, but we can allow them to be replaced by something more effective
Result? Silly strong growth. Rather that 4 or 5 departures and attivals at Melkkama each day, we have over 100 even on a quiet day ....
Image - Some of the key players at Melksham at the time we were campaigning for the return on an appropriate service. Delighted that Richard Gamble is now the Financial Director of TransWilts, and Jonathon Seed a key member of the Area Board of Wiltshire Council
Discussion via Coffee Shop forum
