Great Western Coffee Shop

What's going to happen over the next couple of years .... some thoughts [here] (http://www.wellho.net/mouth/3986_Rail-services-in-Wiltshire-up-in-the-air-We-need-to-say-what-is-best-required-.html). 

This is an important matter for all services that run within, to and through Wiltshire ... a freeze on planning, implementation of projects not started and underway, and two more years of uncertainty is the last thing we need it the part of the country where rail traffic growth is stronger than anywhere else.

This will be the main agenda item for "Wiltshire Link" on 2nd February - see [here] (http://atrebatia.info/link.html).  Delegates sought  ;)

With refranchising on hold for many months, I do not expect anything other than minor matters to change in the next few years and you can shout as much as you like but almost certainly in vain.

Depressing view ... no reason not to make inputs. If no one even tried to coordinate the inputs from the travelling public, then we couldn't hold the goverment, local authorities, train operators, Network Rail and others to account if they were to allow stagnation.

With various schemes underway such as Crossrail, Reading, Electrification to Oxford / Newbury / Bristol / South Wales and IEP, and Swindon - Kemble redoubling, there are big waves that will wash over the shores of the other stations and services in the same pond too. In some cases it would / will be downright illogical to minimise the beneficial effects on connectional and associative services on the same tracks by leaving them as unaltered as possible,  a dis-service to any incoming operator who would be dealt a poorer hand, a yoke to the taxpayer in supporting something that's no longer logical or best (even if it was in the past),  and a failure by politicians and decision makers to take benefit from something that could be very popular indeed.    I'm not suggesting completely new schemes, but rather topics already under discussion - costed options, perhaps already financed,  and the result of the look beyond Newbury that Simon Burns has set in motion.

By the way - who said shouting?  This may well be the time for clear, well reasoned inputs which are hard to argue against, rather than yelling.  Proving help not generating a headache for the authorities.   After all - we're all on the same side in looking to make the very best public travel for passengers, and encouraging that public transport usage, at a sensible cost for all.

I'm hoping that I'll be able to attend that next meeting - work commitments permitting, this time. CfN. :-[

If I were campaigning for trains in Wiltshire (and Melksham) I would be pointing out to my betters the advantages of the big supergrid switching station at Beanacre, just outside of M and alongside of the railway, suggesting that it would be a better grid supply point than the alternative at Bristol.

They don't always get it right (nor do we). NR/RT fought a battle with locals over a site on the WCML at Weaverham, Cheshire and lost. The locals won because, surprise, there already was a substation nearby at Frodsham.

Just a thought,

OTC