Great Western Coffee Shop

Yes, public transport is back after the Christmas break.  At Melksham, the first Sunday train is replaced by a bus (or two) through the winter. Yes, there were passengers, but thin on the ground; that's no bad thing in the current extraordinary times.  Melksham RUG web site banners updated at http://www.mrug.org.uk and live departure page at http://melksh.am/trains .

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/tbb_20201227_1.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/tbb_20201227_2.jpg)

Looking at those photos, it's interesting to recall that Wiltshire Council once refused to consider terminating some of the former evening service 234 buses at Melksham Station because "you'll never get a single decker down there..."

Amazing how things change on buses and other things ...

The survey a few weeks ago showed an encouraging flow of people in Station Approach during the day, and I look forward to cycle Hire, Cafe, loos, WiFi and demand responsive minibus during opening hours - expected to be for a full 8 hour shift for a hub manager starting in good time for the 07:20 train.  As of this morning, the TransWilts "Melksham Hub" (externally) looks ready and waiting, with just a security fence and gates to be opened.  Electric car charging points are operational, and car parking fees and penalties are being collected.  Plan was, when the hub was taken over in the summer, than it would have been opened in a couple of months.  However, weather, coronavirus, etc have put that back and my understading is that a formal opening is now planned for Easter Saturday next.

Most of the passengers using the train to / from Melksham in the last six months have arrived and left the station on foot or by bicycle, and there's a noticable "kiss and ride" traffic too - and none of this depends on the hub being open - rather, that's going to be for a traffic development come the spring. Which probably co-ordiantes well with when the UK becomes less restricted in terms of what we can do an whether we can travel (and will want to).  Some of the elements promised to MRUG - access to water, storage of gardening and cleaning tool, and WiFi codes (though they "hope we will buy a coffee too") are looked forward to, but we've managed well enough without for years abnd can wait another few months.

Passenger number for the 2020/21 year look like they'll be down on 2019/20 - I think I suggested earlier by about 15,000 but I may need to revise that estimate based on the depth of the trough of this second (or is it third?) wave. Come the 2021/22 year, with two big "if"s ... it can step back up and resume growth.

* If people can travel safely, enjoyably, and legally "after" coronavirus
* If we have a reliable train service (contining at current levels)
and the icing on the cake -
* If the hub opens and facilitates the many new journeys we know can be made

About 20 years between each of these pictures - how will it be by 2040?

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/msequ_1964.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/msequ_1980.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/msequ_2000.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/msequ_2020.jpg)

And some pictures of what's waiting to go!

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/hub_2020_11_1.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/hub_2020_12_1.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/hub_2020_12_2.jpg)