Great Western Coffee Shop

Should I renew my railcard, which I have used in past years for day trips from Melksham to walk the coast at Weymouth?

Firstly, until 29th March at the earliest, we are only able to use the trains and buses for essential journeys and we are strongly encouraged to keep those locally. At MRUG we find ourselves in the unusual position of asking you NOT to travel several hours each way at the start and the end of the day for a walk. We really hope (and have indications) that will only be a short term position.

When restrictions are relaxed, we will be encouraging a return to rail and bus travel.  We expect this to be in stages, as destination opportunities slowly open up - things to do when you get there, and whether you can stay away.  Countryside (and coastal) walks within the region will be some of the earlier opportunities, although the only eating facilities at first opening will be food you take with you, food you buy during the day at stores and takeaways; not ideal in inclement weather.

Train times at present are for key and essential workers and are reduced right across Great Britain.  From Melksham, we have been very fortunate in retaining most of our Swindon to Westbury trains - probably because the service was so thin to start with there was nothing much to cut without making key journeys (which form a high proportion of our local train use compared to other lines).

From next Monday (8th March 2021) schools return and a few extra trains return in the region.  There are a couple of changes from 4th April. Changes from 16th May have been in planning too - a number of us attended an online briefing from GWR on what they plan, looking for community input and we followed up with some suggested connection updates. We are looking for better connections towards Bristol and Weymouth off the first southbound train, where trains have been just failing to connect at Trowbridge and Westbury respectively,  In the evenings, we have asked for the Saturday evening empty train that used to run to Swindon on a Saturday evening to take passengers (this had been planned from May 2020 anyway but was still-born); between those changes, these changes on top of plans for the summer will make Weymouth from Melksham a much more marketable product.   Once we know what is happening in May, we will have an opportunity to make further inputs for December 2021, setting up (re-asking or looking at the next step) for 2022.  In general, rail and communities are working well together in the same direction of moving to a better train service and beyond. The treasury also wants passengers back for the economic benefits and greater fare box income, but with a different slant.

What I have just described is short term tactics but they start fitting in with a long term strategy.  That looks for an hourly service each way from Melksham, and would inevitably reduce really long waits at Westbury - but a look would be taken to optimise that particular connection which is important, but not the MOST important.  Wider across the region, the Heart of Wessex line (Westbury to Weymouth) is also wanting an improved service, and that’s become very much justified in recent years.  So - whatever happens the ssummer - we are hopeful and working for the bigger picture in future years, and hope that if the rail industry doesn’t manage to provide services that will persuade you to use them in Summer 2021, they will become progressively better in future years.

I do need to add that - even after most restrictions are removed on or after mid June, it’s probably that masks will still be required on trains, together with social distancing. With these measures, train travel has remained safe and should continue to do so and it’s something we should continue to accept and adhere to for an indeterminate further time.

The Melksham Rail User Group meets (via Zoom - http://www.passenger.chat/24600 ) at 19:30 on Wednesday 17th March - and you are very welcome to come along.  You’ll hear more about the plans to help inform people about the return to trains and buses, station adoption, what’s upcoming, and much more.  We’ll love to have you join in with us - a chance to meet and do something while you can’t go walking beyond Melksham.   I joined for a one-off many years ago and have made many friends with an interest or side interest in travel and transport.

With regards purchasing a railcard this year - your call.  It has been making sense not to renew with travel being so limited, but I think the tide is turning.  Hopefully for most people a failure to renew will be a temporary hiatus and not something ongoing for a longer period.  New passes can be purchased by eligible people at any time in the year, so there will be no need to wait for the next opportunity.

There is a general public perception that rail fares are hugely costly and also very complicated. The actual fare payable is often considered to be a matter of luck rather than being determined by a logical process.