Swindon - Westbury - Salisbury - a RENEWED Service?
TRAFFIC FLOWS - PREVIOUS AND POTENTIAL - FOR AN APPROPRIATE TRANSWILTS SERVICE
1. A service arriving in Swindon at around 08:30 and a service leaving at 17:30 for commuter traffic from South and West Wiltshire
2. A Service arriving in Melksham at around 09:00 (and a few minutes later in Trowbridge) and returning at around 17:00 made it practical to commute from Swindon to both of these towns, and to travel to them from London / return afterwards and get in a whole day's work
3. A service in each direction in the middle of the day which provided half day work / leisure opportunities and long distance connection options.
4. A really early train each way, which gave West Wilts passengers the ability to get to London for a full day's work by train, and also to Salisbury and beyond.
5. A through service between Chippenham and Salisbury, Swindon and Southampton.
(Direct services between the five largest towns in the county)
6. A direct daytime train service between the county town (Trowbridge) and the largest town in the county (Swindon)
7. A Saturday train in the later afternoon from Swindon, suitable for shoppers and soccer fans
8. A Sunday / Bank Holiday daytime service both ways.
9. Trains throughout the day from Melksham offering connections to Bath and Bristol an reasonable intervals (alternate changes at Chippenham and Trowbridge)
10. An evening service offering late returning London commuters via Chippehnam a service back to Trowbridge and Melksham
11. Direct commuter service from Frome (Somerset) to Swindon.
WHY DID THE PREVIOUS SERVICE FAIL?
The previous service did NOT fail. It grew dramatically from 2000/01 to 2006. Trains that were quiet in 2000 were well loaded before the plug was pulled on 9th December 2006. Depending on what you measure it by, growth was between 8% and 35% compound per annum.
SO WHY WAS THE PLUG PULLED?
1. Because decisions for 2007 were based on train use figures from 2002, and a growth rate forecast of 0.8%
2. Because the service growth from 2000 was good, but could have been better with better publicity, service reliability, and had the service been closer to that recommended in the Parkman report.
3. Because the customer input on the new service was minimal. Responses were needed by July 2005 to a document of 80 pages issued by the SRA to "stakeholders" - i.e. interested organisations, and not to the train users. The consulation brough in just 8 comments.
WHY WOULD AN APPROPRIATE SERVICE NOW WORK?
1a. Because we now have proof of the growth and potential - it has actually happened.
1b. Because Swindon, Chippenham, Trowbridge, Melksham, Westbury and Warmainster will all grow significantly in the next 20 years (RSS).
1c. Because the roads alternative gets slower, more expensive and less environmentally suitable.
2a. First have assured us that once current teething problems are sorted, the service will reach the required reliability target of 99.5%
2b. With the new service being operated from Swindon and Chippenham by the same TOC that's responsible for running the station, staff will be better informed about the service
2c. First has an excellent reputation for putting its case across and is well able to improve on the marketing of the service
2d. With a service provided based on local, recent inputs on traffic flows, etc, (as a modern follow up to Parkman), it will be more appropriate to needs (traffic flows) than the previous offering.
3a. Because the service is now visible and is no longer hidden as a single line on page 52 of an 80 page report. That report generated 8 responses. We generated 1700 responses in 3 week to a Prime Minister's petition.
3b. Because the community, and concerned individuals, are coming together to regain and retain the service.
3c. Because an appropriate service now has cross party political support from MPs (all three major parties) along the line, and at a local level too.
3d. Because timetabling now highlights the line on its own timetable and no longer wraps it up as part of the Cardiff to Brighton service
Graham Ellis
Well House Consultants, 404 The Spa, Melksham, Wilts
http://www.wellho.net graham@wellho.net
+44 (0) 1225 708225 (phone) +44 (0) 1225 707126 (fax)
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