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Great Western Coffee Shop > All across the Great Western territory > Active travel: Cyclists and walkers, including how the railways deal with them (Data Manager: CyclingSid) > Chippenham Railway Station and cycle parking
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Author Topic: Chippenham Railway Station and cycle parking  (Read 2263 times)
Mark A
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« on: June 21, 2026, 16:41:40 »
I'm eating worms as I've no photo of it yet - outside the station, a capacious glass box with two level cycle parking, about 98% empty - but then this *was* a Sunday of a bank holiday. Is it well used at other times? And the racks look to be rather prescriptive as to the sort of cycles they'll accommodate, but perhaps they're ok for the likes of 20" by 2.15" wheel shopper bikes, or children's bikes etc.

Mark
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bobm
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« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2026, 10:13:09 »
Doesn't add much - but this was the facility on the day of the official opening in February.

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grahame
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« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2026, 11:01:13 »
Quote from: Mark A on June 21, 2026, 16:41:40
I'm eating worms as I've no photo of it yet - outside the station, a capacious glass box with two level cycle parking, about 98% empty - but then this *was* a Sunday of a bank holiday. Is it well used at other times? And the racks look to be rather prescriptive as to the sort of cycles they'll accommodate, but perhaps they're ok for the likes of 20" by 2.15" wheel shopper bikes, or children's bikes etc.

Mark

Cycling to and from Chippenham Station hasn't been pleasant the times I've done it - maybe the routes have been improved since, and maybe I haven't discovered major provision made ... but this sort of thing doesn't exactly encourage cycling here

My picture of the town centre:


And the roads down to it (from Google):




No matter how excellent the provision is at a station, people need to feel safe and confident enough to actually get to the station.  Perhaps the station improvements are just a first step in making this a station  and town that's easily cyclable?  Got to start somewhere and facilities will come into their own once the whoe place works for bicycles - as I'm seeing so much in some countries on my travels.
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Mark A
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« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2026, 11:22:55 »
An easy win would be to close Monkton Hill to other vehicles, then, sign and reconfigure it, giving it segregated routes for people on cycles and on foot. Meeting people who didn't know the town the other month, it's not even signed as a route from the station (possibly because the current mix of traffic it carries is rather unhealthy).

Also, in combination with the above, at the right time of day, the riverside path makes a somewhat good walking route to the town centre. (Neither totally ok for people using wheelchairs as the gradients aren't quite in favour, so possibly better on the bus (of which there are more).) https://maps.app.goo.gl/BwmjbtXVJRPFPUdY6

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Mark A
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« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2026, 11:24:58 »
Quote from: bobm on June 22, 2026, 10:13:09
Doesn't add much - but this was the facility on the day of the official opening in February.
***snip***

Thanks for the image, it's useful.

Mark
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JohnM
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« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2026, 11:33:54 »
Those traffic lights in the first pic were only installed a couple of years ago IIRC▸ ('if I recall/remember/read correctly') - I was living in Chippenham at the time. It was a mini-roundabout previously, and the lights just seemed to cause long queues of cars, as seen in the picture. There were a lot of complaints, and they might have adjusted the timings to improve things, but it's still a lot worse than before they were installed.

Don't know if the roundabout itself was any better in terms of the cycling route though.
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Mark A
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« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2026, 11:41:27 »
O.T. From the riverside path, the Avon at Chippenham is capable of looking thoroughly lovely.

Mark

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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #7 on: June 22, 2026, 14:57:47 »
Going even further off topic, the Kennet & Avon Canal has long stretches which are lovely to navigate, and to walk / cycle beside.  Wink
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William Huskisson MP▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.

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« Reply #8 on: August 09, 2026, 07:45:24 »
According to this article, Chippenham station is about to get 6 months of renovations to station canopies, and resurfacing platforms etc.

Upto 82 parking spaces will be closed so the contractor can set up a compound

Quote
From Saturday 8 August, a programme of improvements will begin at Chippenham station, helping to improve the passenger experience and preserve key infrastructure.
Network Rail said it would replace the weathered and damaged canopies, as well as improving drainage and resurfacing platforms at the Grade II▸ (IndustryInsider - a respected member of this forum) listed station. It added that this work would help maintain the historic site and ensure it continued to serve the local community well into the future.
To enable the improvements to be carried out safely and efficiently, up to 82 parking spaces in Cocklebury Road Car Park 1, opposite Sadlers Mead, will be temporarily unavailable while a contractor compound is in place from tomorrow.
The programme is expected to take around six months to complete, although not all 82 spaces will be required throughout the project.
Passengers can continue to use the other car parks on Cocklebury Road and Sadlers Mead, as well as the Union Road car park, all of which will remain open during the works.

https://megaproject.com/news/railway/improvement-work-at-chippenham-rail-station-set-to-begin
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grahame
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« Reply #9 on: August 09, 2026, 08:13:05 »
Quote from: John D on August 09, 2026, 07:45:24
According to this article, Chippenham station is about to get 6 months of renovations to station canopies, and resurfacing platforms etc.

Up to 82 parking spaces will be closed so the contractor can set up a compound

As an interchange between trains, Chippenham can work - sometimes.  But want to grab a cup of coffee while you wait for your connection, and if you have luggage or are mobility restricted it's impractical.   And as for changing between rail and road, I have to wonder (and have been asked) whether the people who planned the various changes we have seen in recent years actually consulted the bus and taxi operators, and those passengers who struggle with accessibility.

To my knowledge, tickets are checked on all trains that call at Chippenham - or should be - so why that contorted and awkward lift and gateline at the top of a remote footbridge?
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