| Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
Parliamentary Written Question Asked On Melksham Train Service - 310/855 Written by Lee on Wednesday, 12th July 2006 A Parliamentary Written Question has been asked about the Melksham train service (link below.) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmordbk1/60712w01.htm Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government has taken to improve rail services between Swindon and Westbury and at intermediate towns to provide transport alternatives for the new housing planned in the area. There are couple of other questions related to this issue : Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the reason is for the delay in his reply to the letter of 24th April 2006 from Wiltshire County Council about rail services in Wiltshire. Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, why his Department decided to pursue a timetable specification that does not accord with the findings of the Bristol/Bath to South Coast Study. Re: Parliamentary Written Question Asked On Melksham Train Service - 310/863 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Wednesday, 12th July 2006 Good. I guess that means that someone's going to actually have to do some homework to come up with appropropriate answers; I'll be interested to see what DT has to say, and hope for an honest answer and not a sidestep. Re: Parliamentary Written Question Asked On Melksham Train Service - 310/868 Written by Sion Bretton on Wednesday, 12th July 2006 But why is our MP not asking these questions. Is this because he will no longer be the MP after the next election! Re: Parliamentary Written Question Asked On Melksham Train Service - 310/871 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Thursday, 13th July 2006 It's much more effective for Chris Grayling to be asking IMHO ... they are working in co-operation ;D Re: Parliamentary Written Question Asked On Melksham Train Service - 310/885 Written by Sion Bretton on Thursday, 13th July 2006 Thanks Graham Re: Parliamentary Written Question Asked On Melksham Train Service - 310/933 Written by Lee on Wednesday, 19th July 2006 Here is one of the answers (link below.) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm060718/text/60718w1787.htm Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the reason is for the delay in his reply to the letter of 24 April 2006 from Wiltshire county council about rail services in Wiltshire. [85215] Derek Twigg: My officials replied on 12 July. I apologise for the delay. Re: Parliamentary Written Question Asked On Melksham Train Service - 310/1388 Written by Lee on Tuesday, 5th September 2006 [quote author=Lee link=topic=310.msg855#msg855 date=1152701974]Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government has taken to improve rail services between Swindon and Westbury and at intermediate towns to provide transport alternatives for the new housing planned in the area.[/quote] Land use planning is very much the "buzz - phrase" these days (click on http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_freight/documents/page/dft_freight_503891-07.hcsp for an earlier example relating to "Sustainable Distribution.") Here is an example of how it should be done (links below.) http://www.gunwharf-quays.com/history.htm http://www.gunwharf-quays.com/howtogethere.htm http://www.gunwharf-quays.com/play(home)-61.htm Here is an example of how it shouldnt (link below.) http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=269.msg716#msg716 Re: Parliamentary Written Question Asked On Melksham Train Service - 310/1537 Written by Lee on Wednesday, 27th September 2006 Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government have taken to improve rail services between Swindon and Westbury and at intermediate towns to provide transport alternatives for the new housing planned in the area. Derek Twigg: Improving rail performance is a key objective for the Department for Transport. Joint action plans are in place between Network Rail and First Great Western to address performance issues, including the Swindon to Westbury route. These are monitored monthly. Demand for rail services between Westbury and Swindon is concentrated at peak periods, and the Government have specified direct train services at these times. Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why his Department decided to pursue a timetable specification that does not accord with the findings of the Bristol/Bath to South Coast Study. Derek Twigg: In preparation of the Greater Western franchise specification, an assessment was made of the existing and future demand for passenger rail traffic on the Cardiff/Bristol to Southampton/Portsmouth rail corridor; this confirmed that the existing hourly train service was adequate to cater for the demand. Re: Parliamentary Written Question Asked On Melksham Train Service - 310/8087 Written by WyvusArconius on Monday, 8th October 2007 [quote author=Lee link=topic=310.msg1537#msg1537 date=1159369402] Derek Twigg: In preparation of the Greater Western franchise specification, an assessment was made of the existing and future demand for passenger rail traffic on the Cardiff/Bristol to Southampton/Portsmouth rail corridor; this confirmed that the existing hourly train service was adequate to cater for the demand. [/quote] An hourly service is only "adequate" if there are actually enough seats on the service provided. As FGW seem determined to run those 2 unit 158's until they 'cant run no more'.. a more appropriate service provision statement would be "To provide capacity for xxx number of passengers per hour" That way FGW can either whack more carriages on or change the timings. I am all too aware that FGW does not have an infinite amount of rolling stock, but they do use what they have very ineffectively. In short, the hourly frequency actually makes sense to me, but there NEEDS to be more seats. EVERY SINGLE PERSON I have ever spoken to about FGW service between Portsmouth and Bristol have all said the same thing.. "There are not enough seats". People down south are not best pleased, and the storm clouds on the FGW horizon continue to gather from all quarters.... link to index of articles |
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Save the Train was the campaign to bring an approriate train service back to and through Melksham. Most big contributors are still around writing at the Coffee shop forum where new members are very welcome. The train has been saved - sort of - we have stepped back up from an unusable service to a poorish one but it's doing very well. We did that through setting up the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership. That fulfilled its early objectives; it has been taken over by local and regional government types who are now doing medium and long term work. The team from this forun can also be found at the Melksham Rail User Group (which was the Melksham Rail Development Group at the time these articles were written and we had no users. We mustn't loose sight, though, that the train service remains poor and needs our community support in marketing and campaigning to keep it going in a positive direction ... and all the more so when we're expecting to find a different normallity once we get out of the Coronavirus Pandemic and head for zero carbon via the climate crisis. Yes, it's saved ... it's now a key community facility ... the need for enhancement and the strong and near-universal local support remain, and the rail industry and goverment remain slow to move and provide the enhancements even to level us up with other towns. Please support the Melksham Rail User Group - now very much in partnership rather than protest with the rail industry and local government, including GWR, TransWilts and unitary and town councils. And please use the trains and buses, and cycle and walk when you can. -- Graham Ellis, (webmaster), February 2021 | |||
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