| Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
PWQ's Are Back - 528/1538 Written by Lee on Wednesday, 27th September 2006 The return of Parliamentary Written Questions has thrown up some interesting ones (link below.) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmordbk1/60913w01.htm Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what feasibility studies he has carried out to investigate whether any stretch of disused railway could be utilised as a highway to reduce congestion; and if he will make a statement. Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of disused railway track bed are undeveloped and available for sale or for an alternative use. Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what trials (a) have taken place and (b) are scheduled to take place on the feasibility of allowing cars to use disused rail lines; where such trials are taking place; and when he expects an evaluation to be carried out. Re: PWQ's Are Back - 528/1573 Written by Lee on Thursday, 5th October 2006 Forthcoming Parliamentary Written Questions include (link below) : http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmordbk2/61009o01.htm Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact on passenger numbers of the proposed cutbacks to the rail service from Melksham. Re: PWQ's Are Back - 528/1574 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Thursday, 5th October 2006 Good question. Re: PWQ's Are Back - 528/1575 Written by Nick Field on Thursday, 5th October 2006 [quote author=Lee link=topic=528.msg1538#msg1538 date=1159371095] The return of Parliamentary Written Questions has thrown up some interesting ones (link below.) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmordbk1/60913w01.htm Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what feasibility studies he has carried out to investigate whether any stretch of disused railway could be utilised as a highway to reduce congestion; and if he will make a statement. Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of disused railway track bed are undeveloped and available for sale or for an alternative use. Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what trials (a) have taken place and (b) are scheduled to take place on the feasibility of allowing cars to use disused rail lines; where such trials are taking place; and when he expects an evaluation to be carried out. [/quote] My answers to the first two questions would be: Any closed or disused line should be protected from development so that future rail reinstatement is possible The same answer for the third one - this talk of rubber highways seems to be a cheap way of reducing congestion (like opening up hard shoulders on motorways) Re: PWQ's Are Back - 528/1577 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Friday, 6th October 2006 [quote author=Nick Field link=topic=528.msg1575#msg1575 date=1160080492] I look forward to the answer, although I suspect the question will be dodged and they will talk about how much they have spent on the west coast or something [/quote] I can see four possible approaches to an answer - answering a different question is, indeed, one of them but I suspect that we'll see one of the other approaches, acknowledging what the question actually says. Indeed, the minister has a golden opportunty to take into account growth patterns acheieved, environmental issues and local aspirations all of which point to the current decision as being outdated and based on unduly pessimistic data, and use the question as a springboard to take a positive step. Re: PWQ's Are Back - 528/1593 Written by Lee on Monday, 9th October 2006 [quote author=Lee link=topic=528.msg1538#msg1538 date=1159371095]The return of Parliamentary Written Questions has thrown up some interesting ones (link below.) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmordbk1/60913w01.htm Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what feasibility studies he has carried out to investigate whether any stretch of disused railway could be utilised as a highway to reduce congestion; and if he will make a statement. Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of disused railway track bed are undeveloped and available for sale or for an alternative use. Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what trials (a) have taken place and (b) are scheduled to take place on the feasibility of allowing cars to use disused rail lines; where such trials are taking place; and when he expects an evaluation to be carried out.[/quote] Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what feasibility studies he has carried out to investigate whether any stretch of disused railway could be utilised as a highway to reduce congestion; and if he will make a statement; [91161] (2) how many miles of disused railway track bed are undeveloped and available for sale or for an alternative use; [91162] (3) what trials (a) have taken place and (b) are scheduled to take place on the feasibility of allowing cars to use disused rail lines; where such trials are taking place; and when he expects an evaluation to be carried out. [91163] Mr. Tom Harris: We estimate that there are fewer than a hundred miles of redundant trackbed that has not been either retained for possible future use or sold. Much of what remains comprises small parcels of land unsuitable for conversion into roads. The Department has not therefore carried out any recent studies into the possibility of using any of this land in this way. The DfT may not have carried out any recent studies , but both HoldFast & Network Rail have (link below.) http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=267.msg707#msg707 Re: PWQ's Are Back - 528/1609 Written by Lee on Thursday, 12th October 2006 [quote author=Graham Ellis link=topic=528.msg1577#msg1577 date=1160105368] [quote author=Nick Field link=topic=528.msg1575#msg1575 date=1160080492] I look forward to the answer, although I suspect the question will be dodged and they will talk about how much they have spent on the west coast or something[/quote] I can see four possible approaches to an answer - answering a different question is, indeed, one of them but I suspect that we'll see one of the other approaches, acknowledging what the question actually says. Re: PWQ's Are Back - 528/1615 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Friday, 13th October 2006 What a pointless answer - of COURSE the withdrawing of a single coach in a franchise that operates some 400 or 500 coaches won't have a big impact on the overall figures. But then it wouldn't make a huge difference in the cost of operating the franchise either; I think the premium payment difference if the DfT had specified an appropriate service would have been less that a quarter of one percent. You're right, Lee - the answer makes no mention at all of the effect of the withdrawl of most services on the passengers on the route (110,000 journeys per annum and counting), nor its effect on the towns of Melksham (24,000), Chippenham, Trowbridge. Dear Dr Ladyman, if the changes will have neglible effect and the cost saving is so small, why oh why are you buggering up the public transport structure in a fast growing ares such as West Wilts. Is it to make a point of some sort, is it out of spite, or do you have other plans for the rail capacity? Your own consultants report (which probably cost you more that the saving you'll make) recommended 4 trains each way a day PLUS two peak hour trains. But we have been given just a pre-peak train in the morning and a post-peak train in the early evening. 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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