| Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
Ashford International Cuts Protest Stepped Up - 924/2616 Written by Lee on Wednesday, 27th December 2006 Campaigns have been stepped up against proposed cuts to train services between France and Belgium , and Ashford International Station in Kent (link below.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/6207885.stm Railfuture questioned why an Re: Ashford International Cuts Protest Stepped Up - 924/2925 Written by Lee on Thursday, 11th January 2007 Meanwhile , Eurostar has reported a record rise in sales and passenger numbers for 2006 (link below.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6250977.stm Re: Ashford International Cuts Protest Stepped Up - 924/5140 Written by Lee on Tuesday, 8th May 2007 A new cross-Channel rail service to compete directly with Eurostar could be launched within the next three years (link below.) http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2007/05/new_rail_services_could_drive.html#more Air France-KLM is reportedly considering setting up its own London to Paris high-speed train service. Airlines want to muscle in on the lucrative international rail travel market that will be freed up in 2010. It is hoped a rival operator would lead to increased services and cheaper prices for Kent passengers. Rail passenger groups and MPs welcomed the prospect of extra competition in international rail. Re: Ashford International Cuts Protest Stepped Up - 924/5762 Written by Lee on Wednesday, 20th June 2007 Cross-Channel rail passengers will have free travel on local railway services in Kent when the new Ebbsfleet International Station opens (link below.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/6767295.stm Eurostar said a deal with Southeastern would give free links between Ebbsfleet and Ashford , and other stations nearby. It follows a long-running campaign in Ashford against Eurostar's move to cut the town's Paris services and end Brussels services when Ebbsfleet opens. Re: Ashford International Cuts Protest Stepped Up - 924/6180 Written by Lee on Monday, 9th July 2007 Gregory Barker has called for Eurostar to rethink its proposed cuts to train services operating out of Ashford International station after calling a meeting of members of the Bexhill Rail Action Group and the Marshlink Action Group (link below.) http://www.gregorybarker.com/mediazone.php?articleid=385 Re: Ashford International Cuts Protest Stepped Up - 924/6827 Written by Lee on Monday, 13th August 2007 Eurostar has been accused of abusing its monopoly on international train services by cutting the number of trains stopping at Ashford (link below.) http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2007/08/eurostar_abusing_its_monopoly.html#more Former Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman , the MP for South Thanet , attacked the firm's decision to axe trains to Brussels and reduce the number of services to Paris when Ebbsfleet International opens in November. Eurostar says it needs 36 passengers to get on each train , but predicts there will be just 15 per service once Ebbsfleet opens. But Dr Ladyman said: "That doesn't make any sense. Stopping at Ashford increases the number of passengers at no extra cost. The train's going to be going past Ashford anyway." The MP added: "They have a monopoly for the time being because that was the way Eurostar was set up. By taking the decision they are about Ashford they are abusing that monopoly." A Eurostar spokesman said that it would cost Re: Ashford International Cuts Protest Stepped Up - 924/8693 Written by Lee on Monday, 19th November 2007 The final stage of Kent's high speed rail link is in place with the opening of Ebbsfleet International Station , but the Ashford row continues (link below.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7101240.stm However , Eurostar has announced that it is to spend a further 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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