Currently there are just two direct trains a day from Westbury, Trowbridge and Melksham to Chippenham and Swindon. And no direct trains at all from Salibury and Warminster to the same destinations. Melksham - a town of around 23000 - has just 2 trains each way daily and through travellers have to use the bus or dogleg via Bath. It wasn't always like this - until December 2006, the line was growing at up to 35% per annum (official figure) but never the less the majority of services were cut by First Great Western at that date, based on their new franchise which was based on very old figures and instructed them to make reductions all over the West.

It is now accepted that this particular specification cut was one too many, and the parties acknowledge this. An appropriate service would provide a true peak hour commuter service from Salisbury and West Wiltshire to Chippenham and Swindon, and a service through the day. As a step towards this goal, First Great Western, Network Rail, Wiltshire Council and others have all invested time and effort, into the following practical timetable. But the extra four trains (which are excellently timed) CAN BE RUN only if the parties involved get sufficient support.

	Monday to Friday TransWilts - 2009 proposal - Southbound
	Swindon	06:18	09:02	12:02	15:02	17:55	18:45
	Chippenham	06:34	09:19	12:19	15:19	18:11	19:01
	Melksham	06:48	09:28	12:28	15:28	18:21	19:11
	Trowbridge	06:53	09:38	12:38	15:38	18:35	19:20
	Westbury	07:01	09:45	12:45	15:45	18:42	19:27
	Dilton_Marsh	07:04	09:49	12:49	15:49	n/a	19:42
	Warminster	07:11	09:55	12:55	15:55	19w08	19:49
	Salisbury	07:34	10:17	13:17	16:17	19w33	20:11
	Monday to Friday TransWilts - 2009 proposal - Northbound
	Salisbury	06w12	07:40	10:31	13:31	16:24	18w41
	Warminster	06w32	08:00	10:51	13:51	16:44	19w01
	Dilton_Marsh	06w36	08:04	10:55	13:55	16:48	n/a
	Westbury	07:02	08:09	11:02	14:02	16:53	19:32
	Trowbridge	07:08	08:15	11:08	14:08	16:59	19:38
	Melksham	07:17	08:24	11:17	14:17	17:08	19:47
	Chippenham	07:30	08:34	11:32	14:32	17:18	20:02
	Swindon	07:48	08:53	11:50	14:50	17:36	20:19
	w - change at Westbury

Other advantages of this plan * 2 extra trains provided to/from Frome, reducing the current 3 hour gaps. * Extra trains from Salisbury to Trowbridge, reducing overcrowding of services from Salisbury * Reduction of overcrowding between Trowbridge and Bath with Chippenham and Swindon passengers using direct services.

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How can YOU help make this happen?

If you support the improvement shown on this page, visit http://www.transwilts.org.uk/pledge.html and sign up to pledge that support [an updated link to our 2009 pledge for a 2010 service]. We are looking for a significant number of pledges this spring. Then we WILL be able to travel easily again by public transport between the five largest population centres in Wiltshire. Please write to your MP too. Local MPs are: Michael Ancram (Melksham), James Gray (Chippenham), Anne Snelgrove (Swindon), Andrew Murrison (West Wilts), Robert Key (Salisbury) and David Heath (Frome).

This page is produced by the "Save the Train" campaign who are fully supported by other groups such as the Melksham Railway Development Group, the West Wilts Rail User Group, Railfuture, TravelWatch SouthWest, CANBER, and others. By post - 404 The Spa, Melksham. 01225 708225. Online at http://www.savethetrain.org.uk for further information. Contact - Graham Ellis. Email - graham@wellho.net. 18th March 2008.