MELKSHAM’S newest train services have been dubbed a ‘vote of confidence’ in the line and will help pave the way for further improvements to the town’s public transport, campaigners says.
Two extra trains per weekday and two extra on a Sunday now call at Melksham Station, after new services were added to the town’s rapidly improving station last week.
On weekdays there is now a 12.37 service to Chippenham and Swindon and a 13.46 service to Trowbridge and Westbury. Two Sunday services have also been added; at 8.46am to Chippenham and Swindon and 9.52am to Trowbridge and Westbury.
The new services mean there are now a total of 119 trains stopping at Melksham every week. In 2012 the station saw just four trains per day.
Melksham resident and community rail officer for TransWilts Community Rail Partnership (CRP), Graham Ellis said, “These are permanent new services and the weekday trains will break up what was a two and a half hour gap in the middle of the day.
“It’s brilliant news and is another step forward for Melksham, which now has the most frequent service in living memory. Committing to more services in Melksham is a real vote of confidence from the operators and shows they have faith that investing in the station will be worthwhile.
“Regular passengers will also notice that some trains have been moved by a few minutes so they match up with bus services around the town.
“Our current trial of services comes to an end this year but we’re hoping the services will remain and that, soon, the TransWilts CRP will give local people a bigger say in how public transport is managed in the future. Melksham has had huge success in the past few years but the number of journeys per head of the town’s population is still way below Wiltshire’s average. We’re not finished yet!”
Melksham Station was named the seventh most improved in the country in January, after it saw an almost 120% increase in journeys in a single year.
For more details about the TransWilts CRP go to www. twcrp.org.uk or visit the Trans-Wilts office at Well House Manor, Spa Road, the Tourist Information Centre, library or Town Hall.
