Melksham’s increased rail service to start from Sunday

THE first train of a significantly improved rail service from Melksham will be up and running from Sunday 8th December. 

First Great Western’s draft timetable has an additional six trains a day in each direction from Melksham towards Westbury and towards Swindon – meaning there will be one train approximately every two hours, including early morning and evening services in both directions.

There will also be an additional four trains on Sundays throughout the year, with at least one seasonal service connecting with the existing Westbury to Weymouth service in each direction. The first train on Sunday 8th December will be arriving in Melksham at 10.44am and will be travelling towards Swindon.

The increased service will allow more rail users in Melksham to commute to many more destinations with an extra 16 daily trains allowing for more than 2,500 connections.

Graham Ellis from the Transwilts Community Rail Partnership said, “Melksham is host to a surprising number of national and international companies – their visitors currently arriving in town by car, or taxi from Chippenham or even from Heathrow.

“But from 9th December, brand new morning train connections from London at 07:45, 09:45 and 11:45 will whisk visitors to Melksham station in less than 90 minutes, and return trains at 14:30, 16:31, 18:48 and 19:47 will take them back to London – or to any one of over 2,500 other stations across the GB rail network, all of which will be available on through tickets.

“This will bring benefits not only for the town’s bigger businesses, but it will make a very real difference for specialist retailers, hospitality and tourism as well.

“The Melksham train service brings big benefits to Melksham’s younger generation too. College journeys to Chippenham and Swindon, leisure journeys to the new cinema in Trowbridge, the theatre in Swindon, Bath and Bristol, football in Swindon, Bristol and Southampton, and Bath Rugby are just a few of the many options.

“Up to the age of 15, half fares are available for most journeys, and off peak groups of four can usually travel for the price of two using “Groupsave”, so these trips won’t break the bank.”

The subsidised Trans Wilts Rail Service forms part of Wiltshire Council’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund project. Funding for the project comes after the council successfully bid for a Department for Transport (DfT) grant of £4.25million which will support the improved service for three years. Further information about the project can be found at www.connectingwiltshire.co.uk.

John Thomson, cabinet member for highways said, “The improved Trans Wilts Rail Service is an important part of the council’s commitment to ensuring local people have better access to public transport.

“The service will bring real social and economic benefits to the people of Wiltshire but the funding is only for three years, so it’s important that people use the service now so it can be sustainable into the future.”

First Great Western managing director Mark Hopwood said, “First Great Western has worked hard with Wiltshire Council with the support of the local user group to secure these additional services.

“We are delighted to confirm that the agreement to operate has been signed by FGW and Wiltshire, which will enable us to provide an extra six trains a day in each direction. This is great news for passengers, allowing both commuters and leisure travellers a good value alternative to taking the car.”

Timetables leaflets for the new service are available at the Melksham Tourist Information Centre, and at any staffed station. Online, visit First Great Western’s website at http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk, the Connecting Wiltshire website for wider information about integrated walking, cycling, bus and train connected journeys at http://www.connectingwiltshire.co.uk, or the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership’s website at http://www.twcrp.org.uk which brings together information and links about the service and how you can use and support it.