Local transport groups welcome proposed improvements to Melksham Railway in latest report

Local transport groups have welcomed the publication of the first stage of a Wiltshire-wide railway study, which proposes potential improvements to Melksham Railway Station.

The Wiltshire Rail Strategic Study, led by Network Rail in collaboration with partner organisations and stakeholders, outlines recommendations to develop rail services that will support Wiltshire’s future growth.

One key recommendation for Melksham is the addition of a passing loop on the long single-track section, which would allow trains to pass each other more efficiently.

Graham Ellis, chair of Melksham’s transport user group and director of TravelWatch South West, described the report as ‘significant’ for the town. “The train service could then be increased from a train about every two or three hours (erratic between freight) to a regular hourly service with those trains calling at Melksham,” he said.

“Melksham, as well as being a significant town in Wiltshire, lies on the increasingly important North-South route connection Swindon and Chippenham to the north with Trowbridge and Salisbury (and Warminster and Westbury too) line which is running at capacity.

“The study identified that on a significant number of flows, the rail provision does not provide the required levels of connectivity, with infrequent and irregular services. This is a significant report, with Network Rail heading a number of organisations who admit to the shortfall for perhaps the first time. It bodes well for it being addressed and fixed over the next few years.

“Since I have personally been observing train use at Melksham, passenger journey numbers have risen from 3,000 to 70,000 per annum. People have expressed delight at the improvement, but the number ’should’ be somewhere around 500,000 – that is another eight-fold rise. That is a comparison with all other railway served towns in the county.  We have moved from a useless service to a poor one, proved that can work, and are now signalled ahead with official blessing towards an appropriate service. 

“Covid was a huge hit on public transport but we are recovering well. Climate and environmental concerns mean that we need to move much more to a frequent and reliable public transport service as we’re seeing outlined by this report.  And the 80% uplift to an already aggressive expansion of housebuilding in Wiltshire that’s being applied by this government can only promote the provision of joined up public transport to avoid our towns and other roads being even more clogged than they already are.”

A spokesperson for Transwilts Community Rail Partnership (TWCRP) said, “We are delighted the report is highlighting the need to enhance local services on the TransWilts route via Melksham and to upgrade track and signalling infrastructure, such as in Westbury and Melksham to accommodate more services and improve connections at Westbury.”