Additional Trans Wilts Rail services celebrated by Baroness Kramer

Minister of State for Transport Baroness Susan Kramer travelled on the new TransWilts Rail service on Friday 7 February to celebrate the additional trains between Westbury and Swindon.

She was joined by deputy leader of Wiltshire Council, John Thomson, the MP for Chippenham Duncan Hames and First Great Western Director Matthew Golton.

During the visit First Great Western and Wiltshire Council announced further plans to improve Melksham Station including adding a ticket vending machine, additional car parking, connecting bus service, CCTV, and a waiting shelter.

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, and we are delighted to jointly announce further plans to improve the station at Melksham. 

“These improvements would not be possible without the Local Sustainable Transport Fund which Baroness Kramer now manages and we look forward to showing her what great things the Department for Transport is helping to support.

“This is great news for passengers, allowing both commuters and leisure travellers a good value alternative to taking the car.” 

John Thomson, deputy leader at Wiltshire Council, 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.”

“There is also a free bus which connects Bowerhill, Forest Gate and the new estate directly to the station. I would encourage people to use www.connectingwiltshire.co.uk to look up bus timetables or use our journey planner to plan their route by bus, bike, train, car or walking.”

The improved rail service between Westbury and Swindon sees an extra six trains a day in each direction from Monday to Saturday, meaning that there is a train approximately every two hours, including early morning and evening services in both directions.

There are also 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