Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

e-petition now on for next seven days.
A brief resume - the the train service from Swindon via Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury and Warminster to Salisbury grew dramatically in the five years to last Decemeber (9% per annum compound according to the county's figures, much more according to the rail regulator). But in spite of this most trains were WITHDRAWN last December, with just two trains left running in what the railway industry calls "marginal time" and you and I would call "inconvenient".

The new operator, First Great Western, point at the Department for Transport (DfT)as the culprits behind the short-sighted decision. The DfT point at First. Both point at the County Council as being able to help. Meanwhile the trains that were formerly used on the line - perfectly good trains - sit rusting in sidings in Hampshire.

However, it is rumoured that First have been looking at timetabling a 2-hourly service to start again later this year, that the DfT are much more receptive to this than even a couple of months ago, and that there's some talking going on between all three parties.

Aa e-petition has been started on the Prime Minister's web site to ask for a return to an appropriate train service on the lines in Wiltshire that are run by regional trains from the Bristol Depot, and the 1400 signatures already include most of the local MPs and many councillors at various levels.

The e-petition is at Sign the petition or more information is available at Save the train info