Issue 460 – New rail company planning improved services via Westbury

Westbury people may be able to catch direct trains to Oxford and the Midlands within a year if the country’s first co-operative rail firm can raise the capital to run the service.

Earlier this month, the Go! co-operative publicly launched the new service which would result in more trains passing through Westbury’s station.
The route will run from Yeovil junction to the Midlands via Yeovil Pen Mill, Frome, Westbury, Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham, Swindon and Oxford. The Go! co-operative aims to be running services on this route from May 2011.
The co-operative, which is part of The Co-op Group, says it is “aiming to empower passengers throughout the UK.”
A spokesperson for the Go! co-operative said, “Our mission is to reduce the social and environmental impacts of travel by providing mutually owned, high quality, inclusive public transport services that encourage people to choose more sustainable options.”
Go! Co-operative is looking for investor support to run train services in Oxford, Swindon, Yeovil and Birmingham. It will need to raise around £500,000 to get the service off the ground and is looking for individual investors.
The spokesperson for Go! co-operative added, “We have identified a cross-country route that offers excellent potential for social and financial returns on investment. It uses existing track in a new way, to provide a real alternative to car travel. We aim to be running services on this route in 2011.”
Graham Ellis, who is spearheading the Save the Train campaign to improve rail services in Westbury said the plans were good news for the town. He said, “This actually looks very good and seems seriously thought through.”
Dilton March resident Bob Lee, who is secretary of the West Wiltshire Rail Users Group (WWRUG) echoed the sentiment saying, “It does seem like good news. Westbury does quite well with trains so it will be a welcome addition.”

Promising future

Back in March, White Horse News reported on Network Rail unveiling its vision for the next 10 years in the south west, with some important changes on the cards for Westbury.
Amongst new changes proposed in the Network Rail ‘Rail Utilisation Strategy’ (RUS), include an extra platform at Westbury Railway Station, extra carriages on peak time trains and an additional hourly service to Swindon. Passenger use of trains is expected to increase dramatically over the next decade, the period covered by the RUS document.