Website campaign to stop town's train cuts (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Website campaign to stop town's train cuts

Website campaigner Graham Ellis hopes to save Melksham's train service from cuts (17487)A COMPUTER consultant has launched a website to save a threatened train service.

Graham Ellis, 51, of The Spa, Melksham has used his computing expertise to create the website after he read in the Wiltshire Times that the number of train services from Melksham will be cut from December next year.

He said: "I believe it is in the interest of residents and visitors to Melksham to retain the train service at its current level.

"Those who use the trains find it a tremendously valuable service. I set up the website to see if I could get more people interested. My guess is that 120 people have already visited the site."

The Strategic Rail Authority, which is due to wind down over the next few months, invited the three bidders shortlisted to take over the Great Western franchise, to draw up proposals for reductions in train services.

The plans include reducing the five trains a day in Melksham to two. It would mean the town would have one train in the morning and one in the evening to suit commuters to London. But Mr Ellis argues the service should not only be for commuters but also for local people wanting to travel to nearby towns. He said buses were not a suitable alternative.

"If you are going to Swindon you have to change buses in Chippenham, there are no buses on Sundays and they are environmentally less friendly," he said.

On the website Mr Ellis lists nine other reasons why the train service should be preserved, including the growing population of the town and train users, environmental issues and new businesses in the area.

The site also has a feature, which constantly updates to give the time of the next train due at the station and whether this service is threatened or not.

Cllr Fleur de Rhe-Philipe, who has already written a letter to the SRA and urged the public to lobby their MPs, said she was pleased to hear of the website.

She said: "I welcome any support and effort to get involved. The more support we get the better, as maybe the SRA will listen."

Mr Ellis's website can be found at www.savethetrain.org.uk