TRANSPORT chief Patrick McLoughlin felt the frustrations of Chippenham commuters yesterday.

The minister for transport pulled into Chippenham station at 5.25pm and revealed he had been standing on his journey from Bath.

“I stood myself from Bath so I do understand the frustration," he said.

“This Government is investing record amounts in our railways, which will result in better journeys for passengers using Chippenham station.”

The price of a season ticket rose by an average 2.5 per cent this year, pushing the annual cost between Chippenham and Bristol to nearly £2,000 and between Chippenham and London to over £9,100.

Mr McLoughlin said the Government had curbed increases two years on a row.

He was invited to Chippenham by Michelle Donelan, Conservative prospective Parliamentary candidate, to hear about the disabled access work being done there.

The footbridge crossing the railway at the west end is to be replaced, and two lifts put in giving access to platforms from the Cocklebury Road side.

The £2.98m project has been partly funded through the Department for Transport’s Access for All scheme under the coalition government.

After 12 minutes Mr McLoughlin was back on the platform waiting for the Temple Meads train before returning to his Derbyshire constituency.

Ms Donelan said: “This investment is something which will help revive our town and this is part of my local plan. It should be seen as part of a package of things needed to regenerate our town.”

She and Duncan Hames, Chippenham’s Lib Dem MP, have also both supported a campaign to reopen Corsham railway station.