Transport - Public Transport Page
The topic group looks at how to help bring about better, more accessible and integrated public transport. This is where we'll put interesting stuff on this, to begin with under three headings: General, Buses and Rail. Please feel free to suggest any material we can add.
Working towards the 'Bus Back Better' government initiative, Wiltshire Council have launched a survey to inform bus service improvement plans. The link to the survey is HERE, and all are encouraged to complete and share it, whether you use the bus a lot or not at all, or are representing a local business. It's important for 'modal shift' out of cars that bus services can work for many more people.
There is also an email address to submit specific local suggestions: buses@wiltshire.gov.uk
This national strategy sets out the vision and opportunity to deliver better bus services for passengers across England, through ambitious and far-reaching reform of how services are planned and delivered.' and 'The DfT is also awarding English local authorities funding for 17 successful proposals under the rural mobility fund to trial on-demand bus services in their areas.'
This Melksham based campaign group have been building proposals and the business case for changes to the region's bus services for several years, but Wiltshire Council have yet to commit to any significant changes. The group's proposals have now become aligned with the national 'Bus Back Better' strategy. Key members of the group are responsible for successfully negotiating with Wiltshire council the changes to the local rail service known as the TransWilts service.
Please go to the website to get involved and for forthcoming meeting dates.
This discussion piece explores the potential impact of the new national strategy and the most challenging aspects of realising the potential of buses.
It has some good links to previous studies, and looks at Cambridgeshire as one case of interventions having been successful.
This report builds upon previous research from CPRE, the countryside charity into rural ‘transport deserts’ to set out what a comprehensive bus network for England would look like, with services to every village every hour, and the scale of investment we need to make this vision a reality.
The aim of this report is to show how we can have a bus system that is fit for the climate emergency and that will put an end to the inequality and social exclusion caused by the current car dominance of rural life.
The West of England Combined Authority's three constituent councils plus North Somerset are instigating a 'Mass Transit project... an ambitious, fast new transport system that will revolutionise the way we move people around the West of England, dramatically improving congestion and air quality while reducing our carbon emissions'.
More info here.
This report from SYSTRA and SLC Rail was commissioned by the Swindon and Wiltshire LEP 'to develop a rail strategy... that identifies how the rail network in the area should be developed over the next 20 years... making Swindon and Wiltshire a well connected, economically-thriving, attractive place to live and work... [and] support the development of the Local Industrial Strategy and the development of the Local Plans of both Wiltshire and Swindon Borough Councils.'
The report makes some good recommendations, but Wiltshire Council have not adopted many. It also includes analysis of the potential of proposed stations at Corsham, Devizes, Porton and Wilton.
As explained in this piece in the Chippenham Gazette & Herald, this Taunton-based Co-operative aims to connect Swindon to the South West (and South) through Wiltshire (Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge and Westbury), and aims to deliver more straightforward local services for both commuting and leisure travel.
More information on their website here.