Push for rail link to London Waterloo return gathering momentum
The service was cancelled in 2021
A campaign to re-establish a rail service from a rural town in Wiltshire to London Waterloo is gathering momentum.
It's being led by Bradford-on-Avon Town Council, with the hope of returning a service that ran until 2021 to the town. It was cancelled due to uncertainty over passenger numbers following the pandemic.
Town Mayor, Cllr Sam Blackwell, said the route was popular for leisure travel, while also being cheaper than the route to Paddington, and that current services take longer due to the need for changes at Bath or Westbury.
He said the more direct route would also benefit people with disabilities, luggage and young children, as well as benefiting the local economy.
"We really rely on people coming in to visit, to use our public spaces, our businesses, our restaurants, cafes, etc. So the easier we can make that, the better," Mayor Blackwell said adding that it's not just the local economy, but it would boost access to jobs and education.
He told us that the drive to improve transport links in urban areas needs to be reflected in rural locations too.
Mayor Blackwell said that the while commuter levels are still lower than pre-pandemic numbers, the figures for leisure travel "have never been higher", meaning that's a big reason for the decision to be revisited, while he told us people who previously used the service had been telling them how much they support the campaign.
He said: "Operationally, there are some interesting options because since 2021, a new service has emerged from Bristol to Salisbury.
It stops at Salisbury and goes back to Bristol. Likewise, you have a second service between Salisbury and London Waterloo, which starts at Salisbury and goes up to Waterloo and back again. So we believe that there's an interesting opportunity to link those services together."
The town council has also had input on South Western Rail's re-writing of the train timetable, with the opportunity to put new ideas forward.
The authority has also engaged with local MP, Brian Mathew, and has had a motion in support of the campaign passed at Wiltshire Council, which is the local transport authority for Wiltshire.
A public consultation on the timetable changes is due later this year.