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Agenda for Wiltshire Link Travel groups meeting, Saturday 1st December 2012

Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2012-11-27 07:16:25 - Graham Ellis

The Laverton, Westbury, Saturday 1st December 2012

Wiltshire Link meeting for Travel and Transport User Groups and Interested Parties. If you feel this is for you - please sign up and come along [more details and signup form]

Please feel free to arrive from 10 a.m.; coffee and biscuits will be available from around 10:15

• 10:45 Formal welcome - Peter Blackburn
• 10:50 Keynote - Duncan Hames, MP
• 11:15 Delegate Intros - lead by Peter Blackburn
• 11:30 The shape of Transport in Wiltshire - Richard Gamble
• 11:45 What's coming up? TransWilts, ITT, LSTF, bus panels and more - Graham Ellis
• 12:00 Identifying areas of concern - Panel
• 12:30 Lunch and Share (A chance to meet, talk, and share)
• 13:15 Experiences of a bus operator - the technical side - Steve Petty
• 13:30 How do we want to go forward? - workshops, priorities
• 14:15 Workshop summaries
• 14:30 formal close

On current indications, we are expecting some 40 to 50 groups and organisations to be represented, covering around 20 to 25 different towns and areas. We are actively encouraging users of the same transport system from beyond Wiltshire to join us, and also informal groups, industry and government representatives, etc. It's all about joined up thinking to help identify and resolve current questions, and to ensure that we have the best possible transport infrastructure and services for the future. IF YOU HAVE NOT YET SIGNED UP, please do so via http://www.twcrp.org.uk/link.html , where you'll also find more details of the event

Our speakers:

Duncan Hames was elected as Member of Parliament for Chippenham at the last general election. He's very knowledgeable on transport issues, and on economic growth and energy issues in Wiltshire too - a former West Wilts District Councillor, and former member of the SWRDA. Duncan lives in the Trowbridge Community Area, in the south of his constituency.

Richard Gamble is the Wiltshire Council elected member for The Lavingtons and Erlestoke, and looks after public transport issues for the Wiltshire cabinet. He writes "I spent 4 years in the Departments of Environment and Transport working on European Union matters and road construction, then 25 years in business finance in the UK and overseas." and goes on to confirm aims in road management, improved transport for young people in rural areas, tourism, and rail infrastructure and services.

Peter Blackburn is chair of the Melksham Railway Development Group, set up to support the re-opening of the station in 1985 and since working for improved services and use of trains there, and for station and access improvements. Peter was a member of the Transport Users Consultative Committee, and is active in the Federation of Small Businesses, among many other roles.

Steve Petty retired as an operator of bus services in Wiltshire just a few weeks ago, and has a great deal of experience to share from the operating company's perspective. Steve is also a Wiltshire Councillor, representing Melksham, and has many other roles.

Graham Ellis looks after press and publicity for the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership, and is a member of the newly formed First Bus Customer User's Panel in Bath. He's been involved with all modes of transport from an improvement persepctive since 2005, when transport changes had a significant impact on his business in Melksham.

It's also really important that we get to know each other, so that we can put practical and joined-up ideas forward at formal and informal consultations, to assist our local and central government and service operators in provide what we need - and what we'll pay for, use and support. We're in it together, and together we can make a real positive difference. Council and Transport Operators will be with us - and they'll be in listening mode.




Meeting Sponsored by TransWilts Community Rail Partnership. We're providing tea, coffee and biscuits and will have a few light dry snacks available at lunchtime. Please feel free to bring your own packed lunch, or to use places close by in Westbury.