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A radical proposal - a cheap and effective way to provide home to city commuter transport

Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2013-10-11 10:14:38 - Graham Ellis

This is a proposal for the implementation of the LSTF funded bus extensions at Melksham in such a way that they provide effective commuter services to Swindon, Reading and London.

Morning

Run the town minibus from Bowerhill via the east of Melksham estates to the station, to arrive there before each of the first three train departures. Limited stop - allows the bus good time to run for each train

Evening

Have the town minibus collect from the station from each train after 18:00, running the reverse of the morning route and stopping as required to drop off. Bus to wait for train (if train late, next train will be late too so bus will be back in time!)


Net result, for someone who's just moving to the new houses at Melksham East ...
• Leave home at 07:25, into office in Swindon at 08:40
• Leave office in Swindon at 17:15, get home at 18:25

- That's 20 minutes from Swindon station to place of work (many are closer)
- And 5 minutes walk to / from the bus stop in Melksham
- There's an earlier service if they want to get into the office earlier
- There are tow later services home is they get held up at work

I've drawn a map:



and a rough coverage diagram to show user areas:



I have put a light line back from the station around the bypass to Bowerhill. My original intent was for this to be an empty run, but the bus could usefully pick up at the Semington Road roundabout, and give a substantial additional coverage, even if the customers concerned got a less than ideal long-way-round to the station.

P.S. I've called this the "X11" route ... 11 pickup points, express between them and then express from Lowborne to the station.