Speak on strategy (From This Is Wiltshire)

Speak on strategy

I hope this week your newspapers will urge readers to respond to the Network Rail Draft Route Utilisation Strategy before consultation closes on November 27.

The Conservative councillors in Wiltshire and myself are already working with Network Rail to ensure Chippenham and surrounding towns are better served by Great Western Rail in the future.

We are urging Network Rail to revisit its proposals for Chippenham station to accommodate the growing population in the next 10 years. In particular the current strategy was written before plans to electrify the line were outlined, which may reduce the level of investment required to secure the additional services required.

I have flagged up the importance of reopening Corsham station, which is not even mentioned in the document. I have also stressed the need to rapidly improve services to Melksham and Bradford-on-Avon to ensure poor public transport does not limit future economic development.

The full Draft Route Utilisation Strategy is available online for comment.

Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for the Chippenham Constituency.