September 2017 Newsletter

Don't forget that our AGM will be on Wednesday 11th October in the Green Dragon, starting at 7.30pm - we would like all TM members to attend.

A round up of news and views

20's Plenty for Marlborough - Did you notice the MetroCounts that appeared on all roads leading into Marlborough town centre last week? They were installed by Wiltshire Council's Highways Department to measure current traffic speeds. If these speeds are found to be an average of 24mph or less it will be possible to implement a 20mph speed limit on the main roads leading in and out of Marlborough. This should improve road safety for our children and reduce exhaust emmissions by cutting down the need for queuing vehicles to stop and start.

A recent car parking study that was commissioned by the Neighbourhood Planning Group, found that local car parks are up to 95% full at certain times of the day. It also suggests that more than 50% of car journeys are for shopping trips of less than two hours. There was also a demand for more cycle racks along the High Street. The Neighbourhood Planning Group is holding a community feed-back session with the car parking consultant, Mike King, on Monday 16th October in the Town Hall, starting at 7pm. So join in and have your say. 

Marlborough Rail Link - This popular project is being held back because it does not have the support of Wiltshire Councillors, in particular, Cllr Horace Prickett, Passenger Transport Portfolio Holder. Although we had an offer of funding for a feasibility study from Great Western Railway, it could not go ahead without the backing of Wiltshire Council. In December 2013 Marlborough Town Council voted to support the Rail Link. Since then several new councillors have been appointed. Peter and Sam have been invited to present the proposal for a rail link, together with the results of the consultation, involving 1,020 local residents, to the new town councillors, in the Council Chamber, on Monday 9th October, starting at 6.30pm. This is prior to the Planning Committee Meeting, which starts at 7pm. Please come along and support us for 30 minutes.

Wiltshire Council has cut the vital 1950 Bedwyn bus - This bus connects passengers that arrive on the 1806 and the 1933 commuter trains from London Paddington. Bill Wells of the Bedwyn Trains Passenger Group has said that they have already conntacted Claire Perry MP to voice disapproval of "what is a very retrograde step, particularly when it looks likely that bi-mode trains will be introduced at the end of next year which will maintain, and possibly improve the through service to Paddington". 

In February 2017 Great Western Railways stated that it will be able to continue to operate direct services to Bedwyn and Frome next year, as work on its new fleet of Intercity Express Trains begins in Italy.

With electrification of the line extending as far as Newbury the new trains, capable of running on both diesel and electric, will mean that GWR is able to continue to operate direct services to Bedwyn, Hungerford and Kintbury, promising more seats on bigger, better, brand new trains for customers.

Find out more from the GWR website...

Wiltshire Council went ahead with the cut to the 1950 Bedwyn bus despite our town councillors voting against any cuts to the bus services in Marlborough, especially important links to rail services, in 2016.

TM requested an explanation from Cllr Bridget Weyman, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Waste, by email on September 8th. So far we have not received a response. 

Thanks

The Transition Marlborough team