HEART OF WESSEX RAIL PARTNERSHIP

LINE PLAN 1

1. DESCRIPTION OF THE HEART OF WESSEX LINE

The to Weymouth (Heart of Wessex) Line is served by up to eight daily services each way on a series of routes shared with other services - main line, regional and local. The 87 mile route connects 20 stations, ranging from Bristol Temple Meads with a total footfall of 10.1 m (the 35th busiest station in the country), through several market towns in , and to small rural halts. Appendix (page 11) shows the route of the line.

The line is scenic for almost its entire length, running along the southern edge of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and giving access at several stations into the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The route “intertwines” with the Kennet & Avon Canal, with two stations offering excellent access to this. Two UNESCO World Heritage Sites are joined by the route – the City of Bath and the Jurassic Coast, for which Weymouth is a key gateway.

2. THE HEART OF WESSEX RAIL PARTNERSHIP

Initiated in 1994 as the Bristol to Weymouth Rail Partnership, the first partnership agreement was drawn up in 1998. In 2003, the name was changed to The Heart of Wessex Rail Partnership to match the new branding for the line. First Great Western took over the franchise in 2006, and in September 2015 became Great Western Railway (GWR). The company has significantly increased the level of commitment to this partnership from the train operator. The Local Authority funding partners, signed up to a revised partnership agreement since 2009 are:

Bristol City Council, Bath & North East Somerset Council, Wiltshire Council, Somerset County Council, District Council, Dorset County Council and West Dorset District Council.

Between them, these partners supply 50% of the current core funding requirement with Great Western Railway matching this on a pound for pound basis. The partnership has one full time employee. Application of annual funding contributions is currently 58% for salary and administration costs, 27% for marketing and 15% for the Community Projects Grant Fund. Additional funding contributions for specific projects from Great Western Railway has enabled the partnership to develop a much improved website, and has facilitated additional projects including some infrastructure improvements to stations.

3. ACTION PLAN

The core Action Plan agreed with the funders in 2003 laid the foundation for a new approach to the partnership’s work, and has determined its continuing development and work programme. The overall objective to raise awareness and increase use of the Bristol to Weymouth line was to be addressed through i) building community involvement, ii) improving information provision & promotion of the line’s destinations/local economies, and iii) enhancing station environments and facilities, including access to them by other modes of travel.

1 The Heart of Wessex Line is designated as a Community Rail Service. Definition from DfT website: “Service Designation: changes the approach to franchise management, with more freedom given to the train operator working with the local community rail partnership. Service designation would include relevant stations” Match funding for small projects is available to community rail partnerships who support designated lines (DCRDF) and any bids would need to correspond with areas of work specified in this Line Plan.

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4. DELIVERY AGAINST ACTION PLAN

Overall objective: raise awareness and increase use of the Bristol to Weymouth line

Passenger journeys on the Heart of Wessex Line have grown from 705,500 in 2003 to 2,046,000 in 2015. In the chart below, cumulative percentage annual growth over 2003 is shown for the Heart of Wessex, the total of eight lines making up the Severn & Solent region2 and for national Regional Rail Operators3. Appendix (page 11) shows the Severn & Solent region map.

Regional Operators FGW Severn & Solent total Heart of Wessex 200

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

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0 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

The growth rate on the Heart of Wessex Line over the period is three times the national average and double the overall growth rate within the Severn & Solent area. The “share” of the total passenger journeys in the Severn & Solent region made on the Heart of Wessex Line has risen from 9.8 % to 14.9 % over the period. There has been no change to the service provision. For every 100 journeys made in 2003, 290 journeys are now being made on the same trains.

The rate of growth has slowed over the last two years and, for the first time in 12 years, in 2015 the growth on the line did not exceed the regional average (6% growth on Heart of Wessex, 7% for total of all eight Severn & Solent lines). Lower levels of annual growth may in part be due to increasing capacity limitations. i) Building community involvement. During 2003, an intensive round of meetings with local organisations resulted in an initial series of small community projects promoting or enhancing the line and stations. This has expanded steadily, and many of the stations have been adopted by volunteers from the local communities, with a range of other projects initiated by community groups to promote local economies, walking, access improvements and customer information contributing substantially to the partnership’s objectives. A total of over 13,000 hours of work is contributed annually by 120 voluntary supporters. ii) Promotion of the Bristol to Weymouth route, now branded as “The Heart of Wessex Line”, has been a core priority. This started from a very low base of awareness – during the early years it

2 Data supplied by FGW. SEVERN & SOLENT TOTAL includes total of passenger journeys on: Cardiff-Portsmouth, Bristol-Exeter, Bristol-Weymouth, Bristol – Great Malvern, Bristol –Severn Beach, Bristol – Cardiff, Bath – Filton and Swindon-Westbury. (See map on Page 7). 3 Office of Rail Regulation. Regional Rail Operators excludes London and South East. 2 was not uncommon to encounter members of the public who thought the line had closed, or simply had no idea that they were able to reach Bath and Bristol by train. Hence a large proportion of the growth in use of the line coincides with the partnership’s promotional work in the first six years of the original action plan. Passenger journeys doubled from 705,000 in 2003 to 1,489,000 in 2009, growing a further 37% over the next six years to 2,046, 000 in 2015. iii) Improving station environments. In 2003 it was common for the line to be referred to as a “Cinderella” route. Unstaffed stations in particular were extremely grim public spaces. One had been voted the worst station in Britain by The Daily Telegraph, and vandalism, including graffiti of many years’ vintage, blighted several of the stations. A series of Working Party projects was initiated between 2003 and 2006, and with Local Authority funding five of the stations saw substantial improvements, including CCTV.

From spring 2006, when the franchise was taken over by First, a further group of stations saw significant investment, meeting aspirations on the community wish list, and there has also been a continuous series of small projects initiated by local groups and funded by the partnership’s Community Projects Grant Fund, cumulatively enhancing stations and making them significantly more welcoming.

5. THE COMMUNITY RAIL WORKING PARTY and the COMMUNITY WISH LIST

The Community Rail Working Party (CRWP) consists of representatives from local communities who contribute to enhancing and promoting the route. CRWP meetings with managers from the Train Operating Company are by invitation only to those actively contributing to the partnership’s work. The focus is on sharing ideas and finding solutions to problems in a spirit of “joint ownership” of the line. CRWP meetings have effectively become an “engine room” for the partnership’s work with communities, and an increasingly important contributor to the train operator’s understanding of local needs.

“The Matrix” of short, medium and long term projects, ideas and aspirations is updated at least four times a year, summarising recent communications with voluntary and community groups, meetings at stations and issues raised at Community Rail Working Parties.

It is recognised that at any one time the total number of short term aspirations, requests and project ideas far exceeds the resource available from the Station Management team, and the partnership officer, Stations Manager and Community Rail Manager meet periodically to review and prioritise items on the Matrix. Long term community aspirations on The Matrix form The Community Wish List that is held in readiness for new funding opportunities The current Community Wish List is summarised on page 8, and some key community wish list items delivered since 2006 are summarised on pages 9 &10. 3

LINE PLAN

6. FUNDING PARTNERS’ PRIORITIES

Local Authority priorities are summarised in the following chart:

Priorities Desired outcomes 1. Economic Enhancing vitality of local economies by encouraging footfall & spend and Growth promoting local business. Strengthening and underpinning local businesses and improving access to training and employment. 2. Carbon Stimulating behavioural change by encouraging more use of public transport. Reduction, Health Contributing to better safety, security and health by promoting and facilitating & Staying Safe more use of low carbon modes of transport, including walking and cycling. 3. Localism Developing sustainable, direct community involvement & participation 4. Accessibility Helping to address accessibility and equality issues. Improved information provision to aid understanding & ease of use of public transport. Promoting/facilitating use of intermodal links

The train operator’s requirement from the partnership is for a continued emphasis on building (and retaining) passenger use of the line, and providing an effective conduit to improving their understanding of and response to community needs and aspirations. At a practical level the partnership also serves as a focal point or “filter” for the community/voluntary interface, assisting the train operator to manage the time and resources devoted to this aspect of its business. Statement from GWR on its objectives for community rail funding: page 7.

7. RAIL PARTNERSHIP PRIORITIES

Local Authority Rail Partnership Priorities Project Category Priorities 1. Economic Promoting more use of the line to the A) Promotion Development benefit of local economies Making it easy for visitors to understand and B) Connecting Up use services, stations and connections Stations as community gateways and “shop C) Station Welcome windows” to destinations Supporting and promoting local businesses A) Promotion 2. Carbon Reduction, Encouraging more people to switch to rail B) Connecting Up Health & Staying Safe by assisting new users to understand services, stations and connections Continued improvement of station facilities/ C) Station Welcome making stations feel safer and more welcoming Encourage, facilitate and promote more B) Connecting Up walking and cycling to stations 3. Localism Manage, motivate, sustain and build D) CRWP & Community community involvement and respond to projects. local needs and aspirations for the line 4. Accessibility Assist those with visual, hearing and B) Connecting Up learning difficulties Assist understanding of connections, services and stations

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8. PROJECT CATEGORIES

OBJECTIVE DEFINITION A : PROMOTION A1 Three Line Guide editions per year A2 Development and maintenance of www.heartofwessex.org.uk : Detailed focus on local economies utilising local knowledge and linking to local resources A3 Identifying gaps in existing information including walking routes /connections from stations to local economies, and promoting intermodal links including journey opportunities to other destinations accessible from Heart of Wessex Line stations. A4 Adding value to / filling other gaps in customer information to encourage rail travel (e.g. promotion of rail travel to one off or regular events, travel discounts etc) A5 Reviewing work and achievements. Improving understanding and awareness of the rail partnership and the range of people who contribute to its success B : CONNECTING UP & “FIXING THE LINK” B1 Development of walking routes to and from stations. This may include route and access improvements, directional signing and enhancements to access in general B2 Maintenance/updating of local information and links on www.heartofwessex.org.uk including “Connecting Up” map guides to show walking routes, useful bus connections etc. B3 Facilitating and supporting infrastructure and information improvements aimed at encouraging more cycling to stations, including additional cycle storage B4 Raising awareness of intermodal connections supplied by other organisations (private or public), working in partnership with them B5 Respond to particular/special needs for information or assistance in accessing, understanding and connecting to/ from the railway. This may include projects for improved signage or specialised information initiatives. C : STATION WELCOME C1 Enhancements to station signing including Running In Boards/ “Welcome” signs C2 Improving information at stations for passengers, including directional signs to onward connections including footpaths, maps showing key local features etc. C3 Developing Community Notice Boards with local groups informing customers of their activities, and potentially addressing some aspects of C2 above. C4 Improving shelter and seating provision at stations C5 Developing recycling facilities for those stations where voluntary or other resource is available to collect and transport to recycling centres C6 Facilitating/ assisting initiatives from local organisations for projects to promote and/or enhance stations as “gateways” to their local economies. D : CRWP & COMMUNITY PROJECTS D1 Encouraging, supporting and advising voluntary community, project and station groups and coordinating projects with the station manager /contacts in other organisations. D2 Administration of the Community Projects Grant Fund, including communicating good practice in local projects between stations/communities D3 Organising and running CRWP meetings and joint task forces. D4 The Matrix including the Community Wish List: Maintaining/ issuing updates. D5 Review meetings with Stations Manager & Community Rail manager to prioritise projects from the Matrix and Community Wish List

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9. WORK PLAN 2016/17

PROJECT CATEGORY OUTLINE WORK PLAN Objective

PROMOTION LINE GUIDES A1 Summer 2016 (May to September) A4 Autumn 2016 (Sept to December) B5 Winter / Spring 2016/17 (December to May)

Review and revise distribution of line guides 3x per year

WEBSITE Review, maintain and update with local events, information A2 and new links

Development / expansion of maps and access information A3 to and from stations, including intermodal links B2 Annual review /report A5

CRWP & COMMUNITY Develop, support and expand community/voluntary D1 PROJECTS involvement; advice/support, regular communication & meetings at stations with individual groups = sustained throughout the year.

Community Projects Grant Fund: Encourage community D2 projects and administer use of the fund to support these

Plan, organise and run Community Rail Working Party D3 meetings, task forces & special events.

Minimum of 4 updates of The Matrix (including the D4 Community Wish List)

Review meetings with Station Manager and Community D5 Rail Manager to prioritise/progress items from The Matrix. CONNECTING UP Improving (“fixing”) the link between stations and local economies including work to further promote/support/ facilitate use of intermodal connections. Progress/develop further project for improved pedestrian B1 access to/ from station & town / local economies

Progress/develop at least one further project for B3 improved cycle access/ facilities at stations.

STATION WELCOME Developing stations as better gateways/shop windows to local communities and their economies. Improving facilities and customer information at stations. Deliver at least one further station signing improvement C1

Update & renew community/visitor information at minimum C3 of three stations.

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10. THE COMMUNITY WISH LIST & GWR Community Rail Funding

Needs and aspirations from local communities are collected on The Matrix (as described on page 3), covering current activity, issues that need attention from the train operator or , and longer term aspirations which make up the Community Wish List.

The current COMMUNITY WISH LIST extracted from the latest edition of The Matrix is given on the next page, followed by some of the key Community Wish List Items that have already been delivered.

In addition to these, there are ongoing aspirations relating to improvement to services: 1) The current maximum of eight services each way has seen no improvement for several decades. Both the growth in use of the line, leading to increased overcrowding, and latent demand from communities who cannot viably chose the train as an alternative to the private car, can only be addressed by filling the two and three hour gaps in services, ideally through a regular hourly service along the entire route. 2) Sunday Services. The introduction of year round services allowing a full day out in both Bristol/Bath and Weymouth is a key, long standing community aspiration.

GWR Community Rail Funding From 2014/5 a new approach from the train operator to projects generated by community rail partnerships is summarised in the following statement:

Great Western Railway recognises the success of the Partnership in promoting the line and the resulting strong growth in passenger numbers. This has built up over many years, based on the Partnership’s ability to be an effective conduit to understanding and responding to community needs and aspirations, & to be a focal point for community / voluntary interface. This is vitally important and will continue to be supported by the train operator. Additional funding is available to support Partnership projects through the course of the next Direct Award to 2019, where these align with community priorities, address customer issues and secure wider Partner support. Match funding will be sought to generate further benefits for projects. GWR believes this evolving Line Plan to be central to meaningful discussions with partners about bringing forward and prioritising enhancements to both stations and services

The annual budget for Community Rail partnerships covers GWR’s match contribution to the core costs of all of its partnerships, and in addition can supply some match funding for projects that each partnership wishes to pursue in a particular year. In the case of the Heart of Wessex, the Community Wish List is the primary source for selecting projects that could be developed with this additional funding.

Customer & Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF) Introduced in 2015, this special fund of £2.2 million over 3 years is available for community led initiatives from an extensive range of organisations across the Great Western Railway franchise area, including community rail partnerships. In 2015/6 two of the submissions from the Heart of Wessex Rail Partnership were accepted for funding in 2016/7, in addition to independently submitted projects from Wiltshire Council which will deliver pedestrian access improvements at Westbury station, and Town Council which will help to address the need for better links between station & town. These are indicated by CCIF on the current Community Wish list on the next page.

DfT Cycle Rail Fund. A successful bid to this fund led by Dorset County Council will deliver two further items, to be implemented by GWR in 2016, and indicated by DfTCR on next page.

Local funding (County, District & Town Councils + Dorchester Area Community Partnership) for level access to Dorchester West was originally secured in 2010, and there are indications that implementation of this project may now be delivered by Network Rail (NR) during 2016. 7

COMMUNITY WISH LIST at 1st April 2016

Freshford Car park: issues with limited space/access. Ideally there should be priority parking for local residents Improvements to walking route Limpley Stoke to Freshford Station Expansion & relocation of cycle storage provision CCIF Car parking will become constrained as current arrangement with private land owner terminates Bradford on Avon Additional ticket machine at entrance ramp to northbound platform Additional seating on southbound platform Station café / catering facility Pedestrian access improvements to southbound/town side entrance Westbury Expansion/ improvement to car parking Replace / improve bus shelter in front of station Bus interchange improvements -better links to town centre Improve pedestrian access to station from local areas CCIF Frome Improved access to toilets (customers must queue to ask for key when ticket office open, thereafter no access at all to toilets) Improved pedestrian & cycle access from town & through industrial estate; crossing on main road; extension of Colliers Way cycle path. Signing for walking route / improved directional information for visitors CCIF from station to town. Direct access for customers to southbound platform Expansion to car parking capacity Upgrade of Customer Information point to include screen Expansion to car parking capacity Rail Bus Interchange in station forecourt Expanded shelter provision on centre platform Lighting for section of footpath nearest to station Improved Access for all ( wheelchair users, cyclists /those with luggage) Running In Board(s) Pen Mill Expansion to car parking capacity S/bound trains into Platform 1 to assist disabled, those with luggage etc Town Map/ visitor welcome + directional signing walking route into town Running in board (s) Improved signing to station(s) from town for car drivers Safer walking route to Beer Hackett with level access from station Lighting in station shelter / Neither of these stations yet benefits from community support, but the potential for projects to be developed in the future will be kept open. Maiden Newton More robust improvement to surface of Station Approach road (potholes reappear annually causing hazard in the dark) Lighting on station approach road Replacement/ renovation of both poster boards in front of station Improved cycle access to Bridport trailway through station DfTCR Dorchester West Level access to northbound platform NR Safer access for pedestrians along station approach road & improvements to road crossings on route from town/ D South. Improved signing to and along walking route to Town Centre Upgrade of customer information system to include displays CCIF Lighting and water supply for Friends’ storage room Cycle storage on northbound platform DfTCR Upwey Cycle ramp on footbridge same/similar to the one at Parkstone Running In board Station Approach exit onto Littlemore Road: blind to traffic from right

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COMMUNITY WISH LIST ITEMS DELIVERED Since 2006

Until 2006, the community wish list was primarily addressed through local authority funding and/or the partnership’s own Community Projects Grant Fund. Prior to 2006 major improvements were made at Dorchester West & Maiden Newton (DCC including CCTV); Bruton (SCC funded CCTV & contributed to complete station remodelling in 2004, in joint project with SSDC, rail partnership & Friends of the Station) & Frome (SCC including CCTV, cycle storage and provision of a new car park) and at Westbury (station facility & signing improvements by Wiltshire Council, Westbury Town Council & rail partnership).

First Group took over in 2006 with a programme of major investment in stations, primarily aimed at the top 50 of the 210 stations in its franchise area. Items on our Community Wish List, most notably improvements to Westbury & Trowbridge stations, were delivered through this programme. A franchise commitment to expand car parking capacity benefitted Frome and Castle Cary. In addition to this, 100k was allocated directly to the Heart of Wessex CRWP for projects from the Community Wish List to be selected (by vote) by the communities themselves. Over the last few years, the train operator has committed to substantial additional funding for Community Rail Partnerships, and fulfilment of the Community Wish List has been stepped up significantly.

KEY: Principally funded by GWR CR Great Western Railway Community Rail Fund CPGF Rail Partnership’s Community Projects Grant Fund (larger items only. Supplies regular gardening grants, waterbutts/ other equipment,community posters, events etc) B&NES, WILTS, SCC, DCC Local Authorities: Bath & North East Somerset Council, Wiltshire Council, Somerset County Council, Dorset County Council. FGW FGW invested £40m in station improvements in 2007/8 & FGW CWF allocated £100k to Heart of Wessex to deliver specific Community Wish List items

Keynsham Access for all to northbound platform B&NES: 2015 Oldfield Park Establishment of Station Gardens FGW CWF: 2007 Freshford Improved shelter provision northbound platform GWR CR: 2016 Improved seating in customer waiting area CPGF: 2015 Restore & reinstate original running in board CPGF/ B&NES: 2013 southbound Reinstate original running in board northbound CPGF: 2010 (restored by Friends of Freshford) Poster board for community information poster CPGF: 2006 Establishment of stations gardens CPGF: 2006 Avoncliff Safety fencing along ramps up to platforms GWR: 2015 Running In Boards CPGF: 2009 Shelter for southbound platform FGW CWF: 2008 Bradford on Level Access ramp and new entrance to northbound WILTS: 2011 Avon platform Running In boards CPGF: 2010 Establishment of Station Gardens CPGF: 2008 Renovation & reopening of northbound waiting room FGW CWF: 2008 Additional seating for both platforms CPGF: 2006 Trowbridge Improved waiting shelter on southbound platform WILTS: 2015 (£1m station refurbishment project delivered this and a range of other enhancements) Toilets FGW: 2007 Improvements to entrance & booking office FGW: 2007 Westbury Improved/ expanded cycle provision WILTS: 2014 9

Poster board for Station Friends CPGF: 2015 Establishment of station gardens CPGF: 2014 Improved access for disabled customers and toilets on FGW: 2008 platform 2/3 included in major improvement project Frome Improved /safer cycle storage GWR CR: 2015 New seat for booking hall CPGF: 2015 Poster Board for Station Friends CPGF: 2015 Running In Boards FGW CWF: 2008 Refurbishment of waiting room & booking hall FGW CWF: 2008 Station Car Park FGW: 2007 (fund, primarily from SCC, held in rail partnership reserve awaiting match funding and implementation of project – delivered immediately by FGW with new franchise) Bruton Running in board for southbound platform (delivered GWR CR: 2014 with complete new signing scheme for the station) Castle Cary Improved signing within station to walking route to GWR CR: 2015 town Community notice board CPGF: 2015 Wheelchair accessible toilets FGW CWF: 2008 Expansion to car park FGW: 2007 Way marking and interpretation boards for walking SCC CPGF SSDC: route between station and town 2007 Yeovil Pen Mill Improved signing to assist in finding exit/bus stop etc. CPGF: 2015 & 2016 when ticket office is closed Feature planters for interior & exterior of station GWR CR: 2016 Community notice boards (2) on front of station CPGF: 2014 Bus Stop at station for 68 bus link SCC: 2011 Community notice board inside station CPGF: 2011 Refurbishment of waiting room & booking hall, and FGW CWF: 2008 new station signs. Renovation old lamp shed for gardeners storage FGW CWF: 2008 Thornford Safe walking route from station to village DCC: 2011 Creation of car park and link to station FGW CWF: 2008 Reinstatement of running in board/ other station signs CPGF: 2006 Maiden Newton Running In board & better signs for arriving GWR CR: 2015 passengers Renovation of room in disused station building for use FGW CWF: 2008 by Station Friends Group Community Notice board CPGF: 2006 Dorchester Improved shelter provision for northbound platform GWR CR: 2015 West Running In Board CPGF: 2016 Signing & customer information scheme between DCC: 2015 Dorchester West & Dorchester South stations Repainting of station building and renewal of fencing. GWR CR: 2014

Renovation of room in disused building for use by CPGF & FGW: 2010 Friends of Dorchester West Upwey Repainting/renovation of station footbridge SWT/ NR: 2015 Improved directional signing within station CPGF / SWT: 2009 Weymouth Information / map for customers at station to assist in DCC: 2015 finding bus stops featured on live departure screen Heart of Wessex Line Plan, 4th edition: finalised by Partnership Steering Group 26th April 2016 [email protected]

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APPENDIX 1: Route of Heart of Wessex Line

APPENDIX 2: The Heart of Wessex Line shown within GWR’s Severn and Solent Region

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