2015 ANNUAL REPORT You know what they say about the TransWilts... Swindon Bristol Chippenham small Bath line, Avoncliff Melksham Bradford- big on-Avon Trowbridge reach Westbury Pewsey Bedwyn Dilton Marsh Warminster Wilton (future) Tisbury Salisbury Southampton and Airport Strong passenger growth underpins Prospectus “Network 2020” for TransWilts Line 2015-2019 We seek to facilitate improved There is a need for a more outputs for the railway and .” frequent hourly service and particularly the communities and Our to meet the rapidly growing Designation if successful will community demands, particularly at substantially assist the TransWilts Westbury. Improvements for local communities are provided by delivering our aspirations. Revenue collection improvements as overcrowded trains restrict on transport, connectivity between Our “Network 2020” policy 2015- train ticket sales. rural market towns and principal 2019 sets out the future direction This Annual Report outlines progress in 2014-2015 centres, access to employment, within the following priorities: and our future aspirations for TransWilts line and education and public services. objectives are supported ser vices. Our plans for development of the line More community involvement by reducing the need to travel Development and improvement with stations and the railway. passenger services essen tially align with Network Rail of the local stations, as . community gateways, with a more Improve stations; Melksham modern and prosperous railway and Chippenham, acting as To enhance the journey image. a shop windows for the town experience of transport users. both as an inward gateway to development with the current franchise operator Sharing the Wiltshire Council the local community and as an To engage and communicate Transport Plan Strategy 2011-2026 outward gateway to the wider UK GWR. A longer term “Network 2025” ten-year strategy, Vision “To develop a transport community using the national rail individual and corporate in system which helps support network. activities such as station adoption. control period 6 2019 to 2024 and new franchises for economic growth across .” Local rail service improvements Promoting special events such as supporting the rapid growth in Santa Train and Weymouth Wizard. “Increase rail connectivity passenger volumes since the as a key part of the DfT consultation to apply for through the provision of bus/ service was restored in 2013. rail links and assist with the Extend Melksham platform to three- designation of the TransWilts service as a community implementation of some new car length. rail service. stations.” Overcrowding is becoming a “Support the function of rail problem on some trains. Two car and units included in GWR franchise seventh highest in the UK. Passenger journeys grew proactively work with partners to 2016 will better suit commuter from 183,000 in 2014 to 235,000 in 2015. introduce services and corridor timetables. improvements particularly [email protected] • www.transwilts.org • Registered address: 4 Wardour Place• Melksham • Wiltshire SN12 6AY Community Interest Company (Company Number 9397959 registered in England and Wales) 2015 ANNUAL REPORT | 3 Ambitious longer term aspirations of TransWilts, and at such Prospectus “Network 2025” for TransWilts Line 2019-2025 an exciting time, both in rail and in the growth of through to Southampton Airport of the Western Region will no doubt bring new • Third platform at Chippenham facilitates Bristol challenges in addition to Extension of the TransWilts Increase rolling stock to three- service through Salisbury to car trains. for further growth with Southampton Airport. A message Additional station at Wilton Door-to-door travel times to Parkway for Salisbury and a from the would be typically one hour forty minutes . Our progress depends upon from Chippenham, one hour thirty Chairman minutes from Melksham, our Friends, members and Extended early and late train services to coincide with the last arrival times. national award recognition third platform to a regional platform to support Corsham strong partnership support Station. from GWR and Wiltshire 0 as a three-car service platform Council is essential and is interchange capability for regional connectivity. – Paul Johnson [email protected] 4 | 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 2015 ANNUAL REPORT | 5 Highlights and Progress in 2015 g Graham’s views on how things have gone and where we are going. Summer 2015 brought both challenges and opportunities. them out in force at such times as Engineering works in Box Tunnel the Santa Special, run with our and Bathampton brought two Melksham Railway Development suspensions of our services, Group associates. Our team of followed by four weeks of an counters travelled on all trains over hourly service by diverted trains a weekend in early December, from Portsmouth. I am delighted to reporting passenger numbers of www.transwilts.orgPassenger Growth report that the hourly services ran 666 on Saturday, 544 on Sunday to time, providing a very practical and 662 on Monday. TransWilts3FoldTicketWallet.indd 1 The ORR passenger growth report 06/11/2015 12:13 A new initiative in 2015 was illustration of what can be done. for 2014-2015 showed, for the the formation of the CIC in January the introduction of Friends Our Friends initiative is an second year, a 117% growth in 2015. membership, both individual and The August Saturday diversion important support element, and one corporate. of the Weymouth Wizard, an that will grow in importance in 2016 7th highest growth in the country. eight-carriage through train to further timetable supplies. contribution from our Stakeholder Our Friends Secretary is supporting Weymouth, gave us a marketing Melksham Station passengers have Partners GWR and Wiltshire with newsletters and adding opportunity, and the community and In the Autumn, we were delighted grown from the pre-service total of Council, whilst SWT are an expertise and humour to our Great Western worked together in to welcome Claire Perry, MP, changes in May and December 12,080 in 2012-2013 to 51,858 in important Corporate Sponsor. news articles. We were therefore marketing the opportunity, carrying the rail minister as our keynote have brought a through train each 2014-2015. A growth of 329% in delighted that Bob was recognised some 350 passengers each way on speaker, and in April 2016 we look day to and from Frome, a recast of two years. The CIC has invested in a by winning the individual volunteer that single train. Around half of the forward to welcoming Christian Sunday services to a more useful comprehensive web site which in the RailFuture Awards 2015. passengers heard about the train Wolmar and Nigel Harris. and regular pattern. In December Our own passenger survey facilitates support in both Rail and through our social media campaign, the retiming of the 15:14 off indicates line numbers growing to Bus public transport community In addition we won three other which won an award at the national I attended a number of meetings Swindon to 15:12 allows a faster 235,000. A 28% increase over last issues. RailFuture Awards, these RailFuture awards in November. and events including ACoRP in path and a connection to the south year and a 1,200% increase over were for “Best Social Media at Westbury; some destiations such the pre-service level of 18,000 in The Coffee Shop remains an Promotion”, “Best Campaign” and Other awards at RailFuture were Citizen Rail in Torquay. as Southampron are now reachable 2012-2013. important forum for those interested “Best Website”. Our volunteer won by our overall campaign, and an hour earlier. in transport issues. by our associated “Coffee Shop” Operational staff and passengers An innovative approach has recognition as an ACoRP Finalist. online forum, where more than are the daily bread and butter of the One of the most notable changes been introduced to timetable We have started to seek 20,000 messages were posted was the rolling up of the CRP into publications. Mini-Guides, which commercial sponsors, in particular The Weymouth Wizard was a great during the year on rail and related positive bunch. Even on a cold, wet a Community Interest Company. to support station adoption and success running on the TransWilts subjects. issued for the December 2015 engagement with employers in our smiling faces. timetable. The guide contains both transport corridor. works, but averaging more than Volunteers and supporters are key are door to door, and with the rapid rail and bus timetables for our 300 passengers per train. An to the success of the line; there This year, pocket timetables and travel corridor. We are taking a hard look at at our are far too many to mention each travel wallets were produced and to take a longer term look at where priorities and resources for 2016. again operated on a Sunday in individually, but THANK YOU. In the line is going. December. the case of the TransWilts, much the train and see people pulling out – Graham Ellis of their work is away from the their TransWilts wallet holding their [email protected] 6 | 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 2015 ANNUAL REPORT | 7 Accounts (unaudited) Bob Morrison is a leading community rail volunteer and he has a 2015 RailFuture Award to prove it. He has led the Friends membership initiative since its inception to bring a wider membership into TransWilts involvement. A journalist by trade Bob has been As Friends Administrator he Notes to Accounts Brought Forward Assets £ a regular user of the railways for oversees the receiving of 1. Accounts of CRP and CIC more than 40 years. Earlier than applications and dealing with 12,500.00 1 have been amalgamated with a that, as a nine year old going to renewals and queries from transfer of bank cash from CRP TOTAL Opening 12,500.00 school, he occasionally swapped a members. He also contributes to new CIC account. many of the articles to the regular 2.