Ten-year anniversary sees enhanced TransWilts services rack up more than one million miles
Celebrations were in full swing today to mark exactly 10 years since TransWilts services were increased in a joint partnership between Wiltshire Council, Great Western Railway, the Department for Transport and local users.
In that time, TransWilts services between Swindon and Westbury have clocked up more than one million passenger-carrying miles – the equivalent of travelling to the moon and back….TWICE!
To celebrate, a special cake was cut at Westbury station in a 10th anniversary celebration attended by representatives from Wiltshire Council, TransWilts Community Rail Partnership, Melksham Town Council, Melksham User Group and GWR.
Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Transport, Cllr Caroline Thomas, said:
“This 10-year anniversary marks an incredible milestone for Wiltshire, as it celebrates a decade since we jointly invested in additional services from Westbury through to Swindon by rail.
“The Department for Transport said they would take over and operate the services if there was sufficient demand after three years. The services did so well that they didn’t even need to wait the three years!
“This milestone is testament to the hard work of TransWilts Community Rail and our partnership working, and we look forward to the line serving the county for many more years to come.”
TransWilts Community Rail Officer, Sophie Martin, said:
“We are proud to have been part of the journey over the last 10 years on the TransWilts. Not only have we seen passenger numbers increase, we are particularly pleased to have attracted numerous schoolchildren and young adults to the trains, many for the first time. We look forward to building on that success in the years to come.”
GWR Business Assurance and Strategy Director, Joe Graham, said:
“We were delighted to work in partnership with Wiltshire Council and TransWilts Community Rail Partnership to improve rail links, and it is heartening to see them still proving popular with customers 10 years on.
“When these extra services were introduced the TransWilts became the fastest growing community rail line in the country – so much so that not only did the Department for Transport adopt the services earlier than expected, but we had to double the capacity by going from a single carriage service to the two carriages you see today.
“We look forward to building on the success of the TransWilts line and using it as a model for success on other parts of the GWR network.”
Contact Information
John Carter
Media and Communications Manager
Great Western Railway
0845 410 4444
Notes to editors
Main picture: Celebrations at Westbury to mark 10 years - and more than one million miles - of increased services on the TransWilts line
Inset: Toasting 10 years of enhanced services on the TransWilts line are, left to right, Cllr Graham Ellis, of Melksham Town Council, GWR Business Assurance and Strategy Director Joe Graham, Horace Prickett, of TransWilts CRP, and Cllr Tamara Reay, of Wiltshire Council
First Greater Western Limited, trading as “Great Western Railway” (GWR), operates trains across the Great Western franchise area, which includes South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, across southern England and into London. GWR provides high speed, commuter, regional and branch line train services, and before the covid-19 pandemic helped over 100 million passengers reach their destinations every year. GWR has been awarded a National Rail Contract to continue operating the Great Western network, which shall run up to 21 June 2025, with the potential for a further three years at the Secretary of State’s discretion. Find out more here: https://www.gwr.com/about-us