Hundreds of rail customers are responding to a survey launched by Pewsey Train Watch to prove the economic need for the extension of the electrification of the First Great Western service to London Paddington.
And with the closing date for responses 9am on Sunday, you too can add to the growing pressure for the Department of Transport to extend electrification beyond the currently proposed cut-off point of Newbury.
“We’re having a fantastic response to the survey and, at time of writing, we have over 1,600 responses,” Pewsey Train Watch spokesman Karl Lloyd told Marlborough News Online today (Friday).
“We need to keep the numbers climbing, though, as the more responses we get the more robust and credible our data will be when we present it to ARUP, the consultants the Department has appointed.”
“In particular we need more coverage in the Hungerford and Kintbury areas as, with no user group in Kintbury and only a very small fledgling group in Hungerford, it’s proving a little more difficult to get the message through there.”
“To an extent we also need more coverage in Westbury as this is quite an important station in the mix. I’m frantically digging out as many media outlets as I can in what little time we have left to try and get the message through.”
Typical of the responses and ideas being promoted is one rail user who wrote: “Importantly I use the link for access to Europe via Eurostar. Without the service, or with a change at Newbury, I would fly instead – thus adding to road traffic, increasing my carbon footprint, and reducing train service use.”
Another pointed out: “Leisure use would be much higher with more weekend and late services. For example, on a Saturday I can get from Pewsey to Hungerford, but not back!”
Business users with clients in London find the rail service “unreliable and problematic,” as well as trains so full there are no seats while the First Class carriages are virtually empty.
One respondent said: “We run a B&B dependant on guests arriving on good public transport, preferably train, as we have Green Tourism Awards.”
Said another: “I would travel for leisure more — but the lack of late services mean we are unable to go out in London, for example to the theatre,” and yet another pointed out: “Travel twice a year for business but would use it more if there was a better service and I had a seat.”
Mr Lloyd, overwhelmed with the replies, added: “We’ve rather thrown ourself to the wind with this as, having promised ARUP that we’d contribute figures to the process, we’re now committed to doing so whatever the number say.”
“Luckily, so far, the responses are all trending in the right direction and we should be able to make a serious contribution to bolstering the economic case for extending electrification.” Various options being considered, which cover the stations at Kintbury, Hungerford, Bedwyn, Pewsey and Westbury, will lead to improved rail services with electrification.
The Pewsey Train Watch survey is aimed at quantifying the value that the trains contribute to local economies served by Kintbury, Hungerford, Bedwyn, Pewsey and Westbury stations.
“Please take this opportunity to help ensure your county gets the rail services it deserves by completing the survey and tell others about it,” said Dr Sam Page of Transition Marlborough, which is also urging people to play a part.
Click here to complete the survey
Closing date for survey is at 9am this Sunday!
All submissions are anonymous.