Wiltshire Railways get unanimous backing from Wiltshire Council

A Lib Dem motion challenging the Council to push for improvements to Wiltshire's railways has passed with unanimous support in November's Full Council meeting.

Cllr Jon Hubbard (Melksham South) explains 'The Council has made very clear that rail companies can have real confidence that Wiltshire means business on improving our railways.

'We've agreed to begin to gather opinions on what Wiltshire communities want from their rail service. We'll then pull that together, with partner organisations, into a policy for the Council to

take to the rail companies.'

Cllr Jon Hubbard said 'It's important that the Council showed its support for the electrification of the Great Western mainline, and confirmed it would continue to bid for cash from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.'

'The Liberal Democrats strongly support railways as a green form of public transport and freight, and we're happy to have Conservative support on this.'

The full motion passed by Full Council on Tuesday 8th November is as follows:

1) Council encourages the administration to play a full part in working with all partner

organisations to promote the benefits of improved rail services in the county:

- submissions to the rail industry's Initial Industry Plan for 2014-2019

- participation in any consultative exercises for improving passenger and freight services

2) council welcomes the opportunities presented by:

- the electrification of the Great Western mainline

- the re-letting of the Greater Western Franchise

- the development of a bid to the Government's Local Sustainable Transport Fund to

improve Wiltshire's rail offer.

3) council recognises the potential for a significantly improved rail offer in Wiltshire. For

example:

- the Trans Wilts Line

- an Oxford to Bristol route, giving opportunity for Stations serving Corsham and Royal Wootton Bassett

4) council encourages the creation of a Rail Task Group to continue to explore the