As Cabinet Member for Transport, Environment and Economic Development, I would like to explain my viewpoint to the many people who have requested that the council supports improved train services between Salisbury and Swindon.

In one form or another, improvements to this service have been part of the council’s transport policy for many years.

Back in 2001, it looked as if progress was being made when a service of five trains each way was introduced.

Valuable as this may have been to users, it became clear that this offering was neither a commercial success nor a solution to local transport problems.

As a result, the start of the new Greater Western franchise led to severe cutbacks in late 2006 under a service specification approved by the Department for Transport.

The council considers this to be a most unsatisfactory position and has been actively lobbying the DfT and train operator for improvements and considers that the best way to do this is to establish a properly reasoned case for service developments which have to be financially sustainable.

Fleur de Rhé-Philipe

Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Economic Development

Paddock Gate

Upton Scudamore

Warminster