| Melksham Station - "InfoStation" / loos / snack bar / info point opportunity? Posted by grahame at 12:59, 25th January 2026 |     |
Now that I have asked the key local players I am re-sharing this post in public. Most of the elephants in the room have been addressed - they are listed in the supporting documents - with only one remaining a a major concern and we are looking at how to mitigate that one. It may be just a matter of timing rather than anything else on that one.
With passenger journey numbers dropping from 75,000 to 18,000 during the "Covid year", and for so many of the remaining journeys being for work for people who could not work from home, the opening of the "Melksham Hub Cafe" could not have come at a worse time! Now, after a pause to regroup and with so much learned, it's time to revisit a volunteer presence to help customers of public transport near the station.
* Passenger numbers are back up to around 65,000 per annum
* Passenger metrics have changed, somewhat away from daily commuting towards more occasional use that requires more support
* The trains have a reputation for unreliabiiity and an informed volunteer at the station can do miracles - as we have illustrated from time to time on an adhoc basis
* The Neighbourhood Plan, which passed referendum in July 2025, includes what we are calling the "InfoStation" as part of the longer term area plan - until 2038. Town and Parish councils fully on board.
* Our distribution exercise for public transport information and a number of other local indicators have confirmed that we'll have effective volunteers to staff the place with a simple model that brings them social benefit as well as the customers.
* Some elements of the business case model that had to be included in the "Melksham Hub" are no longer there, and things like many element of the refit remain and aren't another expense.
* CCIF offers an opportunity to bid for seeding costs
I have been working with others in Melksham (under the auspices of MTUG) to get all our ducks in a row and check that all the elephants in the room are identified and dealt with. Looking good for a CCIF bid, and we have let wider potential partners know too. Just for the moment, this is in "Frequent Posters" - a public version once some things are clarified and initial stakeholder inputs received should be published by the end of this month.
Documents for members:
Draft proposal (MTUG)
Report of local "intelligence" on public transport (MTUG)
CCIF guidance (GWR)
* Passenger numbers are back up to around 65,000 per annum
* Passenger metrics have changed, somewhat away from daily commuting towards more occasional use that requires more support
* The trains have a reputation for unreliabiiity and an informed volunteer at the station can do miracles - as we have illustrated from time to time on an adhoc basis
* The Neighbourhood Plan, which passed referendum in July 2025, includes what we are calling the "InfoStation" as part of the longer term area plan - until 2038. Town and Parish councils fully on board.
* Our distribution exercise for public transport information and a number of other local indicators have confirmed that we'll have effective volunteers to staff the place with a simple model that brings them social benefit as well as the customers.
* Some elements of the business case model that had to be included in the "Melksham Hub" are no longer there, and things like many element of the refit remain and aren't another expense.
* CCIF offers an opportunity to bid for seeding costs
I have been working with others in Melksham (under the auspices of MTUG) to get all our ducks in a row and check that all the elephants in the room are identified and dealt with. Looking good for a CCIF bid, and we have let wider potential partners know too. Just for the moment, this is in "Frequent Posters" - a public version once some things are clarified and initial stakeholder inputs received should be published by the end of this month.
Documents for members:
Draft proposal (MTUG)
Report of local "intelligence" on public transport (MTUG)
CCIF guidance (GWR)
| Re: Melksham Station - "InfoStation" / loos / snack bar / info point opportunity? Posted by johnneyw at 15:57, 25th January 2026 | |
Not being a resident of the town, or wider locality, the value of my opinion is somewhat limited but surely any thought through project such as this should at the very least be progressed further. Who knows what may grow from it?
| Re: Melksham Station - "InfoStation" / loos / snack bar / info point opportunity? Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 18:34, 25th January 2026 | |
Over the years, I have used Melksham station a fair few times, as a visitor [Image from here is not available to guests]. On many such occasions, I found the help of a knowledgeable local volunteer (grahame, in my case [Image from here is not available to guests]) to be very useful, in suggesting options if my intended train was delayed or cancelled, for example. The information screens do provide some (fairly limited) factual details, but no guidance as to what options could be available. The help point I found to be of no help whatever, frankly, when I tried to use it.
I saw the cafe and thought that was an excellent facility - but, as grahame says, it was in exactly the right place but unfortunately at exactly the wrong time - during Covid lockdown. As to the possible future reopening of the facility, I think it could really take off: I would certainly use it.
My vote in the above poll has been cast accordingly. [Image from here is not available to guests]
