As we are now running up to Christmas and the New Year, you will need to look on all three websites for the Christmas bus services over the holiday period. With Christmas Day being on a Tuesday services will change from Friday 21 December. We hope that both the Service 80 and 81 will run through these holidays.
Why not use the Service 80 when Swindon Town Football Club are playing at home? With a Service 80 at 14.12 from the Landmark stop, getting off the bus before the Magic Roundabout. Returning after the match on the 17.05 Service 80 to get back to the Landmark by 17.27.
On the 1 November the first electric train came through to Swindon from London Paddington. This has taken a very long time to achieve. From the new timetable starting in 2019 we will have a 45 minute service to London and with Cross Rail coming on stream next year it will make a great difference to journey times.
The size and seating on the trains is going to increase with train carriages going up from 8 to 12 on most services and the old HSTs are to be withdrawn, hopefully by the end of the year.
You may have seen the special train that commemorates the 2500 employees of the GWR railway works in Swindon who lost their lives in the First World War. This train has now gone into normal service and you may see it passing through Swindon Station.
Wiltshire Council has to save £25m next year and from Monday 19 November charges in all Wiltshire car parks will be increasing, including changing Sunday and Bank Holiday charges which are normally free. Some of this revenue will be used to keep Wiltshire Council funded bus services running, such as the Service 80.
If you would like to support Salisbury after the events of earlier this year, you could attend the Christmas Market running from 29 November to 6 January, using either the X5 service to Salisbury or using the Beehive Park and Ride. This market takes place outside the Guildhall. Bath Christmas Market runs from 22 November to 9 December. The best travel option to the market is by train from Swindon or using one of Bath’s Park and Ride sites.
The Longleat Festival of Light is from 10 November to 6 January – this is a very spectacular display to visit.
In Swindon, at the Steam Museum, there is a special Christmas Extravaganza on 1 and 2 December, from 10.00-17.00, with special prices of £3 for adults and £1 for children. This event is very well run and is worth a visit.
Cllr David Hill Transport Representative – Chiseldon Parish Council