There are some changes in the pipeline for Bus Service 80 (Swindon, Marlborough, Tidworth, Ludgershall). With effect from 31st January there will be a new timetable with the same number of services but spread out further across the day. Please pick up a leaflet from the Stagecoach office or look on the Stagecoach West website. This bus connects with the X5 in Marlborough – the X5 arrives at 18.51 and the 80 leaves at 18.55, so you can come back from Salisbury on the 17.20 service.

Wiltshire Council is reviewing its subsidised bus service and would like your views. You can pick up a leaflet from any Wiltshire library or visit their website. The proposals are:

  • to reduce the X5 day time services to one every two hours
  • Service 80 to be two or three buses a day
  • The withdrawal of the X5 evening service and the 70A and the 72A evening service, as well as Sunday services.

If these changes are made they will take effect from April 2017.

There is a proposal for an £850K scheme to improve Havelock Square, behind the Brunel Shopping Centre in Swindon. A resurfacing scheme is to go ahead at the end of January for Croft Road and the major parts of Old Town. The Wyvern multi-storey carpark is being demolished whilst the multi-storey at the back of the bus station is now finished and buses can enter the station as before.

The High Street in Marlborough has gas work taking place, limiting car parking in the middle of the road. The roadworks at Greenbridge and Bruce Street Bridges are also continuing, although a new railway bridge was successfully installed at Greenbridge over the Christmas period.

Rail fares increased in January by 1.1%. Fares rise each year but there does not appear to be much improvement in the service. It’s worth noting that fares from Pewsey, Bedwyn and Hungerford to London are much cheaper than the Swindon to London line, and Pewsey station has recently been refurbished.

The famous Flying Scotsman will be in our area during May. It will be at Salisbury Station on the 21st May and Swindon Station on the 28th May. Also, the hooter on the old railway works (at the Outlet Village) will be sounded again in March- to mark 30 years since the closure of the Swindon Works.

Cllr David Hill
Chiseldon Parish Council