Campaign to Double Swindon to Kemble Railway Line

Campaign for second rail track on Swindon to Kemble railway line has been launched today. The second line was closed in the 1960s creating a bottleneck which has hampered good rail connections in the area ever since. The rail improvement plan could deliver a more reliable service to Reading and London and more direct trains from Cheltenham too. The £38 million investment needed has controversially been dropped from the Office of the Rail Regulator’s list but consultation is open until 4 September and a cross-party campaign is trying to get it reinstated.

Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood relived his days as a business commuter today by getting up bright and early to get to Cheltenham Spa station before 7 o’clock in the morning. He was joining other campaigners handing out leaflets to current commuters about the doubling of the Swindon to Kemble line.

Martin said “It was no surprise that many of my work colleagues used to drive their cars to Swindon in search of a more reliable and regular service to London and I know many people from Cheltenham feel forced to do this still. But that’s no good for congestion or the environment or peoples’ stress levels when we should have a perfectly good railway service direct from Cheltenham. The doubling of the Swindon to Kemble line sounds like a bit of technical detail but what it actually means is more direct trains from Cheltenham to London and a more reliable service across the local network.”

Martin has already raised the issue in Parliament along with other Gloucestershire MPs of all parties. The Office of Rail Regulation is expected to make a final decision in October.

You can register your support for Gloucestershire County Council's campaign at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/railpetition or by Freepost at Freepost RRYJ- GCLA-TLHR, Gloucestershire County Council, Environment Directorate, Shire Hall, Gloucester GL1 2TH