Focus of work
MetroWest is a multi-year programme by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) to improve rail services in Bristol and the surrounding region.
A group of campaigners and train companies are focusing on one part of the MetroWest network in Wiltshire and Bristol, calling for an improved metro system serving over 400,000 people living, visiting or working in the region.
Currently, some of the worst services in the area have just one train every two hours. This project hopes to increase this to two trains per hour. The best services in the area are on average three and a half trains per hour, which the group wants to see increased to six per hour.
The proposal by MetroWest sets out the introduction of local shuttle services between the long-distance trains, reducing congestion from road development and encouraging the building of new housing in these areas.
The aim is to create a positive spiral, where the uplift in value of land from new housing pays for the capital cost of the upgrades, and the increased catchment raises ridership to the level where the metro makes an operating profit.
As part of this project, FIT has agreed two small grants in 2025. The first grant in March was to support the costs of a stakeholder meeting with local decision makers, and the second grant in June was to support the costs of organising a sponsors’ meeting for MPs; Wiltshire, Bath & North East Somerset and Somerset councillors and officers; Network Rail and rail operators; Network Rail Property and Homes England; and housing developers.
Impact
Chippenham and Trowbridge are potential hub towns on the network. They are in areas with high levels of housing demand. The local authority has currently proposed road development linking to new housing for over 75,000 people, all of whom will become dependent on cars.
MetroWest wants to change this with their new rail network, sustainably housing up to 135,000 more people while reducing congestion from traffic.
They want to achieve:
- Quicker and easier travel to school, college or work – without having to use a car
- More frequent trains integrated with buses and comfortable protected walking and bicycling to and from the station
- Preservation of the countryside by focusing new homes on less land close to the metro.
If successful, this as an approach that can be replicated across the country.