Anna Francis, Frome Town Council’s Resilience Manager, attended Somerset County Council’s Rail Workshop for Regional Directors in Taunton. She was there to highlight the need for better rail services and links in Frome and the wider area. Somerset only has 9 stations and Frome is the only town with a station in Mendip.
In ten years usage at Frome station increased 70% with minimal increases in services showing there is growing demand for more services. Anna highlighted the large gaps in provision, for example, trains to Westbury leaving at either 8:16 or 10:24 outwards and often two hour gaps between trains including the peak times of 3:30 and 5:30pm.
Improvements to the aesthetics at the station were also highlighted and Anna will work with Network Rail to try to secure access to the far side platform.
The workshop is being fed in to Somerset’s Passenger Transport Strategy. Participants highlighted the need for the strategy to link in with planned development, to explore wider transport needs to ensure that rail can meet these and to set out a more ambitious vision for 2050.
If you would like to see more please go to www.somersetconsults.org.uk/consult.ti/ptstrategy/consultationHome
