Swindon & Wiltshire News
Transwilts announces arrival of new director
Community rail partnership Transwilts has announced the arrival of a new director.
Swindon-based Chris Van Roon has joined the community interest company, which promotes and develops the railway line running from Swindon to Westbury via Chippenham and Melksham.
A long-time civil servant, Chris has worked for both the Department for Education and the Research Councils. He is also a former Swindon Borough Councillor and has extensive contacts in the area.
His current role sees him using GWR train services on a regular basis and he is keen to bring that experience to his new role.
Chris said: “It is an exciting time for rail as the industry moves back into the public sector and I am keen to use my local knowledge and expertise with TransWilts. I am looking forward to helping it further its aims to improve local services as well as making joined up travelling using buses and other forms of sustainable transport.”
He joins other recent recruits Catharine Symington who is championing a new station at Devizes Parkway and Alan Cudlipp who is supporting plans for a station at Corsham.
Chair Paddy Bradley said: “As with our other recent new members, Catharine and Alan, Chris will bring a wealth of skills to our meetings. His background in the civil service and local politics will be invaluable to us and I look forward to working with all three of them”.
TransWilts is a Community Interest Company that works to demonstrate and develop the importance of the railway to our local communities and economy, promoting improved connectivity between local services and the wider national rail network.
The organisation supports the Swindon to Westbury service route, as well as reaching to Bedwyn and Pewsey, serving almost a quarter of a million passengers each year.
