Fares
++


Regulated
train
fares
in
England
and
Wales
have
risen
by
an
average
of
5.9
per
cent.
The
increase
includes
a
significant
cap,
because
last
July’s
RPI,
which
is
the
usual
basis
for
the
annual
fare
changes,
was
12.3
per
cent.
Campaigners
are
calling
for
a
discount
of
20
per
cent
on
Mondays
and
Fridays,
which
have
become
the
quietest
days
of
the
traditional
five
day
working
week
since
the
Covid-19
pandemic.
Regulated
fares
include
season
tickets
and
some
off-peak
travel
on
long
distance
services.
The
increase
affects
National
Rail
in
England
and
Wales,
and
Transport
for
London
services.

Reopening
++
The
railway
between
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
and
Ashington
is
set
to
reopen
to
passenger
trains
next
year,
according
to
transport
secretary
Mark
Harper.
Trains
to
Newcastle
will
call
at
six
accessible
stations
serving
Ashington,
Bedlington,
Blyth
Bebside,
Newsham,
Seaton
Delaval
and
Northumberland
Park.
The
journey
time
between
Newcastle
and
Ashington
will
be
halved,
to
35
minutes.
Trains
will
run
seven
days
a
week.

Station
scheme
++


Work
has
started
on
building
a
new
station
at
Ashley
Down,
on
the
northern
side
of
Bristol.
The
scheme
is
being
funded
by
the
West
of
England
Combined
Authority,
which
covers
Bristol,
Bath,
North
East
Somerset
and
South
Gloucestershire.
The
station
will
be
served
by
trains
between
Bristol
Temple
Meads
annd
Filton
Abbey
Wood.
These
will
continue
to
North
Filton
and
Henbury
when
these
stations
are
opened
as
part
of
the
wider
MetroWest
project
in
Greater
Bristol.