More and faster trains just the ticket as passengers face price rises

RAIL travellers facing inflation-busting fare rises in the new year will at least be getting more, and faster, trains, it was revealed today.

Rail companies will be running nearly 700 more trains a day on weekdays and 265,000 more a year from next Sunday when a new timetable comes in, the Association of Train Operating Companies said.

Many services will be faster and will feature longer trains, with the completion of a multi-billion pound project helping to improve journeys on the London to Scotland west coast main line.

The new timetable takes effect less than three weeks before new year fares are introduced, with season tickets going up by an average of 6 per cent.

For passengers, the new timetable will mean:

• An 3.4 per cent rise in trains running each weekday, taking the total to 20,728

• The number of Saturday trains increasing by 5.2 per cent and Sunday trains by 7.6 per cent

• 20 per cent more trains than the last comparable timetable of British Rail services in 1996

• Four new stations and two new lines opening during the next few months

• Eight additional towns and cities being linked by direct services to London

• 30 per cent more trains on the West Coast route, with 13 million additional seats a year.