In The News | 23rd February 2023 | Latest Rail News

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InTheNews: The latest rail news on Thursday, 23rd February 2023

Tube drivers will stage another strike next month in a dispute over pensions and working arrangements, Aslef has announced.

An article in i news says the union said 99 per cent of drivers had voted in favour of walking out, saying management had failed to “accept that changes to our working arrangements and pensions should only happen by agreement”.

Tube drivers will strike on Wednesday 15 March, with most of the London Underground expected to grind to a halt.

Transport for Wales train passengers face a “significant increase” in fares, the Welsh government has said.

An article on the BBC website says ministers in Cardiff have capped fare rises at 5.9 per cent for commuter season tickets, some off-peak returns and some anytime tickets, as of 5 March.

The rise is in line with increases planned for services governed by the UK government.

Deputy Transport Minister Lee Waters said the Welsh government had “tried to keep the increase as low as possible”.

Avanti West Coast has launched a dedicated communications channel to provide disabled customers with instant help during their journey in a first for the UK rail industry.

Called ‘Travel Companion’, the channel utilises the widely used messaging app, WhatsApp, to connect passengers on the West Coast Main Line to someone with similar experience who can offer specialist support while travelling.

Staffed by specialist members of Avanti West Coast’s social media team who have passion and empathy for accessibility, as well as knowledge of it, Travel Companion aims to improve journeys when the unexpected happens by giving disabled customers the opportunity to chat to someone that really understands.

Click here for more details.

A Londoner decided to pick a pretty unique way to travel from one end of the tube to the other – by walking.

An article in the Metro says the TikTok user who has also done the same challenge with the Victoria Line and DLR, went all the way from Hammersmith to Barking on foot in just six hours.

The route took her through 29 stations, coming to just shy of 16 miles across the capital.

Photo credit: Avanti West Coast

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