Train chiefs will have the chance next week to set out their plans for a dramatic improvement of rail services in Wales.

The Strategic Rail Authority is being urged to step in after Arriva was reported to be cutting 80 trains a day in the North-east and replacing them with buses.

Even Britain is taking an active part in car-free day this year after the success of the days in other parts of Europe.

The Pedestrians' Association which has for years campaigned against the allocation of too much road space to cars and lorries is to change its name to Living Streets.

Transport planners are being told by the Government they should in future give priority to people instead of trying to improve the flow of traffic.

Transport Minister Lord Macdonald, who has made a series of concessions to the road lobby - allowing bigger lorries and building more roads - is now telling rail users to go by road or air instead.

Railfuture congratulates the Rail Regulator for halving the cost that freight train operators pay Railtrack to use the tracks. This is part of a raft of measures announced yesterday to encourage more freight to be carried by rail.

Railfuture is very disappointed that today Virgin announced fares increases of nearly 10%. Virgin state that Railtrack’s compensation package is not enough to cover their revenue loss of

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott announced a

Passengers on South West Trains look like being stuck with Stagecoach for the next 20 years.

A new rail freight operator emerged last week and already it has an eight-year contract to help Railtrack maintain and renew the track.

The proposed construction of a DIY store on the trackbed of the former Carlisle avoiding lines would block expansion of both freight and passenger services between England and Scotland.

Rail union leaders will plant a tree tomorrow in memory of everyone who has died or been injured in rail accidents.

A small section of the Luton-Dunstable rail line was ripped up on Tuesday 13 March 2001 to make sure that trains cannot run.

More than 75% of the British public wants the railway network renationalised.

Transport 2000 has tried to stimulate the argument over what the future of the railways with its report The Railways: Where do we go from here?

Virgin Trains is considering reinstating the March-Wisbech rail line if it is awarded the East Coast main line franchise.

Over 1,500 prospectuses for the project to reopen the railway to Keswick have been despatched and applications are still steadily flowing in. After a lull for Christmas and the New Year, good progress is being made again with over 350 applications received to date. Certificates are being issued in batches twice each month.

Save Our Railways has launched a new campaign for a fast, environment-lly friendly Chiltern Metro rail service.

Railfuture congratulates Lufthansa, the German airline, for initiating a switch of passengers from plane to train. In March the airline will take some passengers booked on short haul flights by train from Stuttgart via Frankfurt airport.