Some Virgin fares are coming down

The new summer rail timetables come into force this weekend.

Some passengers will be happy: First Great Western is doubling its services between Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud and London Paddington.

But commuters travelling north or south from Gloucester have less to cheer about.

Virgin Cross Country is halving services through the city: instead of one every 30 minutes - there will be one every hour.

Fares

To compensate, Wessex Trains and First Great Western are taking on more local services, increasing trains between Gloucester and Swindon, and places like Kemble and Stonehouse.

But if you want to travel further afield to the likes of Manchester or Penzance, you may have to change at Birmingham or Bristol from Monday.

The Strategic Rail Authority has agreed the changes.

It wants to cut the number of trains, and hopes bigger trains running less often will improve punctuality.

Wessex are not increasing prices, but one in 10 fares will rise with First Great Western and on Virgin Cross Country, some rise and some, like their services, are being cut.