ALTON rail commuters look set to face a new year of mixed messages from the rail industry.

The Department of Transport has confirmed that Alton railway station is to benefit from a £1m project to install a new footbridge with two lifts.

Part of the Government's £37.5m 'Access for All' programme, which is expected to be completed by March 2014, the footbridge will make it easier to walk from one platform to another.

But improvements come at a cost and, from this Sunday, South West Trains is set to impose an average fare rise of 5.8 per cent – lower than the 8.2 per cent expected but still higher than the rate of inflation.

For full story, see this week's Alton Herald.