Millions of passengers and customers using Manchester Piccadilly station are set to benefit from a newly installed free drinking water fountain.

• Local communities to help shape the final design of a potential new rail link from Reading and Slough to London Heathrow Airport

• Final round of public consultation opens on 11 May

• Six week consultation will include details of the likely benefits of the new railway as well as how any construction and environmental impacts will be managed

Southend passengers are set to benefit from a bigger and better railway as work ramps up to upgrade the Southend Victoria branch line.

Network Rail is issuing a final call for aspiring engineers across Wales and Borders to apply for its apprenticeship scheme, which closes to applicants on Friday 11 May.

Passengers in the South East are being urged to check before they travel over the two May bank holidays as work takes place across the region's railways.

Mardy Road bridge reopened to motorists yesterday, Monday 30 April, as work continues to modernise the railway between London and Cardiff.

Customers planning to travel on the railway between London and Carlisle via the West Midlands and north west are reminded to check before they travel as some journeys may be affected this weekend.

Bruce Crawford, MSP for Stirling, visited Kerse Road today (Monday, 30 April) to view progress on bridge demolition works, following two consecutive weekends of continuous working by Network Rail engineers to remove the structure.