THE Forest’s only mainline railway station has seen passenger numbers joining and exiting trains jump by nearly a quarter over the past year.

Despite having no ticket office, waiting room or other facilities except two platform shelters, Lydney Train Station recorded the biggest increase in the whole of Gloucestershire, with 48,000 more passengers using it compared to the previous year.

Its usage was up 24.7 per cent from 195,532 to 243,896, making it the sixth busiest station in the county, according to Government figures.

In total, 5,691,196 people used Gloucestershire stations in 2018/19, a rise of up by 256,530.

The population of Lydney is increasing rapidly thanks to several new home developments, and people moving into the area from Bristol since the Severn Bridge tolls ended just over a year ago.