It is the impossible dream - cut-price commuter tickets to help ease the crushing financial burden of daily travel into the capital.

So, why are long-suffering London rail travellers always bearing the brunt of expensive fares, when there are deals to be had on other lines out of London?

It comes as a low-cost train operator has announced plans for a new no-frills service linking London and Manchester.

But, it’s not due to start until 2027.

Mark Blunden hears how it’s been a significant week for rail infrastructure from our transport editor, Ross Lydall.

Plus, in part two Rachelle Abbott speaks with ES commissioning editor El Hunt about her five-star review of the much anticipated third album from Billie Eilish, titled Hit Me Hard And Soft.

El discusses the record’s themes, its best tracks, rumours about Eilish’s next album and if now is a competitive time for an album release.

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This is a preview of Brave New World season two. In episode one, Evgeny Lebedev talks to stoicism expert Professor Bill Irvine, whose books detail the ancient wisdom of Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius for a new generation.

To hear the full episode search Brave New World Evening Standard.

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London's been named the worst region in the country for recycling. How plastics are sent to Bristol to be incinerated. Why China and other far-away countries are picking up the Capital’s trash. In Part One, author and journalist Oliver Franklin-Wallis explains what’s really happening to our recycling and why. And in Part Two, our acting culture editor Nick Clark explains why he gave the V&A’s ‘Fragile Beauty’ exhibition five stars.

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