Rail fare increases a 'kick in the teeth' for passengers

Transport campaigners have slammed the annual rail fare increases across Britain as "another kick in the teeth" for passengers.

The average increase of 2.3% - the highest for three years - comes into effect this morning.

Lianna Etkind, of the Campaign for Better Transport, said: "Today's fare rises are another kick in the teeth for long-suffering rail passengers.

"Many experienced a less frequent and more overcrowded service last year, and now they are required to pay more for the same this year.

"The whole fares system is completely unfair and it's high time the Government overhauled it."

The Government uses the previous July's Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure of inflation to determine increases in regulated fares, which was 1.9%.

These are around 40% of all tickets and include season tickets on most commuter routes and some off-peak return tickets on long distance journeys.

Southern Rail customers have told Sky News of their anger at the price hikes, after a year that saw record delays and many journeys hit by strike action.

"I don't understand why we have to pay more, it makes me feel very angry and upset when I think about the poor service I have had from this train company," Rachel Martin, who commutes from Oxted in Surrey to central London, said.

"I can't think of any other walk of life where I pay the market rate and don't get what I pay for. It's disgusting."

Bruce Williamson, of independent campaign group Railfuture, said: "With the chaos on Southern, lacklustre performance in Scotland and stalled electrification on the Great Western main line, passengers are going to wonder what they are getting for their increased ticket price.

"Our walk-on rail fares are already the most eye-watering in Europe, and with fuel duty frozen for motorists for the fifth year on the trot, it can't be denied that people are being priced off the railways."

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling defended the rises. He said: "We are delivering the biggest rail modernisation programme for more than a century, providing more seats and services.

"We have always fairly balanced the cost of this investment between the taxpayer and the passenger."