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Passengers face train fare rises Passengers face train fare rises
(40 minutes later)
Train companies have announced above inflation rate fare increases. Train companies have announced above-inflation rate fare increases.
Season and saver ticket fares will rise by 4.8% on average, says the Association of Train Operating Companies (Atoc). Season tickets, saver and standard day returns will rise by 4.8% on average, says the Association of Train Operating Companies (Atoc).
Others such as cheap day returns will go up by 5.4%. The increases will come into effect in the New Year. Others such as cheap day returns, long-distance open and advance fares will go up by 5.4%. The increases will come into effect in the New Year.
Transport Salaried Staffs' Association general secretary Gerry Doherty said commuters travelling to London would be worst hit. The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association said commuters travelling to London would be worst hit.
He said continual rises meant the UK now has the most expensive fares in Europe. A weekly season ticket from Hayes in Kent to London will rise by 14.5% from £24.80 to £28.50.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We're 10 years down the line since privatisation and when you get above inflation increases for that length of time and it's continued then it exacerbates itself. When you get above-inflation increases for that length of time and it's continued then it exacerbates itself Gerry Doherty, Transport Salaried Staffs' Association
A similar ticket from Bexleyheath into the capital will go up from £25.10 to £28.50 or 13%, and for commuters in Ashford, Kent, a London-bound journey will rise by 10.5% from £78.30 to £86.50 a week.
In a statement, Atoc said the "small increase" in average rail fares partly reflects the fact that more than half of tickets sold are price-regulated by the government.
It added that many passengers are choosing to use discounted fares such as advance tickets, rather than pay for full-price tickets.
'Enormous growth'
"The relatively low increase in average rail fares has been a factor in the enormous growth in rail travel seen over the past 10 years, with 42% more passengers using the rail network," it said.
Atoc's statement added that the extra revenue would pay for railway improvements, with more than £800m being spent on new and refurbished trains.
Transport Salaried Staffs' Association general secretary Gerry Doherty said continual rises meant the UK now has the most expensive fares in Europe.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We're 10 years down the line since privatisation and when you get above-inflation increases for that length of time and it's continued then it exacerbates itself.
"And the result is that we've got the dearest fares in Europe now.""And the result is that we've got the dearest fares in Europe now."