FURIOUS passengers have slammed rail fare price hikes which will see them pay hundreds of pounds extra in the new year.

Harwich and Dovercourt commuters travelling to London Liverpool Street will now be forced to pay £5,440 for an annual season ticket starting on January 2 – an increase of £188.

Rail passengers heading from Manningtree to the capital will be charged £128 extra.

The Government confirmed the changes to rail industry fares in the 2014 autumn statement.

Commuter Chris Tye, of Harcourt Avenue, Dovercourt, is furious at the rise.

He said: “I think all commuters who use the line would agree this year, and in particular the last three months, have been the worst for punctuality in the last 15 years.

“The trains keep being sent short-formed and are in a terrible state of repair.

“If any other business sector was run in the way which Abellio Greater Anglia runs its network, it would go out of business."

An Abellio Greater Anglia spokesperson said: “The Government confirmed in the Autumn Statement the changes to rail industry fares for 2015 which come into effect on 2 January 2015. From this date, fares will increase across the Abellio Greater Anglia network by an average of 2.1%.”