TRAIN fares will increase by 1 per cent next year.
The rises, which will come in January, are based on the previous July's rate of Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation, announced by the Office for National Statistics on Tuesday.
David Sidebottom, director of transport user watchdog Transport Focus, said: "Fares are set to increase again, but passengers will be relieved to see that fare rises in England are being capped at inflation.
"While fares are going up, for many people punctuality is going down. The poor performance in the South East in particular highlights how Network Rail and operators need to deliver a more consistent day-to-day service which passengers can rely on."
To mark the increase announcement, union TUC and campaign group Action for Rail released a report showing rail fares have risen almost three times faster than wages in the last five years.
It claims between 2010 and 2015 fares have increased by 25 per cent, while average pay went up by just 9 per cent.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here