A rail fare rise has been called “another kick in the teeth” for passengers.
From Monday ticket prices go up 2.6%, putting £80 on an average season fare of £3,144.
So, for example, a Brighton-to-London annual season ticket will cost around £5,109, £129 more.
While a Manchester-to-Glasgow off-peak return increases by £2.30 to £90.60.
TSSA transport union’s Manuel Cortes said by hiking fares the Government risks dissuading passengers from returning to trains after lockdown.
He said: “Instead, this seriously risks increasing congestion on our roads, and the pollution and carbon emissions that go along with such a spike.”
The Government took over rail franchise agreements from train operators in March in a move set to have cost taxpayers £10billion by mid-2021.
Labour’s transport spokesman Jim McMahon said of the increases: “This will be yet another kick in the teeth for families struggling to get by.”
Passenger watchdogs are angry rail companies have not brought in more flexible season tickets so passengers travelling two or three days a week save money compared with buying daily tickets.
The Government says the fare rise is the lowest since 2017, and it will last only nine months, until the end of 2021.
