The UK's Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) has accused London Midland rail company of bringing in a 'back door' fare rise of 5%, resulting in 15% increase in the cost of a journey from London to Birmingham in the past year.
The union said the increase means passengers travelling from London to Milton Keynes, Birmingham and Northampton face a 15% increase in fares in just 12 months.
TSSA general secretary Gerry Doherty said that it is outrageous that a highly profitable rail company is planning to increase fares in such a short period.
"All other travel companies are frantically cutting prices in the current economic downturn, but rail companies are increasing prices as they can get away with it because they operate local monopolies," he said.
Doherty also called for ministers to "end this price-fixing cartel that allows fares to rise above inflation every year. It is time they put the passengers first, not last."
A spokesman for London Midland said that rail firms could alter fares three times a year and the company had decided to raise some of its fares this month.
"Our fares went up across the board in January by less than the industry average," he said. "Around 40% of our fares went up in September, so in some cases fares have only gone up once this year."
By Daniel Garrun
