Passenger Focus, the official representative of British rail users, has criticised the recent decision to increase rail fares in the New Year.
The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) announced on Friday that many train fares would go up as of 2 January 2009.
Regulated fares, which include season tickets, long-distance and off-peak fares will rise by 6%. Unregulated fares, including most leisure and advance fares, will rise by varying amounts, with the average over the network of 7%.
According to the ATOC, the increased revenue will help pay for major investment to improve the railways and deliver better value for taxpayers in line with government policy to reduce subsidy to the railways by 40%.
Passenger Focus, however, has criticised these hikes as putting unnecessary pressure on passengers to dig deep during very tough economic times.
Passenger Focus chief executive, Anthony Smith said that "no fare rises are welcome in the current economic climate. These fare rises hark back to a time of high inflation and spiralling energy costs."
Smith added that "Fare rises way above inflation are unjustified and unfair. These average fares will no doubt mask some very steep rises on particular routes and we will study the real impact as we unearth the details in the next few days."
Chief executive of ATOC Michael Roberts said that record performance has seen more than 90% of trains arriving on time and the highest the highest number of passenger travelling by rail for 60 years.
"Yet, since 1996, in real terms, overall rail fares have risen by just 5% and standard class regulated fares are actually lower than they were in the year before privatisation," he said. "The January fare changes mean that train companies can continue investing in an even better railway and still offer a range of good deals for customers."
Passenger Focus' Smith also said that they were concerned that Britain's railways are expensive to operate and that these costs are being passed directly onto the passenger, despite increasing numbers and revenue.
"We cannot simply go on dumping costs onto the passenger in this way," he argued.
Train operators are, however, currently carrying out work worth over £800m to introduce new trains, refurbish existing fleets and improve stations.
This includes the £440m remodelling of Reading station, the £600m redevelopment of Birmingham New Street station as well as the completion of the West Coast Main Line with 30% more services.
By Daniel Garrun.
