Rail commuters across the UK have been given another blow as rail fares are to rise by 2.8% from January 2020.
The hike in rail fares will add more than £100 to an annual season ticket, and London rail users could pay an extra £125 to £4,581 for a season ticket to Brighton.
Campaign groups have warned that passengers could “refuse to pay” if season tickets continue to rise.
According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS) the Consumer Price Index (CPI) that measures inflation stood at 2.1% last month, campaigners are calling for a lower CPI to be used instead.
Bruce Williamson, spokesman for campaign group Railfuture said, “It might be that we’ve now reached the point where we cannot simply put fares up and expect passengers to take the hit.
“They will just give up and refuse to pay. They will either find either another job or another form of transport.”
Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald said, “It is indefensible and intolerable that many fares may, once again, rise faster than inflation. Rail travel gets more expensive every year in real terms under the Conservatives.”
Mick Cash the general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are to hold protests urging Grant Shapps the transport secretary to renationalise the railways on Wednesday.
Cash said passengers have “had enough of being ripped off by the private rail companies’ profiteering.”
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