UK rail fares to rise 6.2 per cent in January

Inflation for July stood at about 3.2 per cent. The fare increases - which will surpass 6.2 per cent in some cases - are to fund investment across the UK's rail network.

Passengers are likely to baulk at the fare rises seeing as train travel is already incredibly expensive in the UK. It will often cost more to take a train from London a couple of hours northwards than it would to take a plane over to Europe.

This latest rise also means that train fares in England will have gone up by more than the rate of inflation for 10 successive years.

This makes train journeys in England some of the most expensive in Europe - unless passengers book months in advance, in which case fares can be cheap.

Mike Hewitson, of watchdog Passenger Focus, told the BBC: "This is another inflation-busting increase.

"There is only so much you can squeeze passengers. The government needs to think again."

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber also weighed in, claiming: "In return for these whopping fare increases, rail travellers can expect cutbacks to services and more unmanned stations."

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