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Commuters to face rail fare hikes up to 5.5%
Rail passengers will see the average price of their tickets increase by 3.5% from January, according to figures out today.
The current formula also allows rail companies to increase some fares by an extra 2%, meaning that some tickets could increase by 5.5%.
Fares can be increased in January by 1% plus July's Retail Prices Index inflation figure.
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Rail passengers to be hit by 3.5% average fare rise
Rail passengers will see the average price of their tickets increase by 3.5% from January, according to figures out today.
Railways 'a victim of their own success'
"We're a victim of our success" Michael Roberts, Director General of the Rail Delivery Group, representing train operators and Network Rail, said.
Mr Roberts told Good Morning Britain that the UK's trains are so busy because they are affordable, refuting claims that fare hikes are pricing people out of rail travel.
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Train tickets could be '5.6% more expensive next year'
The cost of some train tickets could be almost 6% higher next year.
Rail commuters will be paying close attention to the announcement of last month's Retail Prices Index (RPI) figure today, as it will be used to calculate increases to next year's regulated fares, including season tickets.
Ticket price rises are capped at 1% plus the July RPI figure, expected to be around 2.6%.
Train companies can add another 2% to some fares, as long as the overall average remains as per the formula.
Campaigners say ticket prices are rising four times faster than the average wage and that the measurement used to calculate fare increases has been discredited.
Rail fare rise a 'kick in the teeth' for passengers
The RMT union, which campaigns for the railways to return to public ownership, has said that next year's fare rise is a "kick in the teeth" for rail passengers.
Some rail fares could rise by as much as 5.5% next year
Rail fares could rise by as much as 5.5% next year under the current system, ITV News' Consumer Editor Chris Choi reports:
Rail travel 'out of the reach of ordinary people'
Rail travel is being pushed "out the reach of some ordinary people" by fare increases, the head of a public transport advocacy group said.
Stephen Joseph, executive director of the Campaign for Better Transport, told Good Morning Britain that Government-dictated ticket price hikes mean rail fares are rising four times faster than wages.
Commuters will find out how much rail fares are likely to rise by next year when the Retail Price Index (RPI) for last month is released today.
The annual increase is capped at July's RPI plus 1%, with an extra 2% added to some tickets.