THE TUC has said “enough is enough” after it emerged rail commuters in the region will face a huge hike in some ticket prices from next year.

Regulated fares, which include season tickets, some off-peak return tickets on long distance journeys and anytime tickets around major cities, will increase by 3.6 per cent from January.

They are linked by the Government each year to July’s Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation measure.

Both the TUC and rail union the RMT have stated that rail fares have increased more than twice as fast as wages in the past ten years.

Examples of season ticket increases include:

  • Middlesbrough – Durham, up £74 from £2,116 to £2,190
  • Thirsk – Leeds, up £142 from £4,044 to £4,186
  • Darlington–Newcastle, up £85 from £2,368 to £2,453
  • York–Leeds, up £75 from £2,092 to £2,167.

Beth Farhat, Northern TUC regional secretary, said: “This is not fair for the millions of commuters across the North-East. Rail fares continue to rise year on year, yet wages remain relatively the same.

“Increasingly overcrowded and understaffed trains means the public are getting less for more. At the same time private rail owners are earning themselves millions in dividends.

“Enough is enough. Let’s bring the railways back into public ownership, improving services and saving money for passengers and taxpayers alike.”

Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald, who is Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, said: “Commuters have repeatedly been told that higher fares are necessary to fund investment, but promised investment has been cancelled and essential works have been delayed for years.

“The truth is that our fragmented, privatised railway drives up costs and leaves passengers paying more for less.”

The RMT estimated that the fare hikes will mean a minimum of an extra £337m in revenue for the train operating companies.

Paul Plummer, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, which brings together train companies and Network Rail, said: “Money from fares pays to run and improve the railway, making journeys better, boosting the economy, creating skilled jobs and supporting communities across Britain, and politicians set increases to season tickets.

“It’s also the case that many major rail industry costs rise directly in line with RPI.

“Rail companies are working together to improve performance now, adding thousands more seats over the next 18 months and, longer term, simplifying fares and ticket buying so that the country has the railway it needs to prosper.”